3 John 1:12 (GNV)

Passage

Demetrius hath good report of al men, and of the trueth it selfe: yea, and wee our selues beare recorde, and ye know that our record is true.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:10 Wherefore if I come, I will call to your remembrance his deedes which he doeth, pratling against vs with malicious wordes, and not therewith content, neither he himselfe receiueth the brethren, but forbiddeth them that woulde, and thrusteth them out of the Church.

3 John 1:11 Beloued, follow not that which is euill, but that which is good: he that doeth well, is of God: but he that doeth euill, hath not seene God.

3 John 1:12 Demetrius hath good report of al men, and of the trueth it selfe: yea, and wee our selues beare recorde, and ye know that our record is true.

3 John 1:13 I haue many things to write: but I will not with yncke and pen write vnto thee:

3 John 1:14 For I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speake mouth to mouth. Peace be with thee. The friends salute thee. Greete the friends by name.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "demetrius", "hath", "good", "report", "trueth", "selfe", "selues", and "beare". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "demetrius" and "hath", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Beloued follow not that which is euill..." into verse 13's "I haue many things to write but...", so "demetrius" and "hath" 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 "demetrius" and "hath" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.