3 John 1:11
in 3 John 1Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
KJV
Beloved, 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.
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This verse in 3 John 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good - There can be no doubt that in this exhortation the writer had Diotrephes particularly in his eye, and that he means to exhort Gaius not to imitate his example. He was a man of influence in the church, and though Gaius had shown that he was disposed to act in an independent manner, yet it was not improper to exhort him not to be influenced by the example of any one who did wrong. John wished to excite him to acts of liberal and generous hospitality.
This site's exposition
do not imitate what is evil
on 3 John 1:11-12
The one who does good is of God, so Gaius is to imitate the good and not the evil. Demetrius is the example, with a threefold witness from everyone, from the truth itself and from the elder, the standard of Deuteronomy 19:15. Diotrephes and Demetrius are the letter's two leaders.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. "do not imitate what is evil." Since there is no unity of light with darkness, nor any unity between Christ and …
Light has nothing in common with darkness, and there is no agreement between Christ and Belial. The person who does good has Christ, the true light, and not darkness or Belial. But the person who does evil is from Belial and darkness and has not …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He reveals that he desires him to imitate what is good by adding:
Since there is nothing in common between light and darkness, no agreement between Christ and Belial (2 Cor. 6:14–15), he who is enlightened by the knowledge of Christ must not, through imitation of the ungodly, merge with darkness, that is, with their abominable deeds. For …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But here his name will live. A name in the gospel, a fame in the churches, is better than that of sons and daughters. His character was his commendation.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Beloved, follow not that which is evil,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
follow not that which is evil--as manifested in Diotrephes (3Jo 9, 10). but . . . good--as manifested in Demetrius (3Jo 12). is of God--is born of God, who is good. hath not seen God--spiritually, not literally.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Follow not that which is evil - Μμ μιμου το κακον· Do not imitate that wicked man, i.e., the conduct of Diotrephes; be merciful, loving, and kind. For whatever profession any man may make, it will ever appear that he who doeth good is of God - he alone is the person who uses rightly the grace received from God, and he alone shall enjoy the Divine approbation; While he that doeth evil - He who is unfeeling, unmerciful, unkind, hath not seen God - has no proper knowledge of that God whose Name is mercy, and whose Nature is love.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀγαπητέ, | agapete | Beloved, | G27 → | 61 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | |
| μιμοῦ | mimou | do imitate | G3401 → | |
| τὸ | to | what [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κακὸν | kakon | evil | G2556 → | |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| τὸ | to | what [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγαθόν. | agathon | good. | G18 → | |
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγαθοποιῶν | agathopoion | doing good | G15 → | |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐστιν· | estin | is; | G1510 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κακοποιῶν | kakopoion | doing evil | G2554 → | |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἑώρακεν | he'oraken | has seen | G3708 → | |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεόν. | theon | God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
Ἀγαπητέ,Beloved,
agapeteG27 →61 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →
μιμοῦdo imitate
mimouG3401 →
τὸwhat [is]
toG3588 →19766 times
κακὸνevil
kakonG2556 →
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
τὸwhat [is]
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀγαθόν.good.
agathonG18 →
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀγαθοποιῶνdoing good
agathopoionG15 →
ἐκof
ekG1537 →
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦGod
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐστιν·is;
estinG1510 →
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
κακοποιῶνdoing evil
kakopoionG2554 →
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ἑώρακενhas seen
he'orakenG3708 →
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεόν.God.
theonG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 5:1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
it leads to
- 1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
- 1 Peter 1:15–16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
- Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Luke 6:35–36
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…
- 1 John 4:11
Through
1 Peter 3:11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Psalms 34:14
Through
John 3:20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:11–13
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- Ephesians 5:11–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 3 John
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Didymus the Blind, CATENA; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 3 John and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 3 John.