3 John 1:1 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹ [This is being written by] the elder to my dear [friend] Gaius, whom I love in the truth. [Note: This probably means “whom I truly love”].

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹ The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹ THE ELDERLY elder [of the church addresses this letter] to the beloved (esteemed) Gaius, whom I truly love.

American Standard Version (1901)

¹ The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.

Common English Bible

¹ From the elder. To my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹ The Elder, to Gaius, most beloved, whom I love in the truth.

3 John 1:1 Cross References

1 John 3:18

Little children [i.e., dear ones], we should not [merely] claim to love [people], or [even just] talk about it, but [we should love] by what we do [for them] in a genuine way.

1 Corinthians 1:14

I am thankful that I did not immerse any of you, except for Crispus and Gaius,

Romans 16:23

Gaius, who is hosting me [i.e., Paul] and the whole church [here], sends you his greetings. [Note: This was probably the Gaius who lived in Corinth (I Cor. 1:14) and was apparently both wealthy and generous]. Erastus, the city treasurer [of Corinth] sends his greetings to you, along with our brother Quartus.

Acts 19:29

The city became full of confusion; they grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s Macedonian traveling companions, and everyone together rushed into the amphitheater.

Acts 20:4

The following men accompanied Paul as far as [the province of] Asia [where Troas was located]: Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, of Thessalonica; Gaius, of Derbe; Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from [the province of] Asia; [seven in all].

Acts 11:30

So, they sent [what was donated] to the elders [of the Judean churches] by Barnabas and Saul.

1 Peter 5:1

So, the elders in the various places where you live, are to receive the following exhortation. (I too, am an elder and have witnessed the sufferings of Christ, and am also assured of partaking of the glorious [salvation, 1:5] that will someday be revealed).

3 John 1:2

[My] dearly loved [friend], I am praying that you will do well in everything [materially (?)], and that you will have [good] health, just as your soul [i.e., your spiritual life] is doing well.