3 John 1:15

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. ¹⁵ Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.¹⁵Keep your chin up and your toes out. ¹⁵span data-lang="eng" data-trans="bbe" data-ref="3jo.1.1" class="versetxt"> I, a ruler in the church, send word to the well loved Gaius, for whom I have true love. My loved one, it is my prayer that you may do well in all things, and be healthy in body, even as your soul does well. For it gave me great joy when some of the brothers came and gave witness that you had the true faith and were walking in the true way. I have no greater joy than to have news that my children are walking in the true way. My loved one, you are doing a good work in being kind to those brothers who come from other places; Who have given witness to the church of your love for them: and you will do well to send them on their way well cared for, as is right for servants of God: For they went out for love of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles. So it is right for us to take in such men as guests, so that we may take our part in the work of the true faith. I sent a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, whose desire is ever to have the first place among them, will not have us there. So if I come, I will keep in mind the things he does, talking against us with evil words: and as if this was not enough, he does not take the brothers into his house, and those who are ready to take them in, he keeps from doing so, putting them out of the church if they do. My loved one, do not be copying what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God: he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has the approval of all men and of what is true: and we give the same witness, and you are certain that our witness is true. I had much to say to you, but it is not my purpose to put it all down with ink and pen: But I am hoping to see you in a short time, and to have talk with you face to face. May you have peace. Your friends here send you their love. Give my love to our friends by name. ¹⁵ The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers. For I rejoiced exceedingly when [the] brethren came and bore testimony to thy [holding fast the] truth, even as *thou* walkest in truth. I have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children walking in the truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully [in] whatever thou mayest have wrought towards the brethren and that strangers, (who have witnessed of thy love before [the] assembly,) in setting forward whom on their journey worthily of God, thou wilt do well; for for the name have they gone forth, taking nothing of those of the nations. *We* therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow-workers with the truth. I wrote something to the assembly; but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, receives us not. For this reason, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he does, babbling against us with wicked words; and not content with these, neither does he himself receive the brethren; and those who would he prevents, and casts [them] out of the assembly. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He that does good is of God. He that does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has witness borne to him by all, and by the truth itself; and *we* also bear witness, and thou knowest that our witness is true. I had many things to write to thee, but I will not with ink and pen write to thee; but I hope soon to see thee, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace [be] to thee. The friends greet thee. Greet the friends by name. ¹⁵ * [No text] ¹⁵ * [No text] ¹⁵ Peace be with the. The louers salute the. Grete the louers by name. ¹⁵ peace be with you. your friends here salute you. salute all our friends, in particular. ¹⁵ The Pastor, to my good friend Gaius: How truly I love you! We're the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health—that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! I was most happy when some friends arrived and brought the news that you persist in following the way of Truth. Nothing could make me happier than getting reports that my children continue diligently in the way of Truth! Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They've made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It's good work you're doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God himself! They set out under the banner of the Name, and get no help from unbelievers. So they deserve any support we can give them. In providing meals and a bed, we become their companions in spreading the Truth. Earlier I wrote something along this line to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves being in charge, denigrates my counsel. If I come, you can be sure I'll hold him to account for spreading vicious rumors about us. As if that weren't bad enough, he not only refuses hospitality to traveling Christians but tries to stop others from welcoming them. Worse yet, instead of inviting them in he throws them out. Friend, don't go along with evil. Model the good. The person who does good does God's work. The person who does evil falsifies God, doesn't know the first thing about God. Everyone has a good word for Demetrius—the Truth itself stands up for Demetrius! We concur, and you know we don't hand out endorsements lightly. I have a lot more things to tell you, but I'd rather not use pen and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. Peace to you. The friends here say hello. Greet our friends there by name.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge