5Beloved, you do a faithful thing in whatever you work for the brothers — and this for strangers — [1:6] who testified to your love before the assembly; whom you will do well, having set them forward worthily of God. [1:7] For on behalf of the Name they went forth, taking nothing from the Gentiles. [1:8] We therefore ought to take such ones under our care, so that we may become fellow workers with the truth.
3JN 1:5-8
Gaius Commended for Hospitality
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, hospitality was a deeply ingrained cultural virtue, particularly within Jewish and early Christian communities. Traveling teachers, missionaries, and prophets relied on the generosity of local hosts for lodging, food, and support, as inns were often unsafe or morally questionable. Gaius’s hospitality to traveling believers, including strangers , would have been seen as an act of faithfulness and alignment with God’s purposes. The mention of these travelers accepting nothing from Gentiles highlights their commitment to avoid dependence on outsiders, preserving their integrity and reliance on the Christian community. Providing for travelers often included supplying provisions for their journey, a gesture of honor and solidarity. Gaius’s actions not only supported the spread of the gospel but also reinforced the communal bonds of the early church. In a society where patronage and reciprocity were central, Gaius’s hospitality demonstrated a countercultural generosity, rooted in the truth of the gospel rather than social obligation.
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How other translations render this
3JN 1:5
- KJV
- Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
- BSB
- Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.
- Koinōnos
- Beloved, you do a faithful thing in whatever you work for the brothers — and this for strangers —
3JN 1:6
- KJV
- 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:
- BSB
- They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.
- Koinōnos
- who testified to your love before the assembly; whom you will do well, having set them forward worthily of God.
3JN 1:7
- KJV
- Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
- BSB
- For they went out on behalf of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
- Koinōnos
- For on behalf of the Name they went forth, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
3JN 1:8
- KJV
- We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
- BSB
- Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
- Koinōnos
- We therefore ought to take such ones under our care, so that we may become fellow workers with the truth.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
3JN 1:5
- faithfully:The word translated 'faithfully' here describes actions that are trustworthy and reliable, reflecting a character that can be depended upon.
- that [thing]:The term used here for 'that thing' refers to strangers or foreigners, highlighting that Gaius extended hospitality even to those he did not know personally.
3JN 1:6
- having set forward:The word translated 'having set forward' implies not just sending someone on their way, but actively assisting them with provisions and support for their journey.
3JN 1:8
- to receive:The word translated 'to receive' carries the sense of taking someone under one's protection or care, often implying support and hospitality.