3 John 1

3 John · Chapter 1

3 John 1:14

1The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.5Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;6Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:7Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.8We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.13I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:14But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
14But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak with you face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send you greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.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.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This is the closing line of the elder's short letter to Gaius. Rather than write more with ink and pen, he hopes to come soon and talk in person. He ends with a wish of peace and greetings passed between friends. 3 John 1:133 John 1:143 John overview

Speaking"The elder," the unnamed writer of the letter. Early Christian tradition identifies him as John the apostle. 3 John 1:13 John overview

ToGaius, a believer the elder loves and counts among his children in the faith. 3 John 1:13 John 1:43 John overview

Also involved"Our friends" with the elder send greetings, and Gaius is asked to greet "the friends" where he is, each by name. 3 John 1:14

The elder says he hopes to see Gaius shortly and speak with him face to face. He wishes him peace, sends greetings from friends, and asks Gaius to greet the friends by name. 3 John 1:133 John 1:14

The letter does not say where it was written. Early tradition places John's last years in Ephesus. Gaius lived near a church the elder had written to before, likely in the province of Asia. 3 John overview3 John 1:9

ACHAIAASIAGALATIAPHRYGIAAegean SeaEphesusPatmosSmyrnaPergamumThyatiraSardisPhiladelphiaLaodicea

The eventsThe visit is still in the future. The elder hopes it will be soon, and earlier he says that "if I come" he will deal with Diotrephes. 3 John 1:143 John 1:10

WrittenTraditional view: about AD 85-95, around the time of 1 and 2 John. Scholarly view: most also place it in the late first century, though some think "the elder" was a church leader other than the apostle. 3 John overview

HereThe elder keeps the rest of what he has to say for an in-person meeting. This ties in with his plan to come and address the trouble caused by Diotrephes. 3 John 1:133 John 1:143 John 1:103 John overview

In the whole of ScriptureWishing peace and passing on greetings was a common way to close letters among believers. Paul and Peter do the same. Ephesians 6:231 Peter 5:14Romans 16:16

For readersThe verse shows a church leader who values personal presence and knows people by name. Faith here is lived out in real friendships, not only in written words. 3 John 1:143 John 1:133 John 1:4

  • trust (hope)ἐλπίζω
    Greek · elpizō · G1679

    The word means to look for, expect or hope. The lexicon lists this same use, "hope" followed by a verb, for travel plans in 2 John 12, Philippians 2:19 and 1 Corinthians 16:7. So "I trust" here expresses a hoped-for visit, not a firm promise. Strong's G1679

  • shortlyεὐθέως
    Greek · eutheōs · G2112

    The word is glossed "immediately" and defined as straightway, at once, directly. It shows that the elder hoped to come very soon. Strong's G2112

  • face (mouth)στόμα
    Greek · stoma · G4750

    "Face to face" is literally "mouth to mouth." The lexicon links the phrase to the Hebrew expression in Numbers 12:8 and treats the mouth here as the organ of speech. The stress falls on talking together in person. Strong's G47503 John 1:14

Takeaway

This is a warm, personal farewell. The elder hopes to visit soon, wishes Gaius peace, and sends greetings to friends by name. Some things are better said in person than in writing. 3 John 1:133 John 1:14

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-23.

The world around the text

About AD 85-95. Roman emperor: Domitian (AD 81-96). Where early tradition places John's last years. The greatest city of the province of Asia, on the west coast of today's Turkey.

Who ruled
  • Roman emperorDomitianAD 81-96

    Son of Vespasian and brother of Titus. Suetonius says he had himself styled "our Lord and God" in official letters. Early Christian writers say John was exiled to Patmos in his reign. Suetonius, Domitian 13Revelation 1:9Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3Eusebius, Church History 3.18

  • Roman emperorsNerva and TrajanAD 96-98, 98-117

    After Domitian was murdered in AD 96 the Senate chose the elderly Nerva, who adopted the general Trajan. Early tradition says John lived on in Ephesus into Trajan's reign. Suetonius, Domitian 14-17Cassius Dio, Roman History 68.1-4Irenaeus, Against Heresies 2.22.5

  • Governor of the province of AsiaThe proconsul of AsiaOne-year terms

    Asia was governed by a proconsul appointed for a year at a time, who heard cases in its leading cities, Ephesus among them. Acts 19:38Strabo, Geography 17.3.25

