Chapter 1

¹ The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth! ² Beloved, I desire you to prosper concerning all things, and to be in health, even as your soul prospers, ³ for I rejoiced exceedingly, brothers coming and testifying of the truth in you, even as you walk in truth; ⁴ I have no joy greater than these things, that I may hear of my children walking in truth. ⁵ Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you may do toward the brothers and the one [among] strangers, ⁶ who testified of your love before an assembly, whom you will do well, having sent forward worthily of God, ⁷ because they went forth for [His] Name, receiving nothing from the nations; ⁸ we, then, ought to receive such, that we may become fellow-workers to the truth. ⁹ I wrote to the assembly, but he who is loving to be first among them—Diotrephes—does not receive us; ¹⁰ because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he does, talking nonsense against us with evil words; and not content with these, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and he forbids those intending [to receive them], and he casts [them] out of the assembly. ¹¹ Beloved, do not be following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, he is of God, [but] he who is doing evil has not seen God; ¹² testimony has been given to Demetrius by all, and by the truth itself, and we also—we testify, and you have known that our testimony is true. ¹³ Many things I had to write, but I do not wish to write to you through ink and pen, ¹⁴ and I hope to see you soon, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to you! The friends greet you. Be greeting the friends by name.