Thankfulness for Gaius

3 John 1

The elder

To Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, even as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when the siblings came and testified to your truth, telling how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.

A Charge to Faithfulness

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you are doing for the siblings, even though they are strangers. They have testified about your love before the church. You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, because they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the ethnic groups. Therefore we ought to show hospitality to such people so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept us. Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not satisfied with this, he not only refuses to receive the siblings, he also forbids those who want to and throws them out of the church!

Beloved, don’t imitate what is evil, but what is good. Anyone who does good is of God. Anyone who does evil hasn’t seen God. Demetrius has the testimony of all, and of the truth itself. We also testify about him, and you know that our testimony is true.

I had many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you soon, and we will speak face to face.

Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.