3Jo3 John
The book of 3 John is the shortest writing in the New Testament by length, but not in pastoral density. In just one chapter, the letter exposes very concrete tensions in Christian life: hospitality, authority, reputation, lived truth, and the way local communities receive (or block) messengers of the gospel. For this reason, 3 John is not an abstract text; it works as a window into the behind-the-scenes life of churches at the end of the first century, showing how faith was practiced in house networks, with local leaders and itinerant missionaries.
Placed between 2 John and Jude, in the section traditionally called the General Epistles, 3 John stands out for its extremely personal character. The author presents himself as “the elder” and writes to a disciple named Gaius, praising his faithfulness and generosity. At the same time, he denounces the posture of Diotrephes, a leader who resists apostolic authority and prevents the welcome of sent brothers. The letter also commends Demetrius, whose good reputation serves as a communal criterion of trust.
The central theme of the book of 3 John can be summarized as practicing the truth through hospitality and support for faithful workers, in contrast to ambition and authoritarianism that corrode fellowship. Throughout the text, the author links “walking in the truth” to verifiable attitudes: receiving brothers, cooperating with good, and rejecting harmful examples.
For those seeking a study of 3 John, the letter offers enduring principles about leadership, informal discipline (through warning and example), the ethics of testimony, and missionary cooperation. The brevity of the text, far from limiting its importance, concentrates its force: each verse helps us understand how early Christianity sustained its unity and mission amid real conflicts.
| Item | Data |
|---|---|
| Testament | New Testament |
| Category | General Epistles |
| Traditional author | John the apostle (often associated with the Johannine circle) |
| Writing period | c. AD 85–95 |
| Chapters | 1 |
| Original language | Greek |
| Central theme | Walking in the truth through hospitality and support for faithful workers, rejecting pride and the practice of evil |
| Key verse | 3 John 1:2: “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” |
The book of 3 John is a short letter, with a direct and relational tone, written to guide a concrete situation in a local Christian community. Unlike more doctrinal writings, the focus here is on practice and communal life: how to treat brothers who travel in the name of the faith and how to deal with leaders who act abusively.
Thus, the summary of 3 John revolves around three figures: a positive example (Gaius), a negative example (Diotrephes), and a trustworthy recommendation (Demetrius).
The question “who wrote 3 John?” involves tradition and literary analysis. Traditional authorship attributes the letter to John the apostle, the same figure associated with the Gospel of John and the Johannine letters. In the text, however, the author identifies himself as “the elder,” a title that may indicate age, a recognized pastoral role, or leadership over a group of churches.
The period c. AD 85–95 is often proposed because it:
The book of 3 John presupposes a Christianity already spread across cities, sustained by homes that functioned as meeting points and lodging. The text reveals tensions typical of an expanding movement: who has authority to send and receive missionaries? Who controls access to the community?
Though short, the book of 3 John has a clear epistolary structure.
| Section | Reference | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting and prayer | 1:1–2 | Author identification and desire for well-being |
| Praise for Gaius | 1:3–8 | Joy over “walking in the truth” and support for brothers |
| Denunciation of Diotrephes | 1:9–10 | Rejection of envoys and the practice of expelling those who welcome them |
| Exhortation and example | 1:11 | Imitate good, not evil |
| Commendation of Demetrius | 1:12 | Favorable testimony and communal credibility |
| Conclusion | 1:13–15 | Desire to visit, greetings, and peace |
The driving force of the text is the tension between:
This summary of 3 John follows the letter’s flow of argument, highlighting the problem and the pastoral response.
The author (“the elder”) addresses Gaius with affection and wishes that his outward life would reflect his spiritual health. Well-being is presented in an integrated way: life, health, and the condition of the soul.
The author reports joy at hearing that Gaius “walks in the truth.” The emphasis is not on declarations but on consistency of life. The highest point of pastoral satisfaction is seeing “children” persevering in practical faithfulness.
Gaius is praised for welcoming brothers, even strangers, who travel for the sake of the “Name.” The author urges him to send them on their way “in a manner worthy of God,” since these workers do not seek support from those outside the faith. Conclusion: by receiving them, the community participates in the work of the truth.
