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front:intro kwv9 0 # Introduction to 3 John\n\n## Part 1: General Introduction\n\n### Outline of the Book of 3 John\n\n1. Introduction (1:1)\n2. Encouragement and instructions to show hospitality (1:2–8)\n3. Diotrephes and Demetrius (1:9–12)\n4. Conclusion (1:13–14)\n\n### Who wrote the Book of 3 John?\n\nThe letter does not give the name of the author. The author only identified himself as **The elder** (1:1). The letter was probably written by the apostle John near the end of his life.\n\n### What is the Book of 3 John about?\n\nJohn wrote this letter to a believer named Gaius. He instructed Gaius to be hospitable to fellow believers who were traveling through his area.\n\n### How should the title of this book be translated?\n\nTranslators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, “3 John” or “Third John.” Or they may choose a clearer title, such as “The Third Letter from John” or “The Third Letter John Wrote”. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])\n\n## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts\n\n### What is hospitality?\n\nHospitality was an important concept in the ancient Near East. It was important to be friendly towards foreigners or outsiders and provide help to them if they needed it. In 2 John, John discouraged Christians from showing hospitality to false teachers. In 3 John, John encouraged Christians to show hospitality to faithful teachers.\n\n## Part 3: Important Translation Issues\n\n### How does the author use family relationships in his letter?\n\nThe author used the terms **brother** and **children** in a way that can be confusing. The scriptures often used the term **brothers** to refer to Jews. But in this letter, John used the word to refer to Christians. Also, John called some believers his **children**. These were believers he taught to obey Christ.\n\nJohn also used the term **Gentile** in a way that could be confusing. The scriptures often used the term **Gentile** to refer to people who are not Jews. But in this letter, John used the word to refer to those who did not believe in Jesus.
1:1 rni7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you 0 # General Information:\n\nThis is a personal letter from John to Gaius. All instances of **you** and **your** refer to Gaius and are singular.
1:1 w99t rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὁ πρεσβύτερος 1 **The elder** refers to John, the apostle and disciple of Jesus. He refers to himself as the **elder** either because of his old age or because he is a leader in the church. The name of the author can be made explicit: “I, John the elder, am writing”
1:1 lls6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names Γαΐῳ 1 **Gaius** is a fellow believer to whom John is writing this letter.
1:3 y7q3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς 1 Here, **walking** on a path is a metaphor for how a person lives his life. Alternate translation: “you are living your life according to God’s truth”
1:4 w79m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα 1 John speaks of those he taught to believe in Jesus as though they were his **children**. This emphasizes his love and concern for them. It could also be that he himself led them to the Lord. Alternate translation: “my spiritual children”
1:5 vl13 Connecting Statement: 0 # Connecting Statement:\n\nJohn’s purpose in writing this letter is to commend Gaius for taking care of people who are traveling to serve God; then he talks about two people, one evil and one good.
1:5 tmh1 ἀγαπητέ 1 Here, **Beloved** is used as a term of endearment for Gaius as a fellow believer. Use a term here for a dear friend in your language.
1:5 gs6x πιστὸν ποιεῖς 1 Alternate translation: “you are doing what is faithful to God” or “you are being loyal to God”
1:5 g4gz ὃ, ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοῦτο ξένους 1 Alternate translation: “when you help fellow believers, especially those whom you do not know”
1:6 wzf6 οἳ ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας 1 These words describe the “strangers” (verse 5). Alternate translation: “the strangers who have told the believers in the church about how you have loved them”
1:6 pb64 οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις, προπέμψας 1 John is commending Gaius for his normal practice of helping believers who are traveling. Translate this in a way that shows that this is something that Gaius does continually.
1:7 d8y1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐξῆλθον 1 Here, **the name** refers to Jesus. This could mean: (1) they left where they were in order to tell others about Jesus. (2) they left where they were because others forced them to leave because of their belief in Jesus. (3) both of these things. Alternate translation: “since they have gone out to tell people about Jesus”
1:7 yzc8 μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες 1 This could mean: (1) unbelievers have not helped them by giving them anything. (2) they did not accept any help or gifts from unbelievers.
1:7 hk3p τῶν ἐθνικῶν 1 Here, **Gentiles** does not just mean people who are not Jewish. It refers to any people who do not trust in Jesus.
1:8 d2l7 ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ 1 Alternate translation: “so that we will cooperate with them in announcing God’s truth to people”
1:8 ab01 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification τῇ ἀληθείᾳ 1 Here, **the truth** is spoken of here as though it were a person that John, Gaius, and others worked for. This could refer to: (1) “the true message from God” as in the UST. (2) “God, who is Truth.”
1:9 s82w ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν 1 Alternate translation: “who loves to be the most important one among them” or “who loves to act as though he is their leader”
1:9 dp1v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡμᾶς 1 The word **us** is exclusive; it refers to John and those with him and does not include Gaius. It may also be a polite way for John to refer to himself. See the UST.
1:9 rrgg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy Διοτρέφης, οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς 1 Saying **Diotrephes … does not accept us** does not mean that he has physically rejected John and those with John, but it is a shorter way of saying that he does not accept John’s authority or the instructions that John gives. See the UST.
1:10 it7p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis τοὺς βουλομένους κωλύει 1 John leaves out words that are understood from the previous clause. Alternate translation: “he stops those who want to welcome the believers”
1:10 g98b ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει 1 Alternate translation: “forces them to leave the group of believers”
1:11 a3z8 ἀγαπητέ 1 Here, **Beloved** is used as a term of endearment for Gaius as a fellow believer. See how you translated this in [3 John 1:5](../01/05.md).
1:11 pv24 μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν 1 Alternate translation: “do not copy the evil things that people do”
1:11 sz2h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν 1 John leaves out words that are understood from the previous clause. Alternate translation: “but imitate the good things that people do”
1:11 zan2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν Θεόν 1 “Seeing” here is a metaphor that stands for knowing or understanding. Alternate translation: “has not experienced God” or “has not believed in God”
1:12 pl7i rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων 1 If your language does not use this passive form, you can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “All who know Demetrius bear witness of him” or “Every believer who knows Demetrius speaks well of him”
1:12 m22h rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names Δημητρίῳ 1 **Demetrius** is probably a man whom John wants Gaius and the congregation to welcome when he comes to visit. He may be the person delivering this letter.
1:12 rad4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας 1 Here, **truth** is described as though it were a person speaking. Here, **truth** refers to “the true message from God.” Alternate translation: “everyone who knows the truth knows that he is a good person”
1:12 mftm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας 1 John leaves out words that are understood from the previous clause. Alternate translation: “he is borne witness to by the truth itself”
1:12 s712 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν 1 What John is confirming is implied and can be made explicit here. Alternate translation: “we also speak well of Demetrius”
1:12 a16a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive ἡμεῖς 1 Here, **we** refers to John and those with him and does not include Gaius.
1:13 v27c 0 # General Information:\n\nThis is the end of John’s letter to Gaius. In this section, he mentions coming to see him and closes with a greeting.
1:13 am6k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν 1 This is a doublet, because **ink and pen** stand for the process of writing that was already mentioned. John is not saying that he would write them with something other than ink and pen. He is saying that he does not wish to write these other things at all. Alternate translation: “I do not want to write about them to you”
1:14 r8i4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom στόμα πρὸς στόμα 1 Here, **mouth to mouth** is an idiom meaning “in person.” Alternate translation: “in person”
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