For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with malicious words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brothers either, and he forbids those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.
- 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.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
- NLT When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
John promises to confront Diotrephes' slander, his refusal to receive fellow believers, and his expelling of those who would. Unchecked pride breeds slander, division, and abuse of power.
Overview
Diotrephes' sin escalated from rejecting John's words to maligning the apostle with malicious talk, then to barring traveling believers and even excommunicating those who welcomed them. John, exercising apostolic responsibility, intends to address these deeds openly when he comes. The passage shows that genuine love and truth sometimes require confronting destructive conduct within the church for the protection of Christ's flock.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Isa 66:5Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.
- Prov 10:10One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
- Prov 10:8The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
- Luke 6:22Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
- 2 Cor 13:2I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;
- 3 Jn 1:5Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers.
- John 9:22His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
- John 9:34–35They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.
- 1 Cor 5:1–5It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife.
- 2 Cor 10:1–11Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
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Christ at the center
Faithful love shown for the sake of 'the Name' is service rendered to Christ, who is the truth in which his people walk.
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Original language
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