General Documents
Survey Video
Individual Passages
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Detailed Outline Expand All + All Collapse All X All1 Salutation1a From: The Elderi.e. John1b To: Gaius, the beloved, whom I love in truthNothing more is known about Gaius except this letter2-4 Thanksgiving/Prayer Report2 I desire you to be blessed in all things2a Beloved, I desire concerning everything2b-d What I desire2b-c You will succeed and be healthy2b You would succeedLiterally "prosper"
There is no room for prosperity gospel nonsense in this verse
Just a standard blessing, "I want things to go well with you"2c And be healthy2d Just as your soul is succeeding3-4 Reason: Because I rejoice that my children are walking in truth3I rejoice that you are walking in truth3a I rejoiced greatly3b-d Reason: The brothers told me you are walking in truth3b When the brothers came3c-d They testified that you are walking in truth3c And they testified to your truth3d Just as you are walking in truth"walking" = lifestyle4 My greatest joy is that my children are walking in the truth4a I have no greater than this joy4b That I hear my children are walking in the truth -
Detailed Outline Expand All + All Collapse All X All5-11 Being a good leader and avoiding bad leadership5-10 Good and bad leaders5-8 Good leaders5-6a Gaius' Hospitality - You are a good leader, supporting the brothers5 You are faithfully helping the traveling brothers5a Beloved, you are doing a faithful thing5b-c In what you are doing, even for strangers5b In the thing which you are doing for the brothers5c And this for strangers6a Result: these testified about your love before the church6b-8 The traveling brothers are good leaders, worthy of support6b-7 Helping them is doing good6b-c You did well to support them on their way6b You did these things well6c By sending them on in a way worthy of God7 Reason: They went out for Christ without support from Gentiles7a For they went out for the sake of the Name7b Receiving nothing from the Gentiles8 Therefore: We should receive them to partner in the truth8a Therefore, we ought to receive such as these8b Purpose: So that we will be fellow workers in the truth9-10 Diotrephes is not a good leader9 I tried to help the church, but Diotrephes opposed me9a I wrote something to the church9b But Diotrephes, the one loving to be first, did not receive us"loves to be first" - control freak
Tragic description - it is horrible in a church, especially in a leader
But it is sometimes a reality in our broken world
Rather, we should follow Jesus' example and serve others10 Therefore: I will deal with him10a If I come10b-hBecause of this, I will expose his works10b Because of this, I will draw attention to his works10c-hExplanation: How he is working against us and the traveling brothers10cThe things which he is doing10d-hSpecifically: He works against us and the traveling brothers10d Talking malicious nonsense about us with evil words10e-hAnd he works against the brothers10e And not being content with this10f-hResult: He keeps the brothers from being received10fNeg:Neither does this one receive the brothers10g-h Pos: And he stops others from doing so10gHe is preventing those who want [to receive the brothers]10hAnd he throws them out from the churchClassic selfish control freak
Hindering others to make himself seem important11Therefore: Imitate the good, not bad11a-bDon't imitate the bad, but the good11aNeg: Brothers, do not imitate the bad11bPos: But [imitate] the good11c-dDoing good is from God, doing bad is not from God11c Pos: The one doing good is from God11d Neg: The one doing bad has not seen God12 Demetrius is a verified/validated leader12a It has been testified about Demetrius by all, and by the truth itself/Himself12b-d We also are giving true testimony12b We also are testifying12c-dTherefore: You know our testimony is true12c And you know:12d That our testimony is true -
Detailed Outline Expand All + All Collapse All X All13-14 John's intended visitThis section is very similar to the same section in 2 John13Neg: I don't want to speak to you primarily through writing13aEven though I have many things to write to you13bI don't want to write to you with ink and pen14 Pos: I want to speak to you face to face14aI hope to see you at once14bAnd we will speak face to faceLiterally - "mouth to mouth"15Epistle Conclusion15a Peace wish: Peace to you15b-c Greetings:15bThe friends greet youi.e. Those at my end send their greetings15cGreet the friends by namei.e. Greet those at your end for me