| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The Elder: To my dear friend Gaius: I love you in the truth. | 1This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. |
| 2Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. | 2Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. |
| 3For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth--how you are walking in the truth. | 3Some 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. |
| 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth. | 4I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. Caring for the Lord’s Workers |
| 5Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. | 5Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. |
| 6They 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, | 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. |
| 7since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. | 7For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. |
| 8Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth. | 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth. |
| 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us. | 9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. |
| 10This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church. | 10When 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. |
| 11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. | 11Dear 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. |
| 12Demetrius has a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. | 12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth. Conclusion |
| 13I have many things to write you, but I don't want to write to you with pen and ink. | 13I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. |
| 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name. | 14For 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. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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