3 John 1
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.
2 Beloved, I pray for thee to prosper concerning all things, and to be healthy, just as thy soul prospers.
My dear friend, I pray that you may in all respects prosper and enjoy good health, just as your soul already prospers.
3 For I rejoiced exceedingly of brothers coming and testifying to the truth of thee, just as thou walk in truth.
For it is an intense joy to me when brethren come and bear witness to your fidelity to the truth--that you live in obedience to the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than these things that I hear my children walking in truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living in obedience to the truth.
5 Beloved, thou do a faithful thing, whatever thou work for the brothers and for strangers,
My dear friend, you are acting faithfully in all your behaviour towards the brethren, even when they are strangers to you.
6 who testified about thy love in sight of the congregation, whom thou will do well having helped send on their way worthily of God.
They have testified, in the presence of the Church, to your love; and you will do well to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of your fellowship with God.
7 For they went forth on behalf of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 We therefore ought to welcome such men, so that we might become fellow workmen for the truth.
It is therefore our duty to show hospitality to such men, so that we may be fellow workers in promoting the truth.
9 I wrote to the congregation, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first of them, did not accept us.
I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.
10 Because of this, if I come, I will remember his works that he does, prating against us with evil words. And not being satisfied in these, he himself does not even accept the brothers, and he forbids those who would, and expels them out of the congregation.
For this reason, if I come, I shall not forget his conduct, nor his idle and mischievous talk against us. And he does not stop there: he not only will not receive the brethren, but those who desire to do this he hinders, and excludes them from the Church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate the evil, but the good. The man doing right is of God. The man doing wrong has not seen God.
My dear friend, do not follow wrong examples, but right ones. He who habitually does what is right is a child of God: he who habitually does what is wrong has not seen God.
12 Demetrius has been testified by all, and by the truth itself. But we also testify, and ye know that our testimony is true.
The character of Demetrius has the approval of all men, and of the truth itself. We also express our approval of it, and you know that we only give our approval to that which is true.
13 I had many things to write, but I did not want to write to thee by pen and ink.
I have a great deal to say to you, but I do not wish to go on writing it with ink and pen.
14 But I hope to see thee straightaway, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.
But I hope to see you very soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. Our friends send greetings to you. Greet our friends individually.
