3 John 1:5

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Beloved	ἀγαπητέ, agapēte	G27	beloved · adjective — vocative singular masculine
doest	ποιεῖς poieis	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active indicative, 2nd person singular
faithfully	πιστὸν piston	G4103	objectively · adjective — accusative singular neuter
whatsoever	ὃ ho	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — accusative singular neuter
doest	ἐργάσῃ ergasē	G2038	to toil (as a task · verb — aorist middle deponent subjunctive, 2nd person singular
to	εἰς eis	G1519	to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
brethren	ἀδελφοὺς adelphous	G80	a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — accusative plural masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
to	εἰς eis	G1519	to or into (indicating the point reached or entered)
strangers	ξένους, xenous	G3581	foreign (literally · adjective — accusative plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion…
Luke 16:10-12 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Colossians 3:17 And what soever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
2 Corinthians 4:1-3 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
1 Peter 4:10-11 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 3 John 1:3-8

I. John receives a good report of Gaius's faith and charity from the brethren. Gaius’s love for the brethren and hospitality to strangers proves his sincerity in the faith. II. Gaius is commended for his hospitality, a virtue extended to strangers and those of different churches. III. John expresses great joy in hearing of Gaius's walk in truth. This reflects the joy of ministers when they see their followers living out their faith. IV. John advises Gaius to continue supporting the brethren by aiding them on their journeys in a godly manner, reflecting Christian generosity. V. The brethren went forth preaching for God's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. John emphasizes the need for the…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 3 John 1:5

faithfully--an act becoming a faithful man. whatsoever thou doest--a distinct Greek word from the former "doest": translate, "workest": whatsoever work, or labor of love, thou dost perform. So Mat 26:10, "She hath wrought a good work upon me." and to strangers--The oldest manuscripts, "and that (that is, and those brethren) strangers." The fact of the brethren whom thou didst entertain being "strangers," enhances the love manifested in the act.

Adam Clarke on 3 John 1:5

Thou doest faithfully - Πιστον ποιεις. Kypke thinks that πιστον is put here for πιστιν, and that the phrase signifies to keep or preserve the faith, or to be bound by the faith, or to keep one's engagements. Thou hast acted as the faith - the Christian religion, required thee to act, in all that thou hast done, both to the brethren at home, and to the strangers - the itinerant evangelists, who, in the course of their travels, have called at thy house. There is not a word here about the pilgrims and penitential journeys which the papists contrive to bring out of this text.

John Gill on 3 John 1:5

Beloved, thou doest faithfully,.... Or a faithful thing, and as became a faithful man, a believer in Christ; in all his beneficence and charity he acted the upright part; he did not do it in an hypocritical way, to be seen of men, and gain applause from them, but from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God: whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; which may design either different persons; and by "brethren" may be meant the poor brethren of the church that. Gaius belonged to, and others that were well known to him; and by "the strangers", not unconverted persons, but such of the saints as came from foreign parts, and travelled about to spread the Gospel, an…

The Church Fathers

Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you work for the brethren, etc. You act faithfully, he says, as if he said: Just as you are truly faithful, so you act, showing your faith by your works.
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Dearly beloved, you faithfully do whatever you work for the brothers and for the guests, who have borne witness to your love in the sight of the Church; if you have led them to God worthily, you will benefit. For they went forth for His name, taking nothing from the Gentiles. "you faithfully do," this is what befits a faithful man.
— Oecumenius, Commentary on 3 John

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 3 John 1:3-8

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 3 John 1:5

Adam Clarke on 3 John 1:5

John Gill on 3 John 1:5

The Church Fathers

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 3 John 1:3-8

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 3 John 1:5

Adam Clarke on 3 John 1:5

John Gill on 3 John 1:5

The Church Fathers

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 3 John 1:5-8