3 John 1

Greetings

1 This letter is from John, the elder.t
I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.3 Some of the traveling teacherst recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth.

4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you.6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.7 For they are traveling for the Lord,t and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.t

8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us.

10 When 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.

11 Dear 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.t

12 Everyone 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

13 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink.

14 For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

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

3 John 1

1 The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

2 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.3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.6 They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.

8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us.

10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
11 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.

12 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.
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink.

14 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.