A Greeting from the Elder (2 John 1:1–3)
1 UDB You know me as the chief elder. I am writing this letter to you, my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love. BSB BSB: The elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth:
2 UDB Dear friend, I ask God that things may go well for you in every way and that you may be physically healthy just as you are healthy in respect to God. BSB BSB: Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.
3 UDB I am very happy because some fellow believers have come here and told me that you live in accordance with the true message about Christ. They said that you are behaving in a manner that is consistent with God's truth. BSB BSB: For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk.
4 UDB I am very happy when I hear that people whom I helped to believe in Christ are living in a way that matches God's truth! BSB BSB: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Gaius Commended for Hospitality 5 UDB Dear friend, you are serving Jesus loyally whenever you do things to help fellow believers, even those whom you do not know. BSB BSB: Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.
6 UDB Some of them have reported before the congregation here how you have showed that you love them. You should continue to help such people do their work in a way that honors God. BSB BSB: They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.
7 UDB When those fellow believers went out to tell people about Jesus, they received no money from people who do not believe in Christ. BSB BSB: For they went out on behalf of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 UDB So we who believe in Christ ought to give food and money to such people as these, to work with them to help others know God's true message. BSB BSB: Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius 9 UDB I wrote a letter to your group of believers to tell them to help those other believers. However, Diotrephes does not accept my letter, because he wants to dominate you. BSB BSB: I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.
10 UDB So when I arrive there, I will publicly tell everyone what he does: He tells others evil nonsense about us in order to harm us by what he says. He is not content with only doing that, but he himself also refuses to welcome the fellow believers who are traveling around doing God's work. And those who want to welcome them—he stops them by making them leave the congregation. BSB BSB: So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.
11 UDB Dear friend, do not imitate a bad example like that. Instead, keep imitating good examples. Remember that people who do good deeds truly belong to God. Anyone who keeps doing what is bad has never seen God. BSB BSB: Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
12 UDB All the believers who know Demetrius say that he is a good person. If the truth were a person, he would say the same thing! We also say he is a good person, and you know that what we say about him is true. BSB BSB: Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
Conclusion (2 John 1:12–13)
13 UDB When I began to write this letter, I had much more that I intended to tell you. But now I do not want to say it in a letter. BSB BSB: I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with pen and ink.
14 UDB Instead, I expect to come and see you soon. Then we will talk directly with one another. May God give his peace to you. The friends here send you greetings. Please give our greetings to all our friends there, personally and by name. BSB BSB: Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak with you face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send you greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.