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[1]THE Elder, to my beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
[2]Our beloved; in all things, I pray for thee that thou mayest prosper and be in health, as thy soul doth prosper.
[3]For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified concerning thy integrity, even as thou walkest in the truth.
[4]And I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in the truth.
[5]Our beloved, thou doest in faith, what thou performest towards the brethren; and especially towards strangers,
[6]who have borne testimony to thy charity before the whole church, to whom thou doest good, as is pleasing to God.
[7]For they went forth in behalf of his name, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
[8]We therefore ought to receive such persons, that we may be aiders of the truth.
[9]I was desirous of writing to the church; but he who loveth to be foremost among them, Diotrephes, receiveth us not.
[10]Therefore, if he come, remember those his doings, that he treated us with malignant words; and this not sufficing him, he received not the brethren; and those who would receive [them], he prohibited, and even ejected them from the church.
[11]Our beloved, be not a follower of what is evil, but of what is good. He that doeth good, is of God; but he that doeth evil, hath not seen God.
[12]Of Demetrius, there is good testimony from every one, and from the church, and from the truth itself: and we also bear [him] testimony, and ye know that our testimony is true.
[13]I had many things to write to thee; but I will not write [them] to thee with ink and pen.
[14]But I hope soon to see thee, and to converse mouth to mouth.
[15]Peace be with thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends, severally, by name.
End of the third Epistle of John the Legate.
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