your household, and say ye not to him, 'Welcome:'

11 For he who saith to him, 'Welcome,' partaketh with him in his evil deeds.

12 Though I now have many things to write to you, yet I wish not to do so by paper and ink: but rather I hope to coME unto you, and to speak face to face with you, so that our mutual joy may be thoroughly fulfilled.

13 The children in Christ of thy spiritual *Sister, the elect Christian * Matron, or Church here at Ephesus, salute thee. Amen.

OF

I, THE Christian Elder John, hereby send greeting to Gaius my beloved Christian brother, whom I myself love in all * truth.

2 Beloved Brother, *in ALL things I hope and pray that thou mayest prosper, and be in good health of body, even as I trust that thy SOUL now prospereth.

3 For I rejoiced greatly on our brethren's coming hither and on their testifying to thy knowledge and love of the gospel truth, even as, they say, thou thyself walkest and livest in the practice of that truth.

4 Greater joy than this great joy I have not, namely than to hear that my children in Christ are walking steadfastly in the truth.

5 Beloved Brother Gaius, FAITHFULLY thou doest whatsoever thou exercisest thyself in, both towards the Christian brethren and towards strangers.

6 Who all have testified to thy brotherly love, in the pre

sence of our Christian church or congregation: whom moreover thou wilt do well by forwarding in their missions at all times, in a manner worthy of the service of GOD.

7 For because of the name and sake of Christ they are come forth from their homes, receiving nothing for their support or maintenance from the Gentiles.

8 WE * Christians, therefore, ought to receive hospitably such men, in order that we may ourselves thus become fellow-labourers with them in the gospel truth.

9 I have before written to the Christian church, or brethren, on these matters: nevertheless HE who vainly loveth to

be their chief, namely, Diotrephes, doth not kindly receive us, or acknowledge our authority.

10 For which reason, if I come among you, I will remember his evil deeds which he doeth, thus with malicious

words babbling against us: and not satisfied with these evil words, he does not HIMSELF *kindly receive the Christian brethren, who are strangers, and moreover THEM who are willing to receive them he forbiddeth to do so, and expelleth them from the Christian church or congregation.

11 Beloved Gaius, do not thou follow that which is EVIL, but rather that which is GOOD. He who doeth that which is GOOD, is spiritually born of GOD: but he who doeth that which is EVIL, hath not truly seen or known GOD.

12 To Demetrius, good tes

timony hath been borne by ALL men, and by the gospel truth itself: and *WE Christian Elders also bear our testimony to him, and ye know very well that our testimony is true.

13 Many more things I had to write to you upon, but I do not now wish to write them to thee by ink and pen.

14 I hope, however, very soon to SEE thee, and then we shall speak face to face.

15 Peace be to thee. Our Christian friends here salute thee. Salute thou all our friends who are with thee each of them by name.