  • King of ParthiaPacorus IIc. AD 78-110

    Ruler of the Parthian empire beyond the Euphrates, Rome's great rival in the east, at peace with Rome through these years. Cassius Dio, Roman History 68.17

What was happening, AD 70 to AD 96
  1. AD 70
    WarJerusalem and its temple destroyed

    Roman armies under Titus took Jerusalem after a long siege and burned the temple, as Jesus had foretold. Josephus, Jewish War 6.249-287Luke 21:5-6Luke 21:20-24

  2. August AD 79
    DisasterVesuvius buries Pompeii

    The eruption of Vesuvius buried Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Younger watched it from across the bay; his uncle Pliny the Elder died trying to rescue people. Pliny the Younger, Letters 6.16, 6.20

  3. AD 80
    BuildingThe Colosseum opens in Rome

    Titus opened the great amphitheater begun by his father Vespasian with 100 days of games. Suetonius, Titus 7.3Cassius Dio, Roman History 66.25

  4. AD 83 or 84
    WarRome's furthest push into Britain

    The governor Agricola defeated the Caledonians at Mons Graupius in what is now Scotland, and his fleet sailed around the north of Britain. Tacitus, Agricola 29-38

  5. AD 85-89
    WarWar with the Dacians

    The Dacians crossed the Danube and killed a Roman governor. After years of fighting, Domitian made a peace that paid their king Decebalus a yearly subsidy. Suetonius, Domitian 6Cassius Dio, Roman History 67.6-7

  6. c. AD 89
    BuildingEphesus builds a temple to the emperors

    Ephesus won the honor of a provincial temple for the worship of the emperors, the Temple of the Sebastoi, with a colossal statue of an emperor. Its remains stand in the city's upper square. Temple of the Sebastoi, Ephesus (excavated remains and inscriptions)

  7. AD 93-94
    DiscoveryJosephus finishes his history of the Jews

    In Rome the Jewish historian Josephus completed his Antiquities of the Jews, which mentions John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and Jesus himself. Josephus, Antiquities 20.267Josephus, Antiquities 18.116-119, 20.200

  8. c. AD 95
    The churchJohn on Patmos

    John was on the island of Patmos "for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" when he received the Revelation. Early writers date this to the end of Domitian's reign. Revelation 1:9Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3

  9. c. AD 96
    The churchClement of Rome writes to Corinth

    The church at Rome sent a letter, traditionally by Clement, to settle a dispute at Corinth where younger members had removed their elders. It is one of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament. 1 Clement 1, 44, 47

  10. September AD 96
    RulersDomitian is murdered

    Domitian was killed in a palace plot. The Senate condemned his memory and chose Nerva as emperor. Suetonius, Domitian 14-17, 23

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient writers on these years (Suetonius, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Josephus, Pliny, Irenaeus, Eusebius). The letter names no place, so the setting follows early tradition. Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
I hopeἐλπίζωelpizōG1679
to hope/expect

ἐλπίζω (elpizō) ἐλπίζω [in LXX chiefly for בָּטַח, also for חָסָה, יָחַל pi., hi., etc. ;] to look for, expect, hope (for): with accusative of thing(s), Rom.8:24-25, 1Co.13:7, Heb.11:1; with dative of thing(s) (τ. τύχῃ, Thuc., iii, 97, 2), Mat.12:21; before καθώς, 2Co.8:5; with inf., Luk.6:34 23:8, Act.26:7, Rom.15:24, 1Co.16:7, 2Co.5:11, Php.2:19, 23, 1Ti.3:14, II Jn 12, 3Jn.14; before ὅτι, with pres., Luk.24:21; with fut., Act.24:26, 2Co.1:13 13:6, Phm 22. As in LXX (WM, § xxxiii, d; and esp. in the pf., Ellic. on 1Ti.4:10; Bl., § 59, 2), with prep.; εἰς, Jhn.5:45 (see Ellis., l.with), 1Pe.3:5; before ὅτι …

howeverδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

soonεὐθέωςeutheōsG2112
immediately

εὐθέως (eutheōs) εὐθέως adv. (εὐθύς), [in LXX: Job.5:3 (פִּתְאוֹם), Wis.5:12, 1Ma.11:12, al. ;] straightway, at once, directly: Gal.1:16, Jas.1:24, 3Jn.14 (cf. Dalman, Words, 28 f.), Rev.4:2, and frequently in Mt, Lk, Jo, Ac (in Mk, εὐθύς), which see) (AS)

