3 John

JMNT^{(i) 1} The old person, to Gaius, the beloved one, whom I myself am continuously loving in (or: within the midst of) truth and reality (or: truly loving). ² O beloved one! I am continuously having (or: thinking and speaking) goodness, ease and well-being (or: wishing and professing loudly; claiming) concerning all things [for] you to be constantly having a prosperous journey (or: to progressively travel a good path; to habitually be prospered unto success; to be continuously helped along the Way) and to be constantly sound and healthy [in mind, thought and body] just as (or: to the same degree as) your soul (inner being; or: = your life) is progressively being prospered on its journey (helped along the Way; prospered unto success; caused to travel the Good Path). ³ You see, I was made exceedingly glad (or: I am caused to greatly rejoice) at the coming of the brothers (= fellow believers or members), from time to time, and their bearing witness of your [being] in the Truth, according as you yourself are continually walking about within Truth (or: testifying to the reality concerning you in correspondence to the fact that you yourself are habitually living your life in union with truth and reality). ⁴ I do not presently have greater joy than from these things: that I am repeatedly hearing that my own children (born-ones) are continuously walking about within the Truth (= living their lives in union with reality). ⁵ O beloved one! You are continually doing (performing; constructing; forming; producing) a faithful and loyal thing (act of loyalty and allegiance), whatsoever you yourself may work unto (or: actively accomplish into the midst of) the brothers (= fellow believers and members of the family) and unto (or: into) the strangers (or: foreigners) – ⁶ who bear witness of you for the love (or: testified to your love) before (in the sight of; in the presence of) [the] called-out community – [for] whom you will do (or: perform; produce) beautifully (finely; ideally), sending [them] forward (or: escorting them on; = attending to their needs in their travels, giving them supplies and finances) in a manner worthy of God (or: = in a way equal to God's value of them), ⁷ for they came out for the sake of (or: went forth in behalf of) the Name, continually taking (or: receiving) not even one thing from the nations (the ethnic multitudes; the non-Israelites). ⁸ We ourselves, then, are constantly obligated to continuously take [them] up, while placing ourselves underneath to support such people as these, to the end that we would progressively come to be folks working together (co-workers) in (or: for; by; with) the Truth (or: reality). ⁹ I wrote something to (or: for) the called-out community, but Diotrephes, the one constantly liking to be their leader (to be pre-eminent among them and dominate them), is habitually not thoroughly receiving or accepting us (or: repeatedly not fully acknowledging us). ¹⁰ Because of this, if I can come, I will remind him of his actions (or: call to mind his works and bring them up [for discussion]) which he is repeatedly doing (or: progressively producing) by worthless, irresponsible and abusive words – unjustified charges (or: in messages causing a gush of misery; by ideas leading to painful labor; with evil or wicked verbal expressions; by laying out thoughts leading to a bad situation), continually speaking nonsense of us or gossiping against us, and then, not being satisfied or content upon these things, neither is he himself fully receiving or accepting (showing complete hospitality to) the brothers (= fellow believers; Family members; [or: = the itinerant missionaries of 5-8, above]). And further, those continuously intending (or: determining) [to do so] he is habitually hindering (or: forbidding) – even casting [them] out of the called-out community! ¹¹ O beloved one [i.e., Gaius]! Do not have the habit of imitating this ugly thing (or: that which ought not to be; the base; the worthless; that which is of bad quality; the malicious; the wicked; the evil), but rather the Good (or: the thing of excellent quality; the virtuous)! The person habitually doing good (progressively producing virtue; repeatedly creating excellence) is continuously existing from out of God; the one habitually doing what is ugly (base; what ought not to be; worthless; evil) has not seen or perceived God. ¹² Demetrius has been attested (= has received supportive testimony) by all and by the Truth itself. Now we ourselves are also continuously bearing witness (or: testifying), and you have seen, and so know, that our witness (testimony; evidence) is (exists being) real and true. ¹³ I have been having (or: holding) many things to write to you, however, I do not normally want to be constantly writing to you by means of pen and ink! ¹⁴ So I am continuing in expecting (or: hoping) to see you immediately, and then we will speak mouth to mouth! ¹⁵ Peace (or: Harmony; [= Shalom]) to you. The friends continually greet (pay respect to; send salutations to) you. Be continuously greeting the friends by name (= individually). [written circa A.D. 60-65 – Based on the critical analysis of John A.T. Robinson]