1 THE THIRD LETTER OF JOHN Greeting From the Elder, to my dear friend Gaius,a whom I truly love.b
2 Encouragement for Gaius Dear friend, I’m praying that you’re doing well, and that you’re healthy in every way-just as your soul is doing well.
3 I was overjoyed when the brothers and sisters came and testified about your genuineness-because you do live by the truth.c
4 I have no greater happiness than when I hear that my children are living byd the truth.
5 Helping Traveling Christian Workers Dear friend, you’re faithfully doing that work for the brothers and sisters-even though they’re strangers to you.e
6 They’ve testified to your love in front of the congregation. You’ll do well to send them on in a way that’s worthy of God.
7 Because they’ve gone out on behalf of the name of Jesus, without taking anything from the Gentiles.
8 So we ought to support people like these; that way we can be co-workers for the truth.
9 I wrote something to the community, but Diotrephes,f their would-be leader,g doesn’t welcome us.
10 So if I come, I’m going to point out the things he does-the evil nonsense he says about us. And he doesn’t stop there-he doesn’t welcome the brothers and sisters either. And he forbids people who want to welcome them, and kicks them out of the community.
11 Dear friend, don’t imitate what’s bad; imitate what’s good. The person who does good is from God. The person that does wrong hasn’t seen God.
12 Demetriush has a good recommendationi from everybody-even from the truth itself. And we recommend himj too-and you know that our recommendationk is true.
13 Final Words I have a lot of things to write to you, but I’d rather not do it through paper and ink.
14 Instead, I’m hoping to see you and to talk face to face.l