youσεseG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

to seeἰδεῖν,ideinG1492H
to perceive: understand

εἴδω (eidō) οἶδα, (from same root as εἶδον, which see), [in LXX chiefly for ידע ;] pf. with present meaning (plpf. as impf.; on irregular tense-forms, see App.), to have seen or perceived, hence, to know, have knowledge of: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.25:13, Mrk.10:19, Jhn.10:4, Rom.7:7, al.; with accusative of person(s), Mat.26:72, Jhn.1:31, Act.3:16, al.; τ. θεόν, 1Th.4:5, Tit.1:16, al.; with accusative and inf., Luk.4:41, al.; before ὅτι, Mat.9:6, Luk.20:21, Jhn.3:2, Rom.2:2 11:2, al.; before quaest. indir., Mat.26:70, Jhn.9:21, Eph.1:18, al.; with inf., to know how (cl.), Mat.7:11, Luk.11:13, P …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

mouthστόμαstomaG4750
mouth

στόμα (stoma) στόμα, -τος, τό [in LXX chiefly for פֻּם ;] the mouth: of man, Mat.15:11, Jhn.19:29, Act.11:8, al.; of animals, Mat.17:27, 2Ti.4:17 (fig.), Heb.11:33, Jas.3:3, al.; figuratively, of inanimate things (ποταμοῦ, Hom.), ἤνοιξεν ἡ γῆ τὸ σ., Rev.12:16; σ. μαχαίρας (Heb. חֶרֶב ־פֶּה, Gen.34:26 al.), the edge of the sword, Luk.21:24, Heb.11:34; esp. of the mouth as the organ of speech: opposite to καρδία, Mat.12:34, Rom.10:8, 10; in various phrases (some cl., some resembling Hebrew; cf. Bl., § 40, 9): ἀνοίγειν τ. σ. (see: ἀνοίγω); σ. πρὸς σ. (פֶּה ־אֵל פֶּה Num.12:8; = cl., κατὰ σ., Hdt., al.), face …

toπρὸςprosG4314
to/with

πρός (pros) πρός, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative I. I. C. genitive, of motion from a place, from the side of, hence metaphorically, in the interests of, Act.27:34 (cf. Page, in l.). II. II. C. dative, of local proximity, hard by, near, at: Mrk.5:11, Luk.19:37, Jhn.18:16 20:11, 12 Rev.1:13. III. C. accusative, of motion or direction towards a place or object, to, towards. 1. Of place, …

mouthστόμαstomaG4750
mouth

στόμα (stoma) στόμα, -τος, τό [in LXX chiefly for פֻּם ;] the mouth: of man, Mat.15:11, Jhn.19:29, Act.11:8, al.; of animals, Mat.17:27, 2Ti.4:17 (fig.), Heb.11:33, Jas.3:3, al.; figuratively, of inanimate things (ποταμοῦ, Hom.), ἤνοιξεν ἡ γῆ τὸ σ., Rev.12:16; σ. μαχαίρας (Heb. חֶרֶב ־פֶּה, Gen.34:26 al.), the edge of the sword, Luk.21:24, Heb.11:34; esp. of the mouth as the organ of speech: opposite to καρδία, Mat.12:34, Rom.10:8, 10; in various phrases (some cl., some resembling Hebrew; cf. Bl., § 40, 9): ἀνοίγειν τ. σ. (see: ἀνοίγω); σ. πρὸς σ. (פֶּה ־אֵל פֶּה Num.12:8; = cl., κατὰ σ., Hdt., al.), face …

we will speak.λαλήσομεν.lalēsomenG2980
to speak

λαλέω (laleō) λαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for דּבר pi., also for אמר, etc. ;] 1. to utter: of inanimate things, Rev.4:1 10:4; metaphorically, Heb.11:4 12:24. 2. to talk, speak, say: absol., Mat.9:33 12:46, Mrk.5:35, Luk.8:49; before ὡς, 1Co.13:11, Rev.13:11; εἰς, 1Co.14:9; ἐκ, Mat.12:34; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.10:19, Mrk.11:32, Jhn.8:30, al.; with dative of person(s), Mat.12:46, Luk.24:6, Rom.7:1, al.; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.9:18, Jhn.10:6, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, Mrk.6:50, Luk.1:19 2:33, al.; ἐν, ἐξ, ἀπό, Mat.13:3, Jhn.12:49 14:10, al.; λ. τ. λόγον, …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.