1 I, the elder, to Gaius, who is much loved by all and loved in truth by me.
2 My beloved friend, I pray that everything is going well for you and that your body is as healthy as your soul is prosperous. 3 I was thrilled when the brothers and sisters came and told me stories of your faithfulness as you continue to walk in the truth. 4 The greatest joy in my life is hearing how my children are walking in the truth.
5 My friend, you demonstrate your faithfulness in all the things you do for the brothers and sisters; even when they are strangers to you, you treat them as family. 6 These friends tell the entire church how you have extended your hand to them in love. You will do well to send them on in a way that is in keeping with God. 7 They have gone out to serve under the banner of the Name, and they do not accept gifts from those outside our faith community. 8 We should give people like this our full support so that we can share in this work for the truth.
9 I wrote some things specifically to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the one up front, rejects us. 10 If I come, you can be sure that I will call him out and draw attention to his actions. He assails us with lies and deceit. As if that were not enough, he does not welcome the traveling missionaries into his home. Instead, he hinders any who do so and expels them from the church.
11 Dear friend, don’t follow his evil ways. Instead, imitate the good and righteous life. The one doing what is good belongs to God, but those who pursue evil have never even laid eyes on God.
12 Demetrius has a good reputation with everyone we know. The truth stands on his side, and we add our unreserved recommendation to the long list of accounts on his behalf. You can rest assured that we are telling the truth.
13 There is so much I would like to say to you, but I do not want to say it with ink and pen. 14 I expect us to be together soon and talk about these things face-to-face.
15 May you experience true peace. I send you greetings from the fellow believers here. Greet all our friends there personally.