III John 1

¹The eldere man to Gayus, most dere brother, whom Y loue in treuthe.

²Most dere brothir, of alle thingis Y make preyer, that thou entre, and fare welefuly, as thi soule doith welefuli.

³Y ioyede greetli, for britheren camen, and baren witnessing to thi treuthe, `as thou walkist in treuthe.

⁴Y haue not more grace of these thingis, than that Y here that my sones walke in treuthe.

⁵Most dere brother, thou doist feithfuli, what euer thou worchist in britheren, and that in to pilgrymys,

⁶which yeldiden witnessing to thi charite, in the siyt of the chirche; which thou leddist forth, and doist wel worthili to God.

⁷For thei wenten forth for his name, and token no thing of hethene men.

⁸Therfor we owen to resseyue siche, that we be euen worcheris of treuthe.

⁹I hadde write perauenture to the chirche, but this Diotrepes, that loueth to bere primacie in hem, resseyueth not vs.

¹⁰For this thing, if Y schal come, Y schal moneste hise werkis, whiche he doith, chidinge ayens vs with yuel wordis. And as if these thingis suffisen not to hym, nether he resseyueth britheren, and forbedith hem that resseyuen, and puttith out of the chirche.

¹¹Moost dere brothir, nyle thou sue yuel thing, but that that is good thing. He that doith wel, is of God; he that doith yuel, seeth not God.

¹²Witnessing is yoldun to Demetrie of alle men, and of treuthe it silf; but also we beren witnessing, and thou knowist, that oure witnessing is trewe.

¹³Y hadde many thingis to wryte to thee, but Y wolde not write to thee bi enke and penne.

¹⁴For Y hope soone to se thee, and we schulen speke mouth to mouth. Pees be to thee. Frendis greten thee wel. Greete thou wel frendis bi name.

III John 1

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

²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

³For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

⁶Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

⁷Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

⁹I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

¹⁰Wherefore, 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.

¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

¹²Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.