1 This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.
3 Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth.
4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you.
6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.
7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.
8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us.
10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.
11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.
13 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink.
14 For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.
15 Peace be with you. Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.
GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
1 From the Elder—To my dear Gaius, whom I truly love.2 My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health—as I know you are well in spirit.
3 I was so happy when some Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth—just as you always live in the truth.
4 Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.
5 My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for other Christians, even when they are strangers.
6 They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way that will please God.
7 For they set out on their trip in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers.
8 We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.
9 I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say.
10 When I come, then, I will bring up everything he has done: the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells! But that is not enough for him; he will not receive the Christians when they come, and even stops those who want to receive them and tries to drive them out of the church!
11 My dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does what is bad has not seen God.
12 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius; truth itself speaks well of him. And we add our testimony, and you know that what we say is true.
13 I have so much to tell you, but I do not want to do it with pen and ink.
14 I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk personally.
15 Peace be with you. All your friends send greetings. Greet all our friends personally.
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