3 John 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 85 to 95, late in the first century, roughly a generation after Paul's death
Location
Written by an elder based most likely at Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia, to a house church somewhere in the surrounding region
Audience
A named individual, Gaius, who hosted travelling teachers, with the wider congregation reading over his shoulder
Situation
The elder commends Gaius for supporting missionaries who travel without taking money from outsiders, and complains that a man named Diotrephes refuses to welcome them, spreads malicious talk and throws out anyone who does. Demetrius is recommended as trustworthy.
Key Background
This is the shortest book in the Bible and fits neatly onto a single sheet of papyrus, which explains its abrupt closing note that the writer would rather speak face to face than use pen and ink. Inns were scarce, expensive and had bad reputations, so the whole early Christian mission depended on private hospitality, and sending visitors on their way meant provisioning them for the next stage of the journey. Refusing to receive a letter of recommendation, as Diotrephes does, was a direct challenge to the sender's standing, making this a snapshot of an early clash between a travelling apostolic network and a local leader guarding his own house church.
From the to my dear friend Gaius — I genuinely love you, and that love is grounded in the
Dear friend, I'm praying that things go well for you in every way — that you're as healthy physically as you are
It made me so happy when some of the brothers and sisters came and told me how you're living out the truth — that you're actually in it day by day.
Nothing makes me happier than hearing that my are living out the truth.
Dear friend, you're being so in what you do for the brothers and sisters — even when they're complete strangers to you.
They've told the here about your love. And you'd be doing a beautiful thing by helping them on their way in a manner that
Because they went out for the sake of the and they didn't accept any support from
So we should be the ones supporting people like this, so that we become with them in the truth.
I wrote something to the gathered community, but Diotrephes — who being in — won't accept our authority.
So when I come, I'll bring up what he's been doing — spreading about us. And that's not enough for him — he also refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters himself, stops those who want to, and them out of the gathered community.
Dear friend, don't imitate what is — imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from Whoever does what is has never actually
Demetrius has a great reputation with everyone, and the for We vouch for too — and you know that what we say is reliable.
I have a lot more to tell you, but I don't want to write it all with and
I hope to see you soon, and then we'll talk to
to you. The here send their greetings. Say hello to each of our there by name.