3 John 1:1 (DBY)

Passage

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.

3 John 1:3 For I rejoiced exceedingly when [the] brethren came and bore testimony to thy [holding fast the] truth, even as *thou* walkest in truth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "elder", "beloved", "gaius", and "truth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "elder" and "beloved", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The next verse adds "Beloved I desire that in all things...", so "elder" and "beloved" should be read forward into that movement. In 3 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "elder" and "beloved" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.