3 John 1

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

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

2 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].

Beloved, I pray for thee to prosper concerning all things, and to be healthy, just as thy soul prospers.

3 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.

For I rejoiced exceedingly of brothers coming and testifying to the truth of thee, just as thou walk in truth.

4 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!

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

5 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].

Beloved, thou do a faithful thing, whatever thou work for the brothers and for strangers,

6 [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.

who testified about thy love in sight of the congregation, whom thou will do well having helped send on their way worthily of God.

7 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].

For they went forth on behalf of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

8 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.

We therefore ought to welcome such men, so that we might become fellow workmen for the truth.

9 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].

I wrote to the congregation, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first of them, did not accept us.

10 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.

Because of this, if I come, I will remember his works that he does, prating against us with evil words. And not being satisfied in these, he himself does not even accept the brothers, and he forbids those who would, and expels them out of the congregation.

11 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.

Beloved, do not imitate the evil, but the good. The man doing right is of God. The man doing wrong has not seen God.

12 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].

Demetrius has been testified by all, and by the truth itself. But we also testify, and ye know that our testimony is true.

13 [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].

I had many things to write, but I did not want to write to thee by pen and ink.

14 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.

But I hope to see thee straightaway, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.