3 John 1

1 The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!

The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.

2 Beloved, I desire you to prosper concerning all things, and to be in health, even as your 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, brothers coming and testifying of the truth in you, even as you 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 joy greater than these things, that I may hear of 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, you act faithfully in whatever you may do toward the brothers and the one [among] 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 of your love before an assembly, whom you will do well, having sent forward 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 because they went forth for [His] Name, receiving nothing from the nations;

For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 we, then, ought to receive such, that we may become fellow-workers to 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 assembly, but he who is loving to be first among them—Diotrephes—does not receive 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 may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he does, talking nonsense against us with evil words; and not content with these, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and he forbids those intending [to receive them], and he casts [them] out of the assembly.

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 be following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, he is of God, [but] he who is doing evil 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 testimony has been given to Demetrius by all, and by the truth itself, and we also—we testify, and you have known 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 Many things I had to write, but I do not wish to write to you through ink and pen,

I have a great deal to say to you, but I do not wish to go on writing it with ink and pen.

14 and I hope to see you soon, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to you! The friends greet you. Be greeting 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.