FAITHFULNESS TO THE TRUTH, Dr. Samuel Lee
IMITATE WHAT IS GOOD
Passage: 3John 1:1~15  
Key verse: 11
1 The elder,(A)
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers(B) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.(C) 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(D) are walking in the truth.(E)
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a](F) even though they are strangers to you.(G) 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(H) in a manner that honors(I) God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(K) 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come,(L) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(M) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(N)
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.(O) Anyone who does what is good is from God.(P) Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.(Q) 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone(R)—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.(S)
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.(T)
15 Peace to you.(U) The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.(V)
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:5 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
Cross references
- 3 John 1:1 : S Ac 11:30; 2Jn 1
- 3 John 1:3 : ver 5, 10; S Ac 1:16
- 3 John 1:3 : 2Jn 4
- 3 John 1:4 : S 1Jn 2:1
- 3 John 1:4 : ver 3
- 3 John 1:5 : S ver 3
- 3 John 1:5 : Ro 12:13; Heb 13:2
- 3 John 1:6 : 1Co 16:11; 2Co 1:16
- 3 John 1:6 : S Eph 4:1
- 3 John 1:7 : S Jn 15:21
- 3 John 1:7 : Ac 20:33, 35
- 3 John 1:10 : ver 14; 2Jn 12
- 3 John 1:10 : ver 5
- 3 John 1:10 : Jn 9:22, 34
- 3 John 1:11 : Ps 34:14; 37:27
- 3 John 1:11 : 1Jn 2:29
- 3 John 1:11 : 1Jn 3:6, 9, 10
- 3 John 1:12 : 1Ti 3:7
- 3 John 1:12 : Jn 19:35; 21:24
- 3 John 1:14 : 2Jn 12
- 3 John 1:15 : S Ro 1:7; S Eph 6:23
- 3 John 1:15 : Jn 10:3
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Praise for showing hospitality (1-8)
This is Apostle John's letter to Gaius, who was an elder in the early church. John praises Gaius for welcoming brothers and sisters in Christ into his house, even though Gaius did not know them personally. Gaius honored them as people who were doing God's work. When believers show hospitality to each other, the work of God can advance.
2. Do not imitate what is evil (9-15)
There were also bad examples in the church. One of them was Diotrephes, who would not welcome the elders when they visited and who spread malicious gossip. He did it because of self-glory seeking. Diotrephes' actions needed to be pointed out so that others would not follow his example. In the Christian life, actions must match words. Anyone who does evil demonstrates that he does not know God.
Prayer: Lord, help me be a good co-worker by welcoming your servants with hospitality. I pray I may not be influenced by bad examples.
One Word: Imitate what is good