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3 John 1:10

in 3 John 1

So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would he forbiddeth and casteth them out of the church.

KJV

Wherefore, 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.

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This verse in 3 John 1

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

"The brethren" are the missionaries on their journey. forbiddeth them that would--receive them. casteth them--those that would receive the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his influence, as a leading man (3Jo 9) in it, enabled him to do.

This site's exposition

Diotrephes, who loves to be first

on 3 John 1:9-10

Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction, and philoprōteuōn occurs only here in the New Testament. His deeds rise from malicious slander against us to refusing the brothers, forbidding their hosts and putting them out of the church. The elder will only call attention to them.

This site's exposition

putting them out of the church

Diotrephes turned the church's discipline on its own members. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the putting out as excommunication, which his rank as a leading man let him do. Matthew Henry warns that church censures are often abused, and that many are put out who should be welcomed.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on 3 John · Written before 550.

proposed

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will bring to light the works he is doing, gossiping wickedly about us. And not content with that, he not only does …

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 3 John · Written before 1107.

proposed

If it is forbidden to repay evil for evil (Rom. 12:17), then how is the present threat of the Apostle to be explained? We answer: the commandment speaks of not repaying evil for evil to the one who sins against us, but when sin against …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

He acts, talking against us with malicious words. It should be noted that we should not arouse the tongues of detractors by our fault, lest they perish, but we should equally bear those that are incited by their own malice, so that merit may increase …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

For this reason, if I come, I will bring up his deeds. That is, by openly reproving, I will bring his works to the knowledge of all. Just like the apostle Paul said: "What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod?"

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Church-power and church-censures are often abused. Many are cast out of the church who should be received there with satisfaction and welcome. But woe to those who cast out the brethren whom the Lord Christ will take into his own communion and kingdom!
4 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Acts of ecclesiastical domination and tyranny ought to be animadverted upon. May it be better agreed to whom that power belongs! Here is counsel upon that different character, dissuasion from copying such a pattern, and indeed any evil at all: Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good,
Wherefore, if I come,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

If I come, I will remember - I will show him the authority which, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, I possess. Prating against us - Diotrephes might have been a converted Jew, who was unwilling that the Gentiles should be received into the Church; or a Judaizing Christian, who wished to incorporate the law with the Gospel, and calumniated the apostles who taught otherwise.
Wherefore, if I come - He was evidently expecting soon to make a visit to Gaius, and to the church, 3Jn 1:14. I will remember his deeds which he doeth - That is, he would punish his arrogance and presumption; would take measures that he should be dealt with in a proper manner. There is no evidence whatever that this is said in a vindictive or revengeful spirit, or that the writer spoke of it merely as a personal matter. From anything that can be shown to the contrary, if it had been a private and personal affair merely, the matter might have been dropped, and never referred to again. But what had been done was public. It pertained to the authority of the apostle, the duty of the church, and the character of the brethren who had been commended to them. If the letter was written, as is supposed by the aged John, and his authority had been utterly rejected by the influence of this one man, then it was proper that that authority should be asserted. If it was the duty of the church to have received these men, who had been thus recommended to them, and it had been prevented from doing what it would otherwise have done, by the influence of one man, then it was proper that the influence of that man should be restrained, and that the church should see that he was not to control it. If the feelings and the character of these brethren had been injured by being rudely thrust out of the church, and held up as unworthy of public confidence, then it was proper that their character should be vindicated, and that the author of the wrong should be dealt with in a suitable manner. No one can show that this was not all that the apostle proposed to do, or that any feelings of private vindictiveness entered into his purpose to remember what Diotrephes had done; and the existence of any such feelings should not be charged on the apostle without proof. […]

The words behind it

33 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

15 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

James 3:6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.6 worksIsaiah 66:5You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”5 worksProverbs 10:10He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.4 worksProverbs 10:8A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin.4 works2 Corinthians 13:2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,4 worksLuke 6:22Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.4 works
The other 9 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Timothy 5:13At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.4 works2 Corinthians 10:1–11Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.2 works3 John 1:5Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.2 works1 Corinthians 5:1–5It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.2 worksJohn 9:34–35They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.2 worksJohn 9:22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.2 works2 Corinthians 10:6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.2 works3 John 1:8Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.2 worksPhilippians 2:29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Luke 6:22

    Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 5:10–12

      Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Matthew 10:22

      You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 1 Peter 4:12–16

      Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.

    • 1 Peter 3:14

      But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

    • John 16:2

      They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

  • Through

    Isaiah 66:5

    You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may…

    it leads to

    • John 15:18–20

      If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.

    • Isaiah 66:2

      Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles…

  • Through

    Proverbs 10:8

    A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 7:24–25

      Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Where this verse is studied

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About 3 John

St John the Theologian writing his Revelations on an open scroll, Andreas Ritzos, 1449 to 1450. Public domain.
St John the Theologian writing his Revelations on an open scroll, Andreas Ritzos, 1449 to 1450. Public domain.
3 John: the study guide →Read 3 John 1 →
This page draws on 9 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); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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.

Read on in 3 John 1 →