3 JohnChapter 1

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The elder, to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

It gave me great joy when brothers came and testified about your truthfulness—how you walk in the truth.

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

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers, and strangers at that.

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

for they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

So we ought to support such people, that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, will not welcome us.

So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing: spreading malicious nonsense about us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers himself, and he stops those who want to welcome them, and throws them out of the church.

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and by the truth itself. We add our testimony as well, and you know that our testimony is true.

I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink.

I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

Peace to you. The friends here greet you. Greet the friends there, each by name.

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Summary3

Chapter 1

Main Theme: A personal letter encouraging hospitality toward traveling preachers and walking in the truth.

Content: The elder writes to his dear friend Gaius, expressing joy that he is walking in the truth. He commends Gaius for his hospitality toward traveling Christian brothers and urges him to continue supporting them. In contrast stands Diotrephes, who rejects John's authority and refuses to welcome the brothers. John recommends Demetrius, who has a good testimony, and exhorts: "Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good."

Key Words/Images:

Walking in the truth – Living in harmony with the truth of the gospel; John's greatest joy.
Hospitality – Welcoming and supporting traveling preachers who go out for the sake of the Name.
Diotrephes – An example of destructive leadership that seeks the foremost place and rejects apostolic authority.
Co-workers for the truth – Believers become co-workers with the truth by supporting the preachers.

About 3 John

3 John

About the book: The third letter of John is the shortest letter in the New Testament, written by "the elder" (the apostle John) to a believing man named Gaius. The letter offers insight into challenges in the early church related to hospitality, leadership, and service to the truth.

Main theme: An encouragement to faithful hospitality toward traveling preachers and a warning against divisive leadership within the congregation.

Content overview:

Greeting and joy over Gaius's walk in the truth (vv. 1–4)
Encouragement to show hospitality to traveling brothers (vv. 5–8)
Warning against Diotrephes's self-exaltation (vv. 9–10)
Exhortation to follow what is good, with Demetrius as an example (vv. 11–12)
Closing and wish for a personal meeting (vv. 13–15)

Key themes:

Walking in the truth: John expresses his greatest joy that his spiritual children are walking in the truth (vv. 3–4).
Christian hospitality: Believers have a duty to support and welcome those who go out for the sake of the Name (vv. 5–8).
True and false leadership: The contrast between Gaius's faithfulness, Diotrephes's abuse of power, and Demetrius's good testimony shows what right leadership entails (vv. 9–12).
Doing good: Whoever does good is from God, while whoever does evil has not seen God (v. 11).

Historical context

People

The Third Letter of John mentions four people by name, which is unusually many for such a short letter. Gaius (Γαΐῳ) was the recipient of the letter. The name was very common in antiquity, so it is uncertain whether he can be identified with other persons of the same name in the New Testament. Gaius was evidently a wealthy Christian who had the ability to offer hospitality to traveling preachers.

Diotrephes (Διοτρέφης) is a rare Greek name meaning "nurtured by Zeus," suggesting a pagan background. He appears as a local leader who "loves to be first" (φιλοπρωτεύων)—a unique word in the New Testament. His behavior illustrates tensions regarding authority and hospitality in the early congregations. Demetrius (Δημητρίῳ) receives strong commendation from the author (verse 12) and was possibly the bearer of the letter. The name was common and associated with the goddess Demeter. It is unlikely that he is identical to the silversmith in Ephesus (Acts 19:24).

Events and Customs

The letter provides important insight into the role of traveling preachers in the early church. Verses 5–8 describe the practice of "hospitality" (φιλοξενία) toward Christian missionaries who traveled between congregations. These travelers did not accept support from "Gentiles" (ἐθνικῶν), that is, non-believers, to avoid making the gospel appear bought or compromised. This made them dependent on the hospitality of local Christians. The expression "send them on their way in a manner worthy of God" (προπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ) meant equipping them with food, money, and companions for the next stage of their journey.

Exclusion from the congregation (verse 10) was a serious action in early Christianity. The fact that Diotrephes "casts out of the congregation" (ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει) those who wanted to receive the traveling brothers shows that church discipline was already established practice, but here it was misused for personal purposes.

Key Terms

The expression "the elder" (ὁ πρεσβύτερος) in verse 1 is identical with the opening of Second John. The term can mean both "the older" in age and a leadership office in the congregation. That the author uses it as his only identification suggests that the recipient knew who he was.

"Walk in the truth" (ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς, verses 3–4) combines Hebrew thought about "walking" as a metaphor for conduct with the Johannine focus on truth as faithfulness to Christ and his teaching. The verb "walk" (περιπατέω) is used repeatedly in the Johannine writings concerning Christian life.

The greeting "face to face" (στόμα πρὸς στόμα, verse 14) is a Semitic expression known from Numbers 12:8, where it describes God's direct communication with Moses. Here it expresses the desire for personal conversation rather than written communication.

People3

Diotrephes1 Gaius1 Demetrius (Demetrius (mentioned in 3 John))1

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Timeline1