3 John 1

3 John · Chapter 1

3 John 1:2

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
2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This is the elder's opening wish for his friend Gaius, right after the greeting. He hopes Gaius's outward life and health go as well as his soul already does. He then explains why: travelling brethren had reported that Gaius walks in the truth. 3 John 1:13 John 1:23 John 1:33 John 1:4

Commonly taken out of context

How it’s often usedOften quoted as a promise that God wants every believer to be financially wealthy and always physically healthy.

In contextIt is a personal wish in a letter's greeting to one friend, Gaius. The elder links it to the health of Gaius's soul and says his greatest joy is that his children walk in truth. 3 John 1:13 John 1:23 John 1:33 John 1:4

Speaking"The elder," an unnamed writer. Early Christian tradition identifies him as John the apostle. Some scholars think he was a different church leader. 3 John 1:13 John overview

ToGaius, a believer the elder loves and counts among his children in the faith. The text does not show that he is the same as any other Gaius in the New Testament. 3 John 1:13 John 1:43 John overview

The elder prays that Gaius will do well and be in good health. He measures this wish by the health of Gaius's soul, which is already doing well. 3 John 1:2Strong's G2172Strong's G2137Strong's G5198Strong's G2531

The letter does not say where it was written or sent. Early tradition places John's last years in Ephesus. Gaius's church was likely in the province of Asia. 3 John overview

ACHAIAASIAGALATIAPHRYGIAAegean SeaEphesusPatmosSmyrnaPergamumThyatiraSardisPhiladelphiaLaodicea

The eventsTravelling Christian workers had visited Gaius's church and reported back to the elder about his faithfulness. This happened during trouble with Diotrephes, who turned such visitors away. 3 John 1:33 John 1:53 John 1:63 John 1:93 John 1:103 John overview

WrittenTraditional view: about AD 85-95, near the time of 1 and 2 John. Scholarly view: most scholars also place it in the late first century. 3 John overview

HereThe wish opens a letter that praises Gaius for walking in the truth and for receiving travelling brethren. It sets a warm tone before the elder deals with Diotrephes. 3 John overview3 John 1:33 John 1:53 John 1:9

In the whole of ScriptureThe elder's greatest joy is not Gaius's success or health but that his children walk in truth. Other letters likewise give thanks when believers' faith and love are reported. 3 John 1:4Colossians 1:4Colossians 1:61 Thessalonians 2:13

For readersChristians may rightly pray for one another's wellbeing and health. The verse also makes the soul's health the measure, and that health is shown by walking in the truth. 3 John 1:23 John 1:33 John 1:11

  • wishεὔχομαι
    Greek · euchomai · G2172

    The word means "to pray." It is used for prayer to God in Acts 26:29 and James 5:16. So the elder's "wish" is a prayer for Gaius, not a promise made to all readers. Strong's G2172

  • prosperεὐοδόω
    Greek · euodoō · G2137

    The word first means to help someone on their way or to have a good journey. Used figuratively, it means to prosper or succeed. It also appears in Romans 1:10 and 1 Corinthians 16:2, and the verse itself applies it to Gaius's soul as well. Strong's G21373 John 1:2

  • be in healthὑγιαίνω
    Greek · hugiainō · G5198

    It means to be sound or in good health, as in Luke 5:31. In the Pastoral Letters the same word describes "sound" doctrine and faith. Strong's G5198

  • soulψυχή
    Greek · psuchē · G5590I

    The word covers both life itself and the inner self, the seat of will, desires and affections. The elder uses it as the standard by which he measures the rest of his wish. Strong's G5590I3 John 1:2

Takeaway

This is a loving prayer that a friend's body and circumstances would do as well as his soul. The elder's deepest joy is that believers walk in the truth. 3 John 1:23 John 1:4

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

Behind this verse

Wishing good health
Greek letters of the period usually opened with a wish that the reader was in good health, much as letters today begin "I hope you are well." Many such letters survive on papyrus from Egypt. Oxyrhynchus Papyri (private letters)

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
Beloved,ἀγαπητέ,agapēteG0027
beloved

