| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1From the elder, to Gaius my dear brother, whom I love in truth. | 1This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. |
| 2Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. | 2Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. |
| 3For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are living according to the truth. | 3Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. |
| 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth. | 4I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. Caring for the Lord’s Workers |
| 5Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers). | 5Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. |
| 6They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. | 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. |
| 7For they have gone forth on behalf of "The Name," accepting nothing from the pagans. | 7For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. |
| 8Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth. | 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth. |
| 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us. | 9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. |
| 10Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing--the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church! | 10When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church. |
| 11Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God. | 11Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. |
| 12Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true. | 12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth. Conclusion |
| 13I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink. | 13I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. |
| 14But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. The friends here greet you. Greet the friends there by name. | 14For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face. [15] Peace be with you. Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there. |
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