3 John 1

Greetings

1This letter is from John, the elder.#1:1 Greek From the elder.

I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.

2Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3Some of the traveling teachers#1:3 Greek the brothers; also in verses 5 and 10. recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 4I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

5Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7For they are traveling for the Lord,#1:7a Greek They went out on behalf of the Name. and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.#1:7b Greek from Gentiles. 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

11Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.#1:11 Greek they have not seen God.

12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.

Conclusion

13I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 14For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

15 # 1:15 Some English translations combine verses 14 and 15 into verse 14. Peace be with you.

Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.

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3 John 1

Greeting

1 # 2 John 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, #1 John 3:18; 2 John 1whom I love in truth.

2Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3For #2 John 4I rejoiced greatly when the brothers#3 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 5, 10 came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that #[1 Cor. 4:14, 15; Gal. 4:19; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philem. 10]my children are walking in the truth.

Support and Opposition

5Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for #[Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:1] these brothers, #See Matt. 25:35strangers as they are, 6who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner #1 Thess. 2:12; [Col. 1:10]worthy of God. 7For they have gone out for the sake of #See Acts 5:41the name, #1 Cor. 9:12, 15accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

9I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

11Beloved, #[Ps. 34:14; 37:27; Isa. 1:16, 17] do not imitate evil but imitate good. #1 John 2:29Whoever does good is from God; #See 1 John 3:6whoever does evil has not seen God. 12Demetrius #[1 Tim. 3:7] has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and #John 21:24you know that our testimony is true.

Final Greetings

13 # 2 John 12 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

15Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, #John 10:3each by name.

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