3 John 1:7

Because that for his Name's sake Much more forcibly the true text (א ABCKL), For for the sake of the Name: the -His" is a weak amplification in several versions. A similar weakening is found in Acts 5:41, which should run, -Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for theName." -The Name" of course means the Name of Jesus Christ: comp. James 2:7. This use of -the Name" is common in the Apostolic Fathers; Ignatius, Eph.iii., vii.; Philad.x.; Clem. Rom. ii., xiii.; Hermas, Sim.viii. 10, ix. 13, 28.

they went forth Comp. Acts 15:40.

taking nothing of the Gentiles Hence the necessity for men like Gaius to help. These missionaries declined to -spoil the Egyptians" by taking from the heathen, and therefore would be in great difficulties if Christians did not come forward with assistance. We are not to understand that the Gentiles offered help which these brethren refused, but that the brethren never asked them for help. -The Gentiles" (οἱ ἐθνικοί) cannot well mean Gentile converts. What possible objection could there be to receiving help from them? Comp. Matthew 5:47; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 18:17, the only other places where the word occurs. There was reason in not accepting money or hospitality at all, but working for their own living, as S. Paul loved to do. And there was reason in not accepting help from heathen. But there would be no reason in accepting from Jewish converts, but not from Gentile ones.

Some expositors render this very differently. -For for the Name's sake they went forth from the Gentiles, taking nothing;" i.e. they were driven out by the heathen, penniless. But -went forth" is too gentle a word to mean this; and the negative (μηδέν not οὐδέν) seems to imply that it was their determinationnot to accept anything, not merely that as a matter of factthey received nothing. For -receive from" in a similar sense comp. Matthew 17:25.