_The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius_ Gaius, or, according to the Latin orthography, _Caius_, was a common name among the Romans. In the history of the Acts and in the epistles we meet with five persons of this name. 1st, One mentioned Acts 19:29, called a man of Macedonia, and Paul's companion in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beloved, I wish_ Or, _I pray_, as ευχομαι is translated by Beza, Estius, Erasmus, Schmidius, Doddridge, and others. _Above all things_ Or, _with respect to all things_, as περι παντων rather signifies; _that thou mayest prosper and be in health_ Namely, of body; _even as_, I doubt not, _thy soul pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beloved, thou doest faithfully_ Uprightly and sincerely; or, as πιστον ποιεις is more accurately rendered, _thou dost a faithful thing;_ or a thing becoming a faithful person, or one who is a real believer; _whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers_ To thy fellow- Christians, known t... [ Continue Reading ]
_I wrote_ Or _have written; to the church_ Probably that to which they came; _but Diotrephes_ &c. As if he had said, But I fear lest my letter should not produce the desired effect; for Diotrephes, perhaps the pastor of it, _who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them_ To govern all things accord... [ Continue Reading ]
_Demetrius_, on the contrary, _hath good report_ Hath a good testimony from all that know him; _and of the truth_ The gospel; _itself_ His temper and conduct being conformable to its precepts, and he having exerted himself greatly to propagate it. _Yea, and we also bear record_ I, and they that are... [ Continue Reading ]
_I had many_ other _things to write_ To communicate to thee concerning the affairs of your church, and concerning Diotrephes; _but I will not_ I am not minded; _to write unto thee with ink and pen_ Meaning, probably, lest this letter should fall into hands who might make an improper use of it. _But... [ Continue Reading ]