3 John 1–8
1 The elder,a
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believersb came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.c 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my childrend are walking in the truth.e
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,a f even though they are strangers to you.g 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their wayh in a manner that honorsi God. 7 It was for the sake of the Namej that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.k 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — English Standard Version (ESV)
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
3 John 1–8 — New Living Translation (NLT)
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.
3 John 1–8 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
1 The Elder,
To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 From the Elder.
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth:
2 My dear friend, I know your soul is doing fine, and I pray that you are doing well in every way and that your health is good. 3 I was very happy when some brothers and sisters came and told me about the truth in your life and how you are following the way of truth. 4 Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are following the way of truth.
5 My dear friend, it is good that you help the brothers and sisters, even those you do not know. 6 They told the church about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way worthy of God. 7 They started out in service to Christ, and they have been accepting nothing from nonbelievers. 8 So we should help such people; when we do, we share in their work for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth. 4 Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal; 6 who bare witness to thy love before the church: whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God: 7 because that for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.
3 For I rejoiced exceedingly when the brethren came and bore testimony to thy holding fast the truth, even as thou walkest in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children walking in the truth. 5 Beloved, 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; 7 for for the name have they gone forth, taking nothing of those of the nations. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow-workers with the truth.
3 John 1–8 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 From the church leader.
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love because we share the truth.
2 Dear friend, I know that you are spiritually well. I pray that you’re doing well in every other way and that you’re healthy. 3 I was very happy when some believers came and told us that you are living according to the truth. 4 Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children are living according to the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are showing your faith in whatever you do for other believers, especially when they’re your guests. 6 These believers have told the congregation about your love. You will do well to support them on their trip in a way that proves you belong to God. 7 After all, they went on their trip to serve the one named Christ, and they didn’t accept any help from the people to whom they went. 8 We must support believers who go on trips like this so that we can work together with them in spreading the truth.
3 John 1–8 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 The Elder:
To my dear friend Gaius: I love you in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. 3 For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth—how you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. 6 They have testified to your love in front of the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, 7 since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. 8 Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth.
3 John 1–8 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 I was overjoyed when some of the friends arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, namely how you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends, even though they are strangers to you; 6 they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God; 7 for they began their journey for the sake of Christ, accepting no support from non-believers. 8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become co-workers with the truth.
3 John 1–8 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 The elder, to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray you may prosper concerning everything and be healthy, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced exceedingly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this: that I hear my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you act faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers, even though they are strangers. 6 They have testified to your love before the church; you will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out on behalf of the name, accepting nothing from the pagans. 8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become fellow workers with the truth.
3 John 1–8 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 I, the elder, am writing this letter.
I am sending it to you, my dear friend Gaius. I love you because of the truth.
2 Dear friend, I know that your spiritual life is going well. I pray that you also may enjoy good health. And I pray that everything else may go well with you.
3 Some believers came to me and told me that you are faithful to the truth. They told me that you continue to live by it. That gave me great joy. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living by the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the believers. You are faithful even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please help them by sending them on their way in a manner that honors God.
7 They started on their journey to serve Jesus Christ. They didn’t receive any help from those who aren’t believers. 8 So we should welcome people like them. We should work together with them for the truth.
3 John 1–8 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.
4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;
6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.
7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.