They have testified about your love before the assembly. You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a way worthy of God,
Parallel Translations
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They have testified about your love before the assembly. You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a way worthy of God,
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which bare witnes of thy love before all the congregacion. Which brethren when thou bryngest forwardes on their iorney (as it besemeth god) thou shalt do well:
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Which bare witnesse of thy loue before the Churches. Whom if thou bringest on their iourney as it beseemeth according to God, thou shalt doe well,
Cross-references (15)
Passages linked to 3 John 1:6 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12 to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
- Acts 15:3 They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.
- Titus 3:13 Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.
- Philemon 1:5-7 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints, that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
- Colossians 1:10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,
- Romans 15:24 whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
- Philippians 4:14 However you did well that you shared in my affliction.
- Genesis 4:7 If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
- Matthew 25:21-23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
- Acts 15:29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”
- Acts 21:5 When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.
- 2 Corinthians 1:16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.
- 1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
- 3 John 1:12 Demetrius has the testimony of all, and of the truth itself; yes, we also testify, and you know that our testimony is true.
- Jonah 4:4 Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He commendeth to Gaius either those selfsame men whom…
He commendeth to Gaius either those selfsame men whom he had entertained before, returning now again to him about the affairs of the Church, or else some other which had like business.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before…
6 Which 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:
Ver. 6. After a godly sort] Gr. αξιως του Θεου, worthy of God, as seeing God in them, and as beseemeth his servants, who are princes in all lands, Psa 45:16.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain After a godly sort; i.e. after a manner (as…
After a godly sort; i.e. after a manner (as the Greek expression is) worthy of God, viz. as becomes them who bear the name of God, as thou dost, or are intent upon his work, as they are; which latter notion is confirmed by what follows.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Which have borne witness of thy charity before the…
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church,.... At Ephesus, where John was; these brethren and strangers coming thither, and being greatly affected with Gaius's kindness and liberality to them, could not forbear speaking of it to his praise, in the presence of the members of the church, as well as acquainted the Apostle John with it; the Syriac version reads, "before the whole church"; they bore testimony of his liberality in a very public manner And this the apostle mentions to encourage Gaius to go on, and continue in his kindness to the same persons, since they retained such a grateful sense of past favours; and whereas they were now returning back, he desires that he would give them some further assistance:
whom if thou bring forward on their journey; the word here used signifies, to send on before, as in Act 15:3, and is used by the Septuagint in the same sense as here, and in the above places, in Gen 18:16; where it is said, that "Abraham went with them (the angels) to bring them on in the way", "to send them on", or "send them away"; dismiss them, take his leave of them in a friendly and honourable way. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, "to accompany them"; and so this Greek word, which seems to answer to the Hebrew phrase, signifies an honourable accompanying, leading forth, and taking leave of friends; and so the apostle encourages Gaius to behave in like manner to the brethren and strangers; meaning, either by accompanying them in person, or by sending his servants along with them, both to direct them the way, and to secure them from danger, and chiefly by furnishing them with everything necessary for them; see Tit 3:13. And this he would have him do,
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after a godly sort; or "worthy of God"; in imitation of God, who is merciful, kind, and beneficent; or as it became him whom God had called by his grace to his kingdom and glory; or as it was fit and proper such servants of God, as those brethren were, should be used; and this would be doing well:
thou shalt do well; what is grateful and well pleasing to God, and beautiful and lovely in the eyes of his people.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Who have testified of thy love before the church…
Who have testified of thy love before the church - The congregation with whom I now reside. Whom if thou send forward on their journey - Supplied with what is needful. Thou shalt do well - How tenderly does the apostle enjoin this!
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 6. Which have borne witness of thy charity]…
Verse 6. Which have borne witness of thy charity] Of thy love and benevolence.
Before the Church] The believers at Ephesus; for to this Church the apostle seems to refer.
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Whom if thou bring forward] If thou continue to assist such, as thou hast done, thou shalt do well.
The brethren of whom St. John speaks might have been apostles; the strangers, assistants to these apostles, as John Mark was to Barnabas. Both were itinerant evangelists.
After a godly sort] αξιως του θεου. Worthy of God; and in such a way as he can approve. Let all Churches, all congregations of Christians, from whom their ministers and preachers can claim nothing by law, and for whom the state makes no provision, lay this to heart; let them ask themselves, Do we deal with these in a manner worthy of God, and worthy of the profession we make? Do we suffer them to lack the bread that perisheth, while they minister to us with no sparing hand the bread of life? Let a certain class of religious people, who will find themselves out when they read this note, consider whether, when their preachers have ministered to them their certain or stated time, and are called to go and serve other Churches, they send them forth in a manner worthy of God, making a reasonable provision for the journey which they are obliged to take. In the itinerant ministry of the apostles it appears that each Church bore the expenses of the apostle to the next Church or district to which he was going to preach the word of life. So it should be still in the mission and itinerant ministry.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Which have borne witness of thy charity before the…
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church - It would seem that they had returned to John, and borne honorable testimony to the love manifested to them by Gaius. Before what church they had borne this testimony is unknown. Perhaps it was the church in Ephesus.
