This page presents an analytic interlinear translation of III John, with the Greek text aligned alongside a working English rendering. The goal is to make grammatical structure, syntactic relationships, and translation decisions visible so the reader can think through the text directly.
You can find the translation formatted for continuous reading here: III John – Translation.
See My Study Bible for complete Greek Breakdowns and Field Notes.
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Greek and English Side-by-Side
Note: This translation follows the principles outlined in the Johannine Epistles Translation Appendix. Translation decisions follow the Translation Micro–Style Guide.
| Verse | ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ ΤΡΙΤΗ (Scrivener 1881) | Third Epistle of John THV Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Γαΐῳ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ. | The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. | * Breakdown * Gaius |
| 2 | Ἀγαπητέ, περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή. | Beloved, I pray that, in all things, you prosper and be in good health, as your soul prospers. | * Breakdown * Prosperity |
| 3 | ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν, ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν, καὶ μαρτυρούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς. | For I rejoiced greatly, when the brothers came and testified to the truth you hold, just as you walk in the truth. | * Breakdown * Walking in the truth |
| 4 | μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν, ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα. | No greater joy have I than these, that I should hear my children walking in the truth. | *Breakdown * Walking in the truth * Greatest Commandment |
| 5 | Ἀγαπητέ, πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ εἰς τοὺς ξένους, | Beloved, you do faithfully whatsoever you might do for the brethren and for the strangers, | * Breakdown * Duties to strangers |
| 6 | οἳ ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας· οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις προπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ. | who testified to your love before the church, of whom you will do nobly sending them on their way worthily of God. | * Breakdown |
| 7 | ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθον μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν. | For on behalf of His name they went out taking nothing from the Gentiles. | * Breakdown |
| 8 | ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ἀπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. | Therefore, we ought to receive such as these so that we may become fellow workers for the truth. | * Breakdown |
| 9 | Ἔγραψα τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἀλλʼ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν Διοτρέφης οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς. | I wrote to the church but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not receive us. | * Breakdown * Diotrephes the Polar opposite of Gaius |
| 10 | διὰ τοῦτο, ἐὰν ἔλθω, ὑπομνήσω αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιεῖ, λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς· καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐπιδέχεται τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους κωλύει, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει. | Consequently, if I should come I will call to mind the works which he does, malicious words disparaging us, and not content with that, he does not receive the brothers and prevents the ones who are wanting to, and expels them from the church. | * Breakdown |
| 11 | ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακε τὸν Θεόν. | Beloved, do not imitate evil but good. Doing good is of God, but he who is doing evil has not seen God. | * Breakdown |
| 12 | Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων, καὶ ὑπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστι. | Demetrius has been attested by all and by the truth itself, and we also testify, and you know that our testimony is true. | * Breakdown |
| 13 | Πολλὰ εἶχον γράφειν, ἀλλʼ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράψαι· | I had many things to write, but I do not want to write to you with ink and reed. | * Breakdown |
| 14 | ἐλπίζω δὲ εὐθέως ἰδεῖν σε, καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλήσομεν. εἰρήνη σοι. ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ φίλοι. ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατʼ ὄνομα. | But I hope to see you at once, and I will speak to you face to face. Peace to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. | * Breakdown |
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