3 John 1

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

[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.

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

Dear friend, I ask [God that things may go] well for you in every way, [specifically], that you will be physically healthy just like you are spiritually healthy [MTY].

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

I am very happy because some fellow believers have come [here] and told me that you conduct your life in a manner [that is consistent with God’s] true message.

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

I am very happy when I hear that (people whom I helped to believe in Christ/my [spiritual] children) are conducting their lives like you are!

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

Dear friend, you are [serving Jesus] loyally/faithfully whenever you do things to help fellow believers, [even those whom you] do not know, who are traveling [around doing God’s work].

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

[Some of] them have reported before the congregation [here how] you have showed that you love them. You should continue to help such people in their travels in a way that is pleasing to God.

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

When those fellow believers went out [to tell people about Jesus] [MTY], the people who do not believe in Christ did not give them anything [to help them].

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

So we [who believe in Christ] ought to give food and money to such people to help [them as they teach others God’s] true message.

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 [a letter] to the congregation [telling them to help those fellow believers]. However, Diotrephes does not (acknowledge my authority/[pay any attention to what] I wrote), because he (desires to be in charge/wants to be the leader) of [the congregation].

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, when I arrive [there], I will [publicly] tell what he does: He tells others evil nonsense about us [in order to] harm [us by what he] says, and he is not content with only doing that. He himself refuses to receive the fellow believers who are traveling around doing God’s work, and he also stops those who want to receive them by expelling them from the congregation.

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.

Dear friend, do not imitate a bad [example like that]. Instead, [keep imitating] good [examples. Remember that] people who do good deeds ([truly] belong to God/are [spiritual children] of God), [but] those who do [what is] evil do not (know/have fellowship with) 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.

All [the believers who know Demetrius] say that he [is a good person]. The fact [that he conducts his life in a way that is consistent/in accordance with God’s] true [message] shows [that he is a good person], and we also say the same thing [about him]. You know that what we say [about him] is true. [So it will be good if you welcome him and help him. He is the one who will be bringing this letter to you].

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

[When I began] to write this letter, I had much more [that I intended] to tell you. But [now] I do not want to say [it] in a letter [MTY].

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.

Instead, I expect to [come and] see you soon. Then we will talk directly with one another. [I pray that God will enable] you [to experience inner] peace. Our friends [here] (send you their greetings/say that they are thinking affectionately about you) [MTY]. Tell our friends [there] that we (send our greetings to/are thinking fondly about) them.