ἀγαπητός (agapētos) ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν (ἀγαπάω), [in LXX chiefly for יָתִיד, יָדִיד ;] beloved (see M, Pr., 221); (a) by God: of Christ, Mat.3:17; of men, Rom.1:7; (b) by Christians, of one another: 1Co.4:14; frequently as form of address, ib. 10:14; opposite to ἐχθρός, Rom.11:28 (see AR, Eph., 229; Cremer, 17; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

concerningπερὶperiG4012
about

περί (peri) περί, prep. with genitive, accusative (in cl. also with dative; cf. M, Pr., 105f.), with radical sense round about (as distinct from ἀμφί, on both sides). I. C. genitive, 1. of place, about (poët.). …

all thingsπάντωνpantōnG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

I prayεὔχομαίeuchomaiG2172
to pray/wish for

εὔχομαι (euchomai) εὔχομαι [in LXX chiefly for נָדַד, also for עָתַר hi., etc. ;] to pray: with accusative of thing(s), 2Co.13:9; with dative of person(s), τ. θεῷ, Act.26:29; before πρὸς τ. θεόν, 2Co.13:7; with accusative and inf., Act.27:29, 3Jn.2; before ὑπέρ, Jas.5:16; ηὐχόμην εἶναι (On imperfect here, see ICC, in l, Lft., Phm 13), Rom.9:3 (Cremer, 718).† (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 do wellεὐοδοῦσθαιeuodousthaiG2137
to get along well

εὐοδόω (euodoō) εὐ-οδόω, -ῶ (ὁδός), [in LXX chiefly for צָלַח hi. ;] to help on one's way (Soph., al.). Pass., to have a prosperous journey; metaphorically (Hdt., al.), to prosper, be prospered, be successful: 3Jn.2, Rom.1:10, 1Co.16:2 (on the tense, see M, Pr., 54; ICC, in l).† (AS)

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. …

to be in good healthὑγιαίνεινhugiaineinG5198
be healthy

ὑγιαίνω (hugiainō) ὑγιαίνω (ὑγιής), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלוֹם, and frequently in To ;] to be sound, healthy, in good health: Luk.5:31 7:10 15:27, 3Jo.2. In Past. Epp. (as also in cl.) metaphorically, ὑ. ἐν τ. πίστει, Tit.1:13 ; τ. πίστει, τ. ἀγάπῃ, τ. ὑπομονῇ, Tit.2:2; ἡ ὑγιαίνουσα διδασκαλία, 1Ti.1:10, 2Ti.4:3, Tit.1:9 2:1 ; λόγοι ὑγιαίνοντες, 1Ti.6:3, 2Ti.1:13.† (AS)

even asκαθὼςkathōsG2531
as/just as

καθώς (kathōs) καθώς, (i.e. καθ᾽ ὡς), Hellenistic for καθά, which see, καθάπερ, καθό, καθότι (Mayser, 485; Eutherford, NPhr., 495; Bl., §78, 1), according as, even as, just as, as: Luk.1:2 (see: καθά), 24:39, Jhn.5:23, Act.7:48, 1Co.8:2, Gal.3:6, al.; before οὕτως, Luk.11:30, Jhn.3:14, 2Co.1:5, Col.3:13, 1Jn.2:6, al.; before καί, Jhn.15:9, 1Co.15:49, 1Jn.2:18, al.; οὕτως . . . κ., Luk.24:24; id. with ellipsis of οὕτως, Mat.21:6, Mrk.16:7, Rom.1:13, al.; with other elliptical constructions, Jhn.6:58 17:21, 22 Act.15:8, 1Th.2:13, 1Ti.1:3, 1Jn.3:2, 3 12; καθὼς γέγραπται (Deiss., BS, 249), Mat.26:24, Mrk.9:13, …

does wellεὐοδοῦταίeuodoutaiG2137
to get along well

εὐοδόω (euodoō) εὐ-οδόω, -ῶ (ὁδός), [in LXX chiefly for צָלַח hi. ;] to help on one's way (Soph., al.). Pass., to have a prosperous journey; metaphorically (Hdt., al.), to prosper, be prospered, be successful: 3Jn.2, Rom.1:10, 1Co.16:2 (on the tense, see M, Pr., 54; ICC, in l).† (AS)

yourσουsouG4771
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; …

soul.ψυχή.psuchēG5590I
soul

ψυχή (psuchē) ψυχή, -ῆς, ἡ, [in LXX very frequently for נֶפֶשׁ, sometimes for לֵבַב ,לֵב, etc. ;] 1. breath (Lat. anima), breath of life, life (Hom., al.; in Arist., of the vital principle): Mat.6:25, Mrk.3:4 10:45, Luk.12:22, Jhn.10:11, Act.20:10, 24 2Co.1:23, Php.2:30, 1Th.2:8, al. 2. the soul, (a) as the seat of the will, desires and affections: Mat.26:38, Mrk.12:30" (LXX) 14:34, Luk.1:46, Jhn.10:24, Act.14:2, Php.1:27, al.; ἐκ ψυχῆς, from the heart, heartily: Eph.6:6, Col.3:23; …

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