3 John 1:8 (YLT)

Passage

we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:6 who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

3 John 1:7 because for <FI>His<Fi> name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;

3 John 1:8 we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.

3 John 1:9 I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them--Diotrephes--doth not receive us;

3 John 1:10 because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ought", "receive", "such", "fellow-workers", "become", and "truth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ought" and "receive", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "because for FI His Fi name they..." into verse 9's "I did write to the assembly but...", so "ought" and "receive" 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 "ought" and "receive" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.