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3 John 1

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The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

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Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

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For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

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I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

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Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

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Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

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Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

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We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

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I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

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Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

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Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

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Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

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I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

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But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

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3 John 1:10

“Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

Study Summary

So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the believers and hinders those who want to do so and puts them out of the church — Diotrephes' opposition manifests in multiple ways: slander against the elder, refusal of hospitality, suppression of hospitable impulses in others, and excommunication of those who resist his authority. The comprehensiveness of his opposition suggests a systematic campaign to consolidate power and eliminate rivals, making him a threat not merely to the elder's reputation but to the entire ecosystem of early Christian hospitality and itinerant ministry. His excommunication of faithful believers reveals a weaponization of church discipline for personal ends.

Community Reflections

1
Priya Sharma (test user)1d ago
The meaning of sacrifice — 3 John 1

When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption, even in the darkest moments.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. The thread of covenant runs through every book of the Bible.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. The imagery here is agricultural — the original audience would have immediately understood the metaphor of sowing, waiting, and harvesting.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully…

Read the note →

3 John 1:10

“Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

Study Summary

So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the believers and hinders those who want to do so and puts them out of the church — Diotrephes' opposition manifests in multiple ways: slander against the elder, refusal of hospitality, suppression of hospitable impulses in others, and excommunication of those who resist his authority. The comprehensiveness of his opposition suggests a systematic campaign to consolidate power and eliminate rivals, making him a threat not merely to the elder's reputation but to the entire ecosystem of early Christian hospitality and itinerant ministry. His excommunication of faithful believers reveals a weaponization of church discipline for personal ends.

Community Reflections

1
Priya Sharma (test user)1d ago
The meaning of sacrifice — 3 John 1

When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption, even in the darkest moments.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. The thread of covenant runs through every book of the Bible.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. The imagery here is agricultural — the original audience would have immediately understood the metaphor of sowing, waiting, and harvesting.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully…

Read the note →

3 John 1:10

So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the believers and hinders those who want to do so and puts them out of the church — Diotrephes' opposition manifests in multiple ways: slander against the elder, refusal of hospitality, suppression of hospitable impulses in others, and excommunication of those who resist his authority. The comprehensiveness of his opposition suggests a systematic campaign to consolidate power and eliminate rivals, making him a threat not merely to the elder's reputation but to the entire ecosystem of early Christian hospitality and itinerant ministry. His excommunication of faithful believers reveals a weaponization of church discipline for personal ends.