| 1 | 3 John | ||
| 1 | THE ELDER to dear Gaius, whom I love in truth. | Salutation 3Jn.1.1-4 | |
| 2 | My dear Gaius, I pray that you may enjoy good health, and that all may go well with you, as I know it goes well with your soul. | ||
| 3 | I was delighted when friends came and told me how true you have been; indeed you are true in your whole life. | ||
| 4 | Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are living by the truth. | ||
| 5 | My dear friend, you show a fine loyalty in everything that you do for these our fellow-Christians, strangers though they are to you. | Cooperation and Opposition 3Jn.1.5-12 | |
| 6 | They have spoken of your kindness before the congregation here. Please help them on their journey in a manner worthy of the God we serve. | ||
| 7 | It was on Christ's work that they went out; and they would accept nothing from pagans. | ||
| 8 | We are bound to support such men, and so play our part in spreading the truth. | ||
| 9 | I sent a letter to the congregation, but Diotrephes, their would-be leader, will have nothing to do with us. | ||
| 10 | If I come, I will bring up the things he is doing. He lays baseless and spiteful charges against us; not satisfied with that, he refuses to receive our friends, and he interferes with those who would do so, and tries to expel them from the congregation. | ||
| 11 | My dear friend, do not imitate bad examples, but good ones. The well-doer is a child of God; the evildoer has never seen God. | ||
| 12 | Demetrius gets a good testimonial from everybody—yes, and from the truth itself. I add my testimony, and you know that my testimony is true. | ||
| 13 | I have much to write to you, but I do not care to set it down with pen and ink. | Final Greetings 3Jn.1.13-15 | |
| 14 | I hope to see you very soon, and we will talk face to face. | ||
| 15 | Peace be with you. Our friends send their greetings. Greet our friends one by one. | ← | |
| | 3Jn:1 | | |||
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