GREETINGS AND FIRST WORDS

¹From He Shows Goodwill (John), the elder.

To my much-loved spiritual brother Glad Heart (Gaius), whom I truly love. ²My close friend, I pray that good things will come your way and that you will remain in good health, even as your soul does well.

WALKING THE PATH OF TRUTH

³It made my heart dance for joy when some of the members of the sacred family came and told me of your great respect for the truth—a path you now walk. ⁴Nothing gives me more joy than to hear that my spiritual children are walking the path of truth.

TREATING TRAVELERS WELL

⁵My much-loved brother, it is good that you keep treating the traveling members of our sacred family so well, even though they are strangers to you. ⁶At a gathering of our sacred family they told us about the love you showed to them. You are doing a good thing when you send these family members on their way in a manner that honors the Great Spirit. ⁷For they went out to make his name known without taking any help from those outside the sacred family.1 ⁸So it is up to us to help them on their way. In this way, we share together with them in making known the truth.

A WARNING TO THE HEADMAN

⁹I wrote to the sacred family that gathers with you, but Raised by the Sky Spirit (Diotrephes), who loves to be the headman, will not listen to us. ¹⁰So if I come, I will give him a stern talking-to, for he has spoken foolishly, accusing us with evil words. As if this were not enough, he also refuses to welcome traveling members of the sacred family. He puts a stop to those who want to welcome them and forces them out of the sacred family gathering.

A GOOD REPORT

¹¹My much-loved brother, do not follow these evil ways, but walk in step with those who do good. The ones who walk in a good way are of the Great Spirit. The ones who walk in evil ways have not truly seen the Great Spirit.

¹²Everyone has something good to say about Corn Spirit (Demetrius), and what they say agrees with the truth. We also say good things about him, and as you know, we always speak the truth.

CLOSING WORDS

¹³I have much more to say to you, but I do not want to use pen and ink. ¹⁴I hope to see you soon, so we can speak face to face.

¹⁵Peace be with you. Our friends from the sacred family who gather here send their greetings to you. Please greet our friends from the sacred family who gather with you. Greet each of them by name.