Keep Helping One Another
1From: Church leader. [1]To: Gaius, my good friend.
You’re a true friend who follows truth. I love you for that. 2I hope you’re doing well and you’re in good health. I certainly know you’re spiritually healthy.
3Some fellow Christians told me how devoted you are to the truth. I was delighted to hear that, though I already knew it. 4Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children are living by the truth we’ve taught you.
5Dear friend, I know you’re always there to help fellow Christians, even when they’re strangers. 6Some of them have told the church here about your kindness. It’s good for you to help traveling Christian ministers along their way. You’re doing God’s work. 7These people hit the road on a mission for the Name. [2] They’re taking zero donations from people outside the faith. 8So we’ve got to help these people. Let’s think of ourselves as their partners in spreading the truth.
Now about That Church Boss
9I wrote a letter to the church earlier. But I sent it to Diotrephes. It turns out he doesn’t recognize my authority. He seems to think he’s in charge. 10If I’m able to visit your church, I’ll make sure we all address the problem. People need to know what this man is doing. He demeans me. And not only me. He refuses to welcome traveling Christian ministers. He even orders everyone else in the church to do the same. If they don’t do as he says, he excommunicates them.11Dear friend, don’t do what evil does. Do good instead. God’s children act like it; they do what’s good. Folks who do what’s wrong have never met God. 12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius. So it’s obvious they’re telling the truth. I vouch for him too. And you know how I tell the truth.
