1 T he elderly elder to the beloved (esteemed) Gaius, whom I truly love.

The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!

2 B eloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and may keep well, even as your soul keeps well and prospers.

beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,

3 I n fact, I greatly rejoiced when the brethren from time to time arrived and spoke of the sincerity and fidelity of your life, as indeed you do live in the Truth.

for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;

4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are living their lives in the Truth.

greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.

5 B eloved, it is a fine and faithful work that you are doing when you give any service to the brethren, and strangers.

Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,

6 T hey have testified before the church of your love and friendship. You will do well to forward them on their journey in a way worthy of God’s.

who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

7 F or these have gone out for the Name’s sake (for His sake) and are accepting nothing from the Gentiles (the heathen, the non-Israelites).

because for name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;

8 S o we ourselves ought to support such people, in order that we may be fellow workers in the Truth (the whole Gospel) and cooperate with its teachers.

we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.

9 I have written briefly to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to take the lead among them and put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority and refuses to accept my suggestions or to listen to me.

I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them -- Diotrephes -- doth not receive us;

10 S o when I arrive, I will call attention to what he is doing, his boiling over and casting malicious reflections upon us with insinuating language. And not satisfied with that, he refuses to receive and welcome the brethren himself, and also interferes with and forbids those who would welcome them, and tries to expel (excommunicate) them from the church.

because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.

11 B eloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen (discerned or experienced) God.

Beloved, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;

12 D emetrius has warm commendation from everyone—and from the Truth itself; we add our testimony also, and you know that our testimony is true.

to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also -- we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.

13 I had much to write, but I prefer not to put it down with pen (a reed) and ink;

Many things I had to write, but I do not wish through ink and pen to write to thee,

14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face. Peace be to you! (Good-bye!) The friends here send you greetings. Remember me to the friends there by name.

and I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak. Peace to thee! salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.