3 John

¹The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. ²Beloved, I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.

³For I rejoiced exceedingly when the brethren came and bore testimony to thy holding fast the truth, even as thou walkest in truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children walking in the truth. ⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully in whatever thou mayest have wrought towards the brethren and that strangers, ⁶(who have witnessed of thy love before the assembly,) in setting forward whom on their journey worthily of God, thou wilt do well; ⁷for for the name have they gone forth, taking nothing of those of the nations. ⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow-workers with the truth.

⁹I wrote something to the assembly; but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, receives us not. ¹⁰For this reason, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he does, babbling against us with wicked words; and not content with these, neither does he himself receive the brethren; and those who would he prevents, and casts them out of the assembly. ¹¹Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He that does good is of God. He that does evil has not seen God.

¹²Demetrius has witness borne to him by all, and by the truth itself; and we also bear witness, and thou knowest that our witness is true. ¹³I had many things to write to thee, but I will not with ink and pen write to thee; ¹⁴but I hope soon to see thee, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to thee. The friends greet thee. Greet the friends by name.