3 John 1
1 From the elder to his dear friend Gaius, whom he sincerely loves.
The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.
2 Dear friend, I pray that all may be well with you and that you may have good health – I know that all is well with your soul.
My dear friend, I pray that you may in all respects prosper and enjoy good health, just as your soul already prospers.
3 For it was a great joy to me, when some followers of the Lord came and testified to your fidelity to the truth. I know that your own life is guided by the 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 Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to hear from time to time that the lives of my children are guided by the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living in obedience to the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in all the things you do for other followers – even when they are strangers to you.
My dear friend, you are acting faithfully in all your behaviour towards the brethren, even when they are strangers to you.
6 They themselves have testified before the church to your love. You will do well to help them on their way in a manner worthy of the service 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 it was on behalf of Christ’s name that they set out, not accepting even one thing from the Gentiles.
For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Therefore, we should support people like them, and so take our share in their work 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 something to the church, but Diotrephes (who loves to be the leader among them) doesn’t welcome us.
I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.
10 So if I come, I will bring up his actions in telling wicked nonsense about us. Not content with that, he not only refuses to personally welcome our friends who are followers, but actually stops those who would, and expels them from the church.
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 Dear friend, do not follow a bad example, but a good one. The person who does what is good is from God; the person who does what is bad has never 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 Everyone has always had a good word for Demetrius, and the truth itself speaks for him. Yes, and we also add our good word, and you know that what we say 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 have many things to tell you, but I would rather not use 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 I hope to see you soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. The friends here send you their greetings. Greet each one of our friends.
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.
