| New Living Translation | King James Bible |
| 1This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. | 1The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. |
| 2Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. | 2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. |
| 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. | 3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest 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 | 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. |
| 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. | 5Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; |
| 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. | 6Which 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: |
| 7For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. | 7Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. |
| 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth. | 8We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. |
| 9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. | 9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. |
| 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. | 10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. |
| 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. | 11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. |
| 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 | 12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. |
| 13I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. | 13I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: |
| 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. | 14But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name. |
| 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. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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