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3 John
New Catholic Bible
3 John
New Catholic Bible
Salutation. 1 The Presbyter[a] to my beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that everything is going well with you and that your bodily health is equal to that of your soul.[b]
Commendation of Gaius. 3 I rejoiced greatly when some of the brethren[c] arrived and related how faithful you are to the truth, and that you continue to walk in the truth. 4 Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 [d]Beloved, you have been faithful in everything you do for the brethren, especially to strangers. 6 They have testified before the Church to your love. Please continue to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they began their journey for the sake of the Name,[e] and they have refused to accept any support from nonbelievers. 8 Therefore, we ought to show hospitality to such people so that we may be collaborators in the truth.
Condemnation and Diotrephes. 9 I have previously written something to the Church, but Diotrephes,[f] who enjoys being in a position of leadership, refuses to acknowledge our authority. 10 Therefore, if I come, I shall draw attention to what he is doing. He has circulated false charges against us. And not content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brethren but interferes with those who want to do so and expels them from the Church.
11 Exhortation to Gaius. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil; rather, imitate what is good. Whoever does what is good is from God. Whoever does what is evil has never seen God.[g]
12 Example of Demetrius. Everyone has spoken favorably about Demetrius,[h] and so has the Truth itself. We also will vouch for him, and you are well aware that our testimony is true.
13 Conclusion.[i]I have much to write to you, but I do not think it prudent to do so with pen and ink. 14 Instead, I hope to visit you in the very near future, when we can talk together face to face.
15 Peace be with you. The friends[j] send you their greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:1 Presbyter: see note on 2 Jn 1. Gaius: a loyal member of one of the churches in the province of Asia, who bears a common Roman name—one mentioned in four other places in the New Testament (Acts 19:29; 20:4; Rom 16:23; 1 Cor 1:14).
- 3 John 1:2 John wishes Gaius well both spiritually and physically, for he knows that grace and health are two of the greatest gifts of God.
- 3 John 1:3 Brethren: most likely itinerant missionaries to whom Gaius showed Christian hospitality. Walk in the truth: i.e., practice true Christian living.
- 3 John 1:5 Apparently, the early Church provided hospitality and support for missionaries because they had given up their means of livelihood in order to preach the faith to others and deserved some kind of compensation (see 1 Cor 9:3-12).
- 3 John 1:7 Name: of Jesus Christ (see note on Acts 5:41), which expresses the mystery of his divinity (see Phil 2:9; Jas 2:7; 1 Jn 2:12; 3:23; 5:13).
- 3 John 1:9 Diotrephes: a leader of the local church who overstepped his boundaries. He not only failed to give allegiance to the Presbyter but also refused to offer hospitality and support to the missionaries who came to his church.
- 3 John 1:11 John exhorts Gaius to keep on doing good and not be swayed by the un-Christian behavior of Diotrephes.
- 3 John 1:12 Demetrius: possibly the bearer of the Letter. He may have been an important member of the community or one of the missionaries. Spoken favorably . . . and so has the Truth itself: most likely, John is referring to the Truth of the Gospel in Demetrius’ life. Like Gaius, Demetrius is “walking in the truth.” He lives the life of love.
- 3 John 1:13 See 2 Jn 12-13 for a similar conclusion.
- 3 John 1:15 Friends: probably those who oppose Diotrephes and are loyal to the Presbyter.
3 John
New International Version
3 John
New International Version
1 The elder,(A)
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers(B) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.(C) 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(D) are walking in the truth.(E)
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a](F) even though they are strangers to you.(G) 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(H) in a manner that honors(I) God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(K) 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come,(L) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(M) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(N)
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.(O) Anyone who does what is good is from God.(P) Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.(Q) 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone(R)—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.(S)
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.(T)
15 Peace to you.(U) The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.(V)
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:5 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
New International Version (NIV) 
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