Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 From the elder. To my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
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The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2 Dear friend, I'm praying that all is well with you and that you enjoy good health in the same way that you prosper spiritually.
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Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
3 I was overjoyed when the brothers and sisters arrived and spoke highly of your faithfulness to the truth, shown by how you live according to the truth.
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For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth.
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I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you act faithfully in whatever you do for our brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers.
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Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,
6 They spoke highly of your love in front of the church. You all would do well to provide for their journey in a way that honors God,
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who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
7 because they left on their journey for the sake of Jesus Christ without accepting any support from the Gentiles.
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For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Therefore, we ought to help people like this so that we can be coworkers with the truth.
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Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
9 I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, doesn't welcome us.
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I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.
10 Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what he has done—making unjustified and wicked accusations against us. And as if that were not enough, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters but stops those who want to do so and even throws them out of the church!
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So 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.
11 Dear friend, don't imitate what is bad but what is good. Whoever practices what is good belongs to God. Whoever practices what is bad has not seen God.
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Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, even the truth itself. We also speak highly of him, and you know that what we say is true.
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Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I have a lot to say to you, but I don't want to use pen and ink.
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I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink.
14 I hope to see you soon, and we will speak face-to-face.
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I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
15 Peace be with you. Your friends here greet you. Greet our friends there by name.
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Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025