3 John 1:10

I will visit soon, and I will talk to everyone about the bad things that Diotrefees is doing. He is making up lies against us, and he is rubbishing us. And that’s not all. Diotrefees does other bad things too. Whenever Christians come to tell people about Jesus, Diotrefees doesn’t let them come to church or stay at his house. And if somebody else in the church says, “I want to help those Christians,” then Diotrefees says, “No, don’t help them.” And he tells that person that they are not allowed to come to church any more.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Wherefore, 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.

In Context

9I wrote a letter to the Christians that live near you. But that man Diotrefees doesn’t listen to what we say. He thinks he’s really important, and he wants to be the boss.

11My friend, whenever you see people doing bad things like that, don’t copy them. But whenever you see people doing good things, you have to copy them. If somebody does good things, that shows that they belong to God. But if somebody does bad things, that shows that they don’t properly know God.

Read all of 3 John 1

Cross References

John 9:34The Jewish leaders got really angry and said, “Don’t try to teach us. You were born blind, so we know that you always went against God and did bad things. You can’t teach us anything. Get out of this meeting house, and don’t come back.”

3 John 1:5Those Christians that visited you, they came back here, and they told the whole church mob about you. They said, “Guyus loved us. He was really good to us.” My friend, that was a really good thing that you did. You didn’t know those Christians, but you looked after them anyway. That shows that you are living God’s way. Whenever those Christians visit you, please look after them. And when they leave you, give them things to take with them, so that they can keep telling people about Jesus in other places. God wants you to do that.

Matthew Henry on 3 John 1:10-12

The Character of Diotrephes. ( a. d. 90.) 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, 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. 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil… Read the whole commentary →

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