| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. | 1The Elder: To my dear friend Gaius: I love you in the truth. |
| 2Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. | 2Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. |
| 3For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. | 3For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth--how you are walking in the truth. |
| 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. | 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth. |
| 5Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, | 5Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. |
| 6who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. | 6They have testified to your love in front of the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, |
| 7For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. | 7since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. |
| 8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. | 8Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth. |
| 9I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. | 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us. |
| 10So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. | 10This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church. |
| 11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. | 11Dear friend, 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. |
| 12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. | 12Demetrius has a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. |
| 13I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. | 13I have many things to write you, but I don't want to write to you with pen and ink. |
| 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. [15] Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name. | 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name. |
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