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. 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. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,1:5 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family. even though they are strangers to you. 6They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
9I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 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.
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. 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.
13I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
15Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
1我這作長老的寫信給親愛的該猶，你是我本著真理所愛的人。 2親愛的弟兄，我願你凡事順利，身體像靈魂一樣健康。
該猶的好品行
3一些弟兄來為你作見證，說你忠心地遵行真理，這使我非常歡喜。 4沒有比聽見自己的孩子遵行真理更使我歡喜了。
5親愛的弟兄，你常常忠心地照顧素不相識的弟兄， 6他們把你的愛心告訴了教會。願你照著上帝喜悅的方式繼續幫助他們出行， 7因為他們為了主的名四處傳道，不接受非信徒的任何幫助。 8我們理當接待這樣的人，好成為他們傳揚真理的同工。
丟特腓的惡行
9我曾寫信給你那裡的教會，但愛當頭領的丟特腓不接待我們。 10因此，我若去你們那裡，必揭露他的所作所為，他怎樣惡言中傷我們。不僅如此，他還拒絕接待弟兄，並且禁止別人接待，甚至將接待的人趕出教會。
抑惡揚善
11親愛的弟兄，不要效法罪惡，要效法美善。行善的人屬於上帝，行惡的人不認識上帝。 12低米丟得到了眾人的好評，真理也為他作見證，我們也為他作見證。你知道我們的見證是真實的。
結語
13我還有許多事要告訴你，但不想藉助筆墨， 14只希望很快見到你，跟你當面暢談。
15願你平安！這裡的朋友們都問候你，請代我一一問候你那邊的朋友。
