Help Christians Who Teach Truth

¹ From the Elder [or old man; ^CGreek: presbyteros, referring to advanced age, a church office, or both; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1; see 2 John 1].

To ·my dear friend [^Lthe beloved] Gaius [^Can otherwise unknown Christian leader], whom I love in the truth [^Cthe truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ]:

² ·My dear friend [^LBeloved], I pray that you are ·doing well [prospering] in ·every way [all respects] and that your health is good, just as ·your soul is doing fine [it is well with your soul; your soul is prospering]. ³ [^LFor] I was very happy when some brothers and sisters came and ·told me [testified] about the truth in your life and how you are ·following [^Lwalking in] the way of truth [2 John 4]. ⁴ Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children [^Cmembers of the church under his spiritual care] are ·following the way of truth [walking in the truth].

⁵ ·My dear friend [^LBeloved], ·it is good that [you are living out your faith when] you help the brothers and sisters, even those ·you do not know [^Lwho are strangers]. ⁶ They ·told [testified before] the church about your love. ·Please help them [You will do well] to continue their trip [^Cas missionaries] in a way worthy of God. ⁷ [^LFor] They ·started out in service to Christ [^Ldeparted for the sake of the name], and they have been accepting ·nothing [no support] from nonbelievers [^LGentiles; pagans]. ⁸ So we should ·help [show hospitality to; support] such people; when we do, we ·share in their work [become coworkers] for the truth.

⁹ I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be ·their leader [first], will not ·listen to us [receive us; or accept our authority]. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will ·talk about [call to mind; bring attention to] what Diotrephes [^Cnothing further is known about this man] is doing, about how he ·lies and says evil things about us [slanders us with evil/malicious words]. But ·more than [not satisfied with] that, he refuses to ·accept [welcome; receive] the other brothers and sisters; he even ·stops [prevents] those who do want to ·accept [welcome; receive] them and ·puts them out of [expels them from] the church.

¹¹ ·My dear friend [Beloved], do not ·follow [imitate] what is ·bad [evil]; ·follow [imitate] what is good [1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess. 3:7; Heb. 6:12; 13:7]. The one who does good ·belongs to [is from] God. But the one who does evil has never ·known [^Lseen] God.

¹² Everyone ·says [witnesses/testifies to] good things about Demetrius [^Clikely the bearer of the letter to Gaius; otherwise unknown], and the truth agrees with what they say. We also ·speak [witness; testify] well of him, and you know ·what we say [our witness/testimony] is true.

¹³ I have many things I want to write you, but I do not want to use pen and ink. ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon and talk face to face. ¹⁵ Peace to you. The friends here greet you. Please greet each friend there by name [2 John 12–13].