3 John 1:9 (DRB)

Passage

I had written perhaps to the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, doth not receive us.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:7 Because, for his name they went out, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

3 John 1:8 We therefore ought to receive such: that we may be fellow helpers of the truth.

3 John 1:9 I had written perhaps to the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, doth not receive us.

3 John 1:10 For this cause, if I come, I will advertise his works which he doth; with malicious words prating against us. And as if these things were not enough for him, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that do receive them he forbiddeth, and casteth out of the church.

3 John 1:11 Dearly beloved, follow not that which is evil: but that which is good. He that doth good is of God: he that doth evil hath not seen God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "written", "perhaps", "church", "diotrephes", "loveth", "preeminence", "doth", and "receive". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "written" and "perhaps", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "We therefore ought to receive such that..." into verse 10's "For this cause if I come I...", so "written" and "perhaps" belong inside that flow. In 3 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

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