The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.
Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
For I {Or, rejoice greatly, when brethren come and bear witness}rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.
Greater joy have I none than {Or, these things, that I may hear}this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal;
who bare witness to thy love before the church: whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God:
because that for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers {Or, with}for the truth.
I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would he forbiddeth and casteth them out of the church.
Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Demetrius hath the witness of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true.
I had many things to write unto thee, but I am unwilling to write them to thee with ink and pen:
but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.
Querverweise zu 3. Johannes 7 3Joh 7
They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about {Compare marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a {Hebrew: blessing.}present of thy servant.
for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.
But he said, As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your {Greek: bondservants. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:19.}servants {Some ancient authorities read through Jesus.}for Jesus' sake.
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
And when he came to the {Hebrew: Ophel.}hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
And he said unto him, {Or, My heart went not from me, when &c.}Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel of Christ.
Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?
Even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel should live of the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
But I have used none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
and thou hast {Or, stedfastness}patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary.
What then is my reward? That, when I {See marginal note on chapter 1:17.}preach the gospel, I may make the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the {See marginal note on chapter 4:15.}gospel.
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I {Greek: brought good tidings. See chapter 10:16}preached to you the gospel of God for nought?
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you;
and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong.