| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1From the elder, to Gaius my dear brother, whom I love in truth. | 1The Elder: To my dear friend Gaius: I love you in the truth. |
| 2Dear friend, 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. | 2Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. |
| 3For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are living according to the truth. | 3For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth--how you are walking in the truth. |
| 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth. | 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth. |
| 5Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers). | 5Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. |
| 6They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. | 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, |
| 7For they have gone forth on behalf of "The Name," accepting nothing from the pagans. | 7since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. |
| 8Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth. | 8Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth. |
| 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us. | 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us. |
| 10Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing--the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church! | 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. |
| 11Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God. | 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. |
| 12Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true. | 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. |
| 13I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink. | 13I have many things to write you, but I don't want to write to you with pen and ink. |
| 14But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. The friends here greet you. Greet the friends there by name. | 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. |
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