3 John 1:5-14

Gaius Commended

5 Dear friend,^[a] you are showing your faith^[b] by whatever you do for the brothers, and this [you are doing] for strangers;

6 they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God,

7 since they set out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from pagans.

8 Therefore, we ought to support such men, so that we can be co-workers with^[c] the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

9 I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us.

10 This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church.

11 Dear friend,^[d] do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

12 Demetrius has a [good] testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.

Farewell

13 I have many things to write you, but I don't want to write to you with pen and ink.

14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.^[e] Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Beloved
• [b]. Lit are doing faith
• [c]. Or co-workers for
• [d]. Or Beloved
• [e]. Lit mouth to mouth