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Greek: New Testament (NAS)
English: John Barach
Greeting to Gaius
1 Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Γαΐῳ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν
1The Elder, to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.
ἀληθείᾳ, 2 Ἀγαπητέ, περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή. 3 ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν καὶ μαρτυρούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς. 4 μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν, ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα.
2Beloved, I pray that in all things you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3For I rejoiced greatly when brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are walking in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my own children are walking in the truth.
Hospitality for the Truth
5 Ἀγαπητέ, πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοῦτο ξένους, 6 οἳ ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας, οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις προπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ, 7 ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐξῆλθον μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν. 8 ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ.
5Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 6They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8Therefore, we are obligated to support such people, so that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
The Problem of Diotrephes
9 Ἔγραψά τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀλλ' ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν Διοτρέφης οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς. 10 διὰ τοῦτο, ἐὰν ἔλθω, ὑπομνήσω αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιεῖ λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς, καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐπιδέχεται τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους κωλύει καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει.
9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept our authority. 10For this reason, if I come, I will bring up the deeds he is doing—gossiping against us with wicked words. And not being satisfied with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself but also hinders those who want to do so and throws them out of the church.
The Example of Demetrius
11 Ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν, ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν. 12 Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν.
11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. The one who does good is from God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
Final Farewells
13 Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι ἀλλ' οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν, 14 ἐλπίζω δὲ εὐθέως σε ἰδεῖν, καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλήσομεν. 15 εἰρήνη σοι. ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ φίλοι. ἀσπάζου ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατ' ὄνομα.
13I had many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with ink and pen. 14Instead, I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak mouth to mouth. 15Peace to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.