3 John 1

1 I, a ruler in the church, send word to the well loved Gaius, for whom I have true love.

The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.

2 My loved one, it is my prayer that you may do well in all things, and be healthy in body, even as your soul does well.

My dear friend, I pray that you may in all respects prosper and enjoy good health, just as your soul already prospers.

3 For it gave me great joy when some of the brothers came and gave witness that you had the true faith and were walking in the true way.

For it is an intense joy to me when brethren come and bear witness to your fidelity to the truth--that you live in obedience to the truth.

4 I have no greater joy than to have news that my children are walking in the true way.

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

5 My loved one, you are doing a good work in being kind to those brothers who come from other places;

My dear friend, you are acting faithfully in all your behaviour towards the brethren, even when they are strangers to you.

6 Who have given witness to the church of your love for them: and you will do well to send them on their way well cared for, as is right for servants of God:

They have testified, in the presence of the Church, to your love; and you will do well to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of your fellowship with God.

7 For they went out for love of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 So it is right for us to take in such men as guests, so that we may take our part in the work of the true faith.

It is therefore our duty to show hospitality to such men, so that we may be fellow workers in promoting the truth.

9 I sent a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, whose desire is ever to have the first place among them, will not have us there.

I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.

10 So if I come, I will keep in mind the things he does, talking against us with evil words: and as if this was not enough, he does not take the brothers into his house, and those who are ready to take them in, he keeps from doing so, putting them out of the church if they do.

For this reason, if I come, I shall not forget his conduct, nor his idle and mischievous talk against us. And he does not stop there: he not only will not receive the brethren, but those who desire to do this he hinders, and excludes them from the Church.

11 My loved one, do not be copying what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God: he who does evil has not seen God.

My dear friend, do not follow wrong examples, but right ones. He who habitually does what is right is a child of God: he who habitually does what is wrong has not seen God.

12 Demetrius has the approval of all men and of what is true: and we give the same witness, and you are certain that our witness is true.

The character of Demetrius has the approval of all men, and of the truth itself. We also express our approval of it, and you know that we only give our approval to that which is true.

13 I had much to say to you, but it is not my purpose to put it all down with ink and pen:

I have a great deal to say to you, but I do not wish to go on writing it with ink and pen.

14 But I am hoping to see you in a short time, and to have talk with you face to face. May you have peace. Your friends here send you their love. Give my love to our friends by name.

But I hope to see you very soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. Our friends send greetings to you. Greet our friends individually.