
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}I, the elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love sincerely.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Dear friend, may everything go well with you and may you 
enjoy health of body and soul. {I}3_{/}I greatly rejoiced with the 
friends who arrived and praised your truth, and how you live the 
truth. {I}4_{/}Nothing gives me greater joy than to know that my 
children live in the truth.
{I}5_{/}Beloved, you do well to care for the brothers and sisters as 
you do. I mean those coming from other places. {R}_{I}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. {I}7_{/}In reality, they have set out on the road 
for his name without accepting anything from the pagans. {I}8_{/}We 
should receive such persons, making ourselves their cooperators in 
the work of the truth.
{I}9_{/}I have written these words to the Church. But Diotrephes, who 
is anxious to preside over it, does not acknowledge our authority. 
{I}10_{/}So when I come, I will not cease reproaching his manner of 
acting, since he discredited us with words of evil intent. And not 
content with that, he does not receive the friends and even 
restrains those who want to receive them, and expels them from the 
Church.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Dear friend, do not imitate evil, but only the good. Whoever 
does good is of God. Whoever does evil does not know God. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}Now about Demetrius: everyone praises him, even the truth 
itself. We, too, praise him, and you know that when we recommend 
anyone, we do it according to the truth. {R}_{I}13_{/}I have many things 
to tell you, but I do not want to do it in writing. {I}14_{/}I hope to 
see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace be with you. Your friends greet you. Greet the friends for 
me, each one by name.

