3 John 1

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

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

2 beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,

Beloved, I earnestly pray, that thou mayst prosper and be in health, as thy soul prospereth.

3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;

For I greatly rejoiced, when the brethren came, and bore testimony to thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.

4 greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.

And I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.

5 Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,

Beloved, thou actest faithfully in whatsoever service thou dost to the brethren, and to strangers too;

6 who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

who have borne witness to thy love before the church: whom thou wilt do well in forwarding, as is worthy of God.

7 because for [His] name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;

For they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing of the gentiles.

8 we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.

We ought therefore to receive such, that we may become fellow-laborers in the truth.

9 I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them — Diotrephes — doth not receive us;

I wrote to the church: but Diotrephes, who affects the pre-eminence among them, doth not receive us.

10 because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.

Therefore when I come, I will remember his deeds, prating against us with wicked words: and not content with these, he neither receiveth the brethren himself, nor suffers those that would; and casteth them out of the church.

11 Beloved, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;

Beloved, do not thou follow that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doth good is of God: but he, that doth evil, hath not seen God.

12 to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also — we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.

A good testimony is borne to Demetrius by all men, and by the truth itself: yea, and we also bear him like witness, and ye know that our testimony is true.

13 Many things I had to write, but I do not wish through ink and pen to write to thee,

I had many things to write: but I would not write to thee with pen and ink;

14 and I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak. Peace to thee! salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.

for I hope to see thee soon, and we shall speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.