3 JOHN 1
1 The elder,
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 came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.] even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 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, 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. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
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.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
NOTES:
NOTES:
1 Beloved Gaius: a frequent form of address for fellow
Christians in New Testament epistolary literature.
3 The brothers: in this letter, the term may refer to
Christians who have been missionaries and received hospitality from Gaius (3 Jn
5–6). Walk in the truth: the common Johannine term to describe Christian
living; this description presents Gaius as following the teachings of the
Presbyter in contrast to Diotrephes.
5 You are faithful in all you do: Gaius’s aid to the
missionaries is a manifestation of his true Christian faith.
6 Help them…to continue their journey: the Presbyter asks
Gaius not only to continue to welcome the missionaries to his community but
also to equip them for further travels.
7 The Name: of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 5:41; 1 Jn 2:12; 3:23;
5:13). Accepting nothing: not expecting support from the pagans to whom they
preach the gospel, so that they will not be considered as beggars; they
required support from other Christians; cf. Paul’s complaints to the
Corinthians (1 Cor 9:3–12).
9 Who loves to dominate: the Presbyter does not deny
Diotrephes’ place as leader but indicates that his ambition may have caused him
to disregard his letter and his influence.
10 If I come: the Presbyter may visit the community to
challenge the actions of Diotrephes toward himself and the missionaries. Will
not receive the brothers: Diotrephes may have been critical of the teachings of
the Presbyter and sought to maintain doctrinal purity; cf. 1 Jn 2:19 and 2 Jn
10–11.
11 Do not imitate evil: Gaius should not be influenced by
the behavior of Diotrephes.
12 Demetrius: because of the fear of false teachers,
Demetrius, perhaps the bearer of the letter, is provided with a recommendation
from the Presbyter; cf. 2 Cor 3:1; Rom 16:1. Even from the truth itself: this
refers probably to the manner of Demetrius’s life that testifies to his true
belief; cf. Gaius above (3 Jn 3).
15 Friends: although a Johannine term for Christians (Jn
15:15), the word here may refer to those in the community loyal to the
Presbyter and to Gaius.
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