Worthy.Bible » YLT » 3 John » Chapter 1 » Verse 9

3 John 1:9 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

9 I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them -- Diotrephes -- doth not receive us;

Cross Reference

Matthew 10:40-42 YLT

`He who is receiving you doth receive me, and he who is receiving me doth receive Him who sent me, he who is receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who is receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward, and whoever may give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward.'

Matthew 20:20-28 YLT

Then came near to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, bowing and asking something from him, and he said to her, `What wilt thou?' She saith to him, `Say, that they may sit -- these my two sons -- one on thy right hand, and one on the left, in thy reign.' And Jesus answering said, `Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, `We are able.' And he saith to them, `Of my cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but -- to those for whom it hath been prepared by my father.' And the ten having heard, were much displeased with the two brothers, and Jesus having called them near, said, `Ye have known that the rulers of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those great do exercise authority over them, but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant; and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

Matthew 23:4-8 YLT

for they bind together burdens heavy and grievous to be borne, and lay upon the shoulders of men, but with their finger they will not move them. `And all their works they do to be seen by men, and they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the fringes of their garments, they love also the chief couches in the supper, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. `And ye -- ye may not be called Rabbi, for one is your director -- the Christ, and all ye are brethren;

Mark 10:35-45 YLT

And there come near to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying, `Teacher, we wish that whatever we may ask for ourselves, thou mayest do for us;' and he said to them, `What do ye wish me to do for you?' and they said to him, `Grant to us that, one on thy right hand and one on thy left, we may sit in thy glory;' and Jesus said to them, `Ye have not known what ye ask; are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized with -- to be baptized?' And they said to him, `We are able;' and Jesus said to them, `Of the cup indeed that I drink of, ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with, ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right and on my left, is not mine to give, but -- to those for whom it hath been prepared.' And the ten having heard, began to be much displeased at James and John, but Jesus having called them near, saith to them, `Ye have known that they who are considered to rule the nations do exercise lordship over them, and their great ones do exercise authority upon them; but not so shall it be among you; but whoever may will to become great among you, he shall be your minister, and whoever of you may will to become first, he shall be servant of all; for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

Luke 22:24-27 YLT

And there happened also a strife among them -- who of them is accounted to be greater. And he said to them, `The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors; but ye `are' not so, but he who is greater among you -- let him be as the younger; and he who is leading, as he who is ministering; for who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I -- I am in your midst as he who is ministering.

Titus 1:7-16 YLT

for it behoveth the overseer to be blameless, as God's steward, not self-pleased, nor irascible, not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of strangers, a lover of good men, sober-minded, righteous, kind, self-controlled, holding -- according to the teaching -- to the stedfast word, that he may be able also to exhort in the sound teaching, and the gainsayers to convict; for there are many both insubordinate, vain-talkers, and mind-deceivers -- especially they of the circumcision -- whose mouth it behoveth to stop, who whole households do overturn, teaching what things it behoveth not, for filthy lucre's sake. A certain one of them, a prophet of their own, said -- `Cretans! always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies!' this testimony is true; for which cause convict them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commands of men, turning themselves away from the truth; all things, indeed, `are' pure to the pure, and to the defiled and unstedfast `is' nothing pure, but of them defiled `are' even the mind and the conscience; God they profess to know, and in the works they deny `Him', being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work disapproved.

Philippians 2:3-5 YLT

nothing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves -- each not to your own look ye, but each also to the things of others. For, let this mind be in you that `is' also in Christ Jesus,

Commentary on 3 John 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


3Jo 1-14. Address: Wish for Gaius' Prosperity: Joy at His Walking in the Truth. Hospitality to the Brethren and Strangers the Fruit of Love. Diotrephes' Opposition and Ambition. Praise of Demetrius. Conclusion.

1. I—emphatical. I personally, for my part. On Gaius or Caius, see my Introduction before Second Epistle.

love in the truth—(2Jo 1). "Beloved" is repeated often in this Epistle, indicating strong affection (3Jo 1, 2, 5, 11).

2. above all things—Greek, "concerning all things": so Alford: in all respects. But Wahl justifies English Version (compare 1Pe 4:8). Of course, since his soul's prosperity is presupposed, "above all things" does not imply that John wishes Gaius' bodily health above that of his soul, but as the first object to be desired next after spiritual health. I know you are prospering in the concerns of your soul. I wish you similar prosperity in your body. Perhaps John had heard from the brethren (3Jo 3) that Gaius was in bad health, and was tried in other ways (3Jo 10), to which the wish, 3Jo 2, refers.

prosper—in general.

be in health—in particular.

3. testified of the truth that is in thee—Greek, "of" (or 'to') thy truth": thy share of that truth in which thou walkest [Alford].

even as thou—in contrast to Diotrephes (3Jo 9).

