3 John 1

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A Greeting from the Elder

¹Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Γαΐῳ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ

¹The elder,

To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth:

²Ἀγαπητέ περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή

²Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.

³ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν καὶ μαρτυρούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καθὼς σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς

³For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk.

⁴μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα

⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Gaius Commended for Hospitality

⁵Ἀγαπητέ πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοῦτο ξένους

⁵Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.

⁶οἳ ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις προπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ

⁶They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

⁷ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ Ὀνόματος ἐξῆλθον μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν

⁷For they went out on behalf of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

⁸ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ

⁸Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

⁹Ἔγραψά τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀλλ’ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν Διοτρεφὴς οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς

⁹I have written to the church about this,^a but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.

¹⁰διὰ τοῦτο ἐὰν ἔλθω ὑπομνήσω αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιεῖ λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐπιδέχεται τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους κωλύει καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει

¹⁰So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.

¹¹Ἀγαπητέ μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν Θεόν

¹¹Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

¹²Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν

¹²Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.

Conclusion

¹³Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι ἀλλ’ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν

¹³I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with pen and ink.

¹⁴ἐλπίζω δὲ εὐθέως σε ἰδεῖν καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλήσομεν Εἰρήνη σοι Ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ φίλοι Ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατ’ ὄνομα

¹⁴Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak with you face to face.^a

Peace to you.

The friends here send you greetings.

Greet each of our friends there by name.