3 John 1

1 The elder, unto Gaius the beloved, whom, I, love in truth.

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

2 Beloved! concerning all things, I pray thou mayest be prospering, and be in health, even as, thy soul, is prospering,

Beloved, I pray that in all respects yoʋ may prosper and be in good health, even as yoʋr soul prospers.

3 For I rejoiced exceedingly, at brethren coming and bearing witness unto thy truth, —even as, thou, in truth, art walking.

For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about yoʋr faithfulness to the truth and how yoʋ walk in the truth.

4 I have no, greater, favour than these things, that I should be hearing that, my own children, in the truth, are walking.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Beloved! a faithful thing, art thou doing, whatsoever thou shalt accomplish for them that are brethren, and withal strangers, —

Beloved, yoʋ are acting faithfully in whatever yoʋ do for the brothers and for those who are strangers to you.

6 Who have borne witness to thy love before the assembly: whom thou wilt do, nobly, to set forward worthily of God.

They have testified of yoʋr love before the church, and yoʋ will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

7 For, in behalf of The Name, have they gone forth, taking, nothing, from them of the nations.

For they went out for the sake of the Name, receiving nothing from the Gentiles.

8 We, therefore ought to be sustaining such as these, that we may become, fellowworkers, with the truth.

Therefore we ought to receive men like them, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

9 I wrote something unto the assembly; but, he who is fond of taking the first place among them—Diotrephes, doth not make us welcome.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to put himself first, does not acknowledge us.

10 For this cause, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he is doing, —with wicked words, prating against us; and, not content with these, he neither, himself, maketh the brethren welcome, but, them who are minded [to do it], he forbiddeth, and, out of the assembly, doth cast [them].

So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing and the evil accusations of nonsense that he is making against us. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to receive the brothers, but also stops those who want to do so and throws them out of the church.

11 Beloved! be not thou imitating what is bad, but what is good. He that doeth good, is, of God: he that doeth what is bad, hath not seen God.

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. Whoever does good is of God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

12 Unto Demetrius, hath witness been borne by all and by the truth itself; howbeit, we also, bear witness, and thou knowest that, our witness, is, true.

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 Many things, had I to write unto thee, —but I am unwilling, with ink and pen, to be writing;

I have much to write, but I do not want to write to yoʋ with pen and ink.

14 I hope, however, straightway, to see thee, and, mouth to mouth, will we talk. Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

I hope to see yoʋ soon, and we will speak face to face. Peace be with yoʋ. The friends greet yoʋ. Greet the friends by name.