| New International Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. | 1The elder: To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. |
| 2Dear 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. | 2Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well. |
| 3It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. | 3For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified to your fidelity to the truth--how you are walking in truth. |
| 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. | 4I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth. |
| 5Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. | 5Dear friend, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, especially when they are strangers. |
| 6They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. | 6They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, |
| 7It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. | 7since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. |
| 8We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. | 8Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can be coworkers with the truth. |
| 9I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. | 9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive our authority. |
| 10So when I come, 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. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. | 10This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome fellow believers, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church. |
| 11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. | 11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. |
| 12Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone--and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. | 12Everyone speaks well of Demetrius--even the truth itself. And we also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. |
| 13I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. | 13I have many things to write you, but I don't want to write to you with pen and ink. |
| 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. | 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. 15 Peace to you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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