Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius
- The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I ^love in truth.
- Beloved, I pray for you to prosper in all things and to be healthy, just as your soul prospers.
- For I rejoiced greatly at the brothers’ coming and their testifying of the truth in you, just as you walk in the truth.
- I have no greater joy than these things, that I might hear of my children walking in the truth.
- Beloved, you faithfully do whatever you work for the brothers, (and also do this for strangers)
- men who testified of your ^love before the church, for whom you will do honorably by having sent them forward in a manner worthy of God.
- For they went out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the pagans.
- Therefore, we’re obligated to accept such men so that we might become fellow workers in the truth.
- I wrote something to the church, but the man loving to be first among them, Diotrephes, doesn’t welcome us.
- Because of this, if I come, I will call to mind his works that he is doing, prattling against us with evil words. And not being satisfied by these, he himself doesn’t welcome the brothers either, and he hinders the men resolving to do so and casts them out of the church.
- Beloved, don’t imitate evil, but good. The man doing good is from God. The man doing evil hasn’t seen God.
- Good testimony of Demetrius has been given by all, and by the truth itself. And we also testify, and you *know that our testimony is true.
- I had many things to write to you, but I don’t want to write to you through pen and ink.
- But I hope to see you very soon, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.