The author mentions a previous letter to the church, rejected by Diotrephes, described as someone who “likes to put himself first.” He:
The author says that when he comes, he will bring this behavior to light.
The letter offers a simple and incisive principle: do not imitate evil. Doing good shows a link with God; practicing evil shows distance.
Demetrius receives a good testimony from everyone and from the truth itself; the author also confirms this testimony. The letter ends with a desire for face-to-face conversation, greetings from friends, and a wish for peace.
Although it is a letter, the book of 3 John presents well-defined characters.
In the book of 3 John, theology and practice go together. The themes appear as applied community ethics.
“Truth” is not only intellectual content: it is a way of walking, with public and private consistency. Truth is verified in the testimony others give about a person.
Welcoming brothers and fellow workers is not a social detail: it is active participation in the mission. The letter turns hospitality into a spiritual criterion.
The community sustains the spread of the gospel by sending missionaries on their way “in a manner worthy.” The mission is not only “for those who go”; it is also for those who send and receive.
Diotrephes represents a form of leadership that:
The letter denounces this without minimizing the harm.
Demetrius is presented as someone approved by “everyone” and “by the truth.” The church discerns trust through consistent testimonies.
The central exhortation is moral and formative: communities learn by examples. The letter calls for imitation of healthy models, not domineering leaders.
Below are verses from 3 John that concentrate the main ideas, with brief context.
3 John 1:2 — “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
Expresses holistic care and introduces the pastoral tone of the letter.
3 John 1:3 — “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.”
Truth is confirmed by communal testimony and by a coherent life.
3 John 1:4 — “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Summarizes the pastoral priority: forming faithful lives, not merely numerical growth.
3 John 1:5 — “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,”
Hospitality and faithfulness are inseparable.
3 John 1:6 — “who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.”
Welcome should reflect the dignity of the missionary purpose.
3 John 1:8 — “Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
Those who welcome participate in the same work; hospitality becomes partnership.
3 John 1:9 — “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”
Introduces the problem: ambition and rejection of pastoral authority.
3 John 1:10 — “So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”
Describes the abuse: slander, blocking hospitality, and exclusion.
3 John 1:11 — “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”
Provides the moral criterion that interprets the whole situation.
3 John 1:12 — “Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.”
Establishes reliability by multiple confirmations, avoiding naivety.
The book of 3 John remains timely because it describes recurring patterns in communities: support for mission, leadership conflicts, and the need for discernment.
For a consistent study of 3 John, it is best to read the letter as a real pastoral case, observing relationships, arguments, and implications.
Because it is short, it is worth reading it repeatedly, noting:
Make a list of what the letter treats as evidence of truth:
Without forcing harmonization, notice common themes:
Practicing the truth through hospitality and support for faithful workers, in contrast to abuse of authority and refusal to cooperate with good.
Tradition attributes it to John the apostle. The author identifies himself as “the elder,” and many studies place him in the late first-century Johannine environment.
It is generally dated between c. AD 85–95, in the context of organized Christian communities and functioning missionary networks.
The letter has 1 chapter.
3 John 1:2: “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
It is in the New Testament, between 2 John and Jude.
Because it reveals, directly, how faith was lived amid real conflicts: hospitality, mission, reputation, leadership, and community discipline.
Gaius is the recipient of the letter, praised for “walking in the truth” and for welcoming brothers and missionaries faithfully.
Diotrephes is described as someone who seeks preeminence, rejects envoys, slanders the author, and prevents hospitality, even putting out those who welcome the brothers.
Demetrius is commended as someone of good reputation, confirmed by consistent testimony, worthy to be received by the community.
It means living with ethical coherence and practical faithfulness, demonstrated by concrete actions and confirmed by the testimony of the community.
Hospitality sustains mission: by receiving and sending workers on their way, the church becomes a “fellow worker for the truth” and participates in the advance of the gospel.
Yes. It values servant leadership faithful to the truth, and it denounces domineering leadership that controls through slander and exclusion.
By applying criteria for responsible welcome, supporting upright workers, practicing discernment through consistent testimony, and rejecting power practices that harm fellowship.