3 John

Moffatt^{(i) 1} The presbyter, to the beloved Gaius whom I love in the Truth. ² Beloved, I pray you may prosper in every way and keep well — as indeed your soul is keeping well. ³ For I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do lead the true Life; ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear of my children living in the Truth. ⁵ Beloved, you are acting loyally in rendering any service to the brothers and especially to strangers; ⁶ they have testified to your love before the church. Pray speed them on their journey worthily of God; ⁷ they have started out for his sake and declined to take anything from pagans; ⁸ hence we are bound to support such men, to prove ourselves allies of the Truth. ⁹ I have written to the church; only, Diotrephes, who likes to take the lead among them, repudiates me. ¹⁰ So when I come, I shall bring up what he is doing, babbling against me with wicked words — and, not satisfied with words, he refuses to welcome the brothers, checks those who want to welcome them, and excommunicates them from the church. ¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate evil but good; he who does good belongs to God, he who does evil has never seen God. ¹² Everybody testifies to Demetrius, and so does the Truth itself: I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true. ¹³ I had a great deal to write to you, but I do not want to write to you with ink and pen; ¹⁴ I am hoping to see you soon, and we will have a talk. [15] Peace to you! The friends salute you: salute the friends one by one.