Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good

John is writing to Gaius, possibly one of his disciples. John encourages Gauis to continue to serve others. There was a warning against a certain individual, Diotrephes. It seems that Diotrephes is seeking his personal fame or influence. He was also spreading malice about John and perhaps other leaders. It also seems he was hindering people coming to church and push out of the church those against him. So John reminds Gauis not to follow such behaviour. On the other hand, another believer Demetrius, had a very good reputation among fellow believers.





3 John 1
Greeting to Gaius

1 The Elder,

To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.[a]

Gaius Commended for Generosity

5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and[b] for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive[c] such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but[d] he who does evil has not seen God.

12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

Farewell Greeting

13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.

Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

He Who Gives to the Poor will Not Lack

The collection of verses here encourages us to stay with doing the right things and not forsaking God's laws. It warns against trying to get rich using wicked means such as by hurting or oppressing others. A more severe warning is that those who causes righteous people to sin, will themselves be considered sinful and punished.

There are a number of verses of rich vs poor but this is more than the monetary status. Instead it refers to whether the people are doing the right things or not. For example, there is no point in being rich because the wicked things done will incur judgement. On the other hand, those who obey God's laws, whether poor or not to begin with, will incur blessings. There are encouragement to be generous and walk in integrity. There are warnