1 I, the elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love sincerely.
2 Dear friend, may everything go well with you and may you enjoy health of body and soul.
3 I greatly rejoiced with the friends who arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, namely how you walk in the truth.
4 Nothing gives me greater joy than to know that my children live in the truth.
5 Beloved, you do well to care for the brothers and sisters as you do. I mean those coming from other places.
6 They spoke of your charity before the assembled Church. It will be well to provide them with what they need to continue their journey, as if you did it for God.
7 In reality, they have set out on the road for his name without accepting anything from the pagans.
8 We should receive such per-sons, making ourselves their cooperators in the work of the truth.
9 I have written these words to the Church. But Diotrephes, who is anxious to preside over it, does not ac-knowledge our authority.
10 So when I come, I will not cease re-proaching his manner of acting, since he dis-credited us with words of evil intent. And not content with that, he does not receive the friends and even restrains those who want to re-ceive them, and expels them from the Church.
11 Dear friend, do not imitate evil, but only the good. Whoever does good is of God. Whoever does evil does not know God.
12 Now about Demetrius: everyone praises him, even the truth itself. We, too, praise him, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I have many things to tell you, but I do not want to do it in writing.
14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
15 Peace be with you. Your friends greet you. Greet the friends for me, each one by name.