Whom if thou bring forward on their journey - οὕς προπέμψας hous propempsas. “Whom bringing forward, or having brought forward.” The word refers to aid rendered to them in their journey, in facilitating their travels, either by personally accompanying them, by furnishing them the means of prosecuting their journey, or by hospitably entertaining them. Gaius probably aided them in every way in which it was practicable. It has been made a question whether this refer, to the fact that he had thus aided them in some visit which they had made to the church where Gaius was, or to a visit which they purposed to make. The Greek would seem to favor the latter construction, and yet it would appear from the Epistle, that the “brethren and strangers” actually had been with him that they had been rejected by the church through the influence of Diotrephes, and had been thrown upon the hospitality of Gaius, and that they had returned, and had borne honorable testimony to his hospitality. These views can be reconciled by supposing, as Lucke does, that having been once on their travels, and having shared the hospitality of Gaius, they were purposing to visit that region again, and that John, praising him for his former hospitality, commends them again to him, stating the reason 3Jo 1:9-10 why he did not, in accordance with the usual custom, recommend them to the care of the church. They had now gone out 3Jo 1:7 on the same errand upon which they had formerly gone, and they had now equal claims to the hospitality of the friends of religion.
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After a godly sort - Margin, as in Greek, “worthy of God.” The meaning is, As becomes those who serve God; or as becomes those who are professors of his religion.
Thou shalt do well - You will do what religion requires in these circumstances.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain borne witness of thy charity before the church--to stimulate…
borne witness of thy charity before the church--to stimulate others by the good example. The brethren so entertained by Gaius were missionary evangelists (Jo3 1:7); and, probably, in the course of narrating their missionary labors for the edification of the Church where John then was, incidentally mentioned the loving hospitality shown them by Gaius.
bring forward on their journey--"If thou (continue to) forward on their journey" by giving them provisions for the way.
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after a godly sort--Greek, "in a manner worthy of God," whose ambassadors they are, and whose servant thou art. He who honors God's missionary servants (Jo3 1:7), honors God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 6. Before the church—Their report from their first mission…
6. Before the church—Their report from their first mission was not to John alone, but before the metropolitan church of Ephesus. So that Gaius’s benefaction had gained for him an illustrious recognition.
If thou bring forward—If on their second mission, to which I commend them in this letter.
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Bring forward—Forward them from thy home on their farther way, furnishing them counsel, guidance, and material aid.
After a godly sort—Literally, worthily of God, whose ministers and revealers they are to the Gentiles.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 6. Which have borne witness of thy charity] Rather,…
6. Which have borne witness of thy charity] Rather, as R.V., Who hare witness to thy love. There is no need here to turn the aorist into the perfect; and certainly in S. John’s writings (whatever may be our view of 1 Corinthians 13) ἀγάπη must always be rendered ‘love.’ In a text like this, moreover, ‘charity’ is specially likely to be understood in the vulgar sense of almsgiving.
before the church] Probably at Ephesus; but wherever S. John was when he wrote the letter. Only in this Third Epistle does he use the word ‘church.’
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whom … thou shalt do well] The verb comes immediately after the relative in the Greek, and may as well remain there; whom thou wilt do well to forward on their journey: literally, whom thou wilt do well having sent on. The word for ‘send on’ or ‘forward’ occurs Act_15:3; Act_20:38; Act_21:5; Rom_15:24; 1Co_16:6; 1Co_16:11; 2Co_1:16; Tit_3:13. There would be abundant opportunity in the early Church for such friendly acts; and in telling Gaius that he will do a good deed in helping Christians on their way the Apostle gently urges him to continue such work. Comp. Php_4:14; Act_10:33.
after a godly sort] This is vague and rather wide of the Greek, which means, worthily of God (R.V.), or, in a manner worthy of God (Rhemish), or as it beseemeth God (Tyndale and Genevan). ‘Help them forward in a way worthy of Him whose servants they and you are.’ Comp. 1Th_2:12; Col_1:10.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Who bare witness to thy love before the Church.…
Who bare witness to thy love before the Church. The thoroughly Greek word ejkklhsia (which, however, had received a number of Jewish associations through its frequent use in the Septuagint)is used by St. John nowhere but in this Epistle. This witness of the brethren before the Church respecting the good deeds done to them is a type and earnest of the witness of Christ at the day of judgment: "I was a stranger, and ye took me in Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." Whom thou wilt do well to forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God. No higher standard could well be set. It reminds us of "perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Gains is to treat them as remembering the Divine declaration, "He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me". (Joh_13:20) This coincidence, consciously or unconsciously made, between the Gospel and Third Epistle, is lost in the rather colourless rendering in the Authorized Version, "after a godly sort."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 6. Which have borne testimony to thy love. These…
6. Which have borne testimony to thy love. These traveling brethren reported to the Church how Gaius had aided them. Thou shalt do well. A polite exhortation to continue such hospitality in the future. The hospitality was wont to be shown not only by opening the home to these saints, but by helping them on their journey.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 1:6 The church here was most likely in Ephesus,…
1:6 The church here was most likely in Ephesus, where John was probably staying. Ephesus was an important port city in the province of Asia, and the fourth-largest city in the Roman Empire. It became an important city for the Christian community (Acts 18:19–19:41; 1 Tim 1:3; 1 Pet 1:1; Rev 2:1-7).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.