4. my children—members of the Church: confirming the view that the "elect lady" is a Church.

5. faithfully—an act becoming a faithful man.

whatsoever thou doest—a distinct Greek word from the former "doest": translate, "workest": whatsoever work, or labor of love, thou dost perform. So Mt 26:10, "She hath wrought a good work upon me."

and to strangers—The oldest manuscripts, "and that (that is, and those brethren) strangers." The fact of the brethren whom thou didst entertain being "strangers," enhances the love manifested in the act.

6. borne witness of thy charity before the church—to stimulate others by the good example. The brethren so entertained by Gaius were missionary evangelists (3Jo 7); and, probably, in the course of narrating their missionary labors for the edification of the Church where John then was, incidentally mentioned the loving hospitality shown them by Gaius.

bring forward on their journey—"If thou (continue to) forward on their journey" by giving them provisions for the way.

after a godly sort—Greek, "in a manner worthy of God," whose ambassadors they are, and whose servant thou art. He who honors God's missionary servants (3Jo 7), honors God.

7. his name's sake—Christ's.

went forth—as missionaries.

taking nothing—refusing to receive aught by way of pay, or maintenance, though justly entitled to it, as Paul at Corinth and at Thessalonica.

Gentiles—the Christians just gathered out by their labors from among the heathen. As Gaius himself was a Gentile convert, "the Gentiles" here must mean the converts just made from the heathen, the Gentiles to whom they had gone forth. It would have been inexpedient to have taken aught (the Greek "meden" implies, not that they got nothing, though they had desired it, but that it was of their own choice they took nothing) from the infant churches among the heathen: the case was different in receiving hospitality from Gaius.

8. We—in contradistinction to "the Gentiles" or "heathen" referred to, 3Jo 7.

therefore—as they take nothing from the Gentiles or heathen.

receive—The oldest manuscripts read, "take up." As they "take" nothing from the Gentiles, we ought to take them up so as to support them.

fellow helpers—with them.

to the truth—that is, to promote the truth.

9. I wrote—The oldest manuscripts add "something": a communication, probably, on the subject of receiving the brethren with brotherly love (3Jo 8, 10). That Epistle was not designed by the Spirit for the universal Church, or else it would have been preserved.

unto the church—of which Gaius is a member.

loveth … pre-eminence—through ambition. Evidently occupying a high place in the Church where Gaius was (3Jo 10).

among them—over the members of the Church.

receiveth us not—virtually, namely, by not receiving with love the brethren whom we recommended to be received (3Jo 8, 10; compare Mt 10:40).

10. if I come—(3Jo 14).

I will remember—literally, "I will bring to mind" before all by stigmatizing and punishing.

prating—with mere silly tattle.

neither doth he … receive the brethren—with hospitality. "The brethren" are the missionaries on their journey.

forbiddeth them that would—receive them.

casteth them—those that would receive the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his influence, as a leading man (3Jo 9) in it, enabled him to do. Neander thinks that the missionaries were Jews by birth, whence it is said in their praise they took nothing from THE Gentiles: in contrast to other Jewish missionaries who abused ministers' right of maintenance elsewhere, as Paul tells us, 2Co 11:22; Php 3:2, 5, 19. Now in the Gentile churches there existed an ultra-Pauline party of anti-Jewish tendency, the forerunners of Marcion: Diotrephes possibly stood at the head of this party, which fact, as well as this domineering spirit, may account for his hostility to the missionaries, and to the apostle John, who had, by the power of love, tried to harmonize the various elements in the Asiatic churches. At a later period, Marcion, we know, attached himself to Paul alone, and paid no deference to the authority of John.

11. follow not that which is evil—as manifested in Diotrephes (3Jo 9, 10).

but … good—as manifested in Demetrius (3Jo 12).

is of God—is born of God, who is good.

hath not seen God—spiritually, not literally.

12. of all men—who have had opportunity of knowing his character.

of the truth itself—The Gospel standard of truth bears witness to him that he walks conformably to it, in acts of real love, hospitality to the brethren (in contrast to Diotrephes), &c. Compare Joh 3:21 "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God."

we also—besides the testimony of "all men," and "of the truth itself."

ye know—The oldest manuscripts read, "thou knowest."

13. I will not—rather as Greek, "I wish not … to write" more.

14. face to face—Greek, "mouth to mouth."

Peace—peace inward of conscience, peace fraternal of friendship, peace supernal of glory [Lyra].

friends—a title seldom used in the New Testament, as it is absorbed in the higher titles of "brother, brethren." Still Christ recognizes the relation of friend also, based on the highest grounds, obedience to Him from love, and entailing the highest privileges, admission to the intimacy of the holy and glorious God, and sympathizing Saviour; so Christians have "friends" in Christ. Here in a friendly letter, mention of "friends" appropriately occurs.

by name—not less than if their names were written [Bengel].