(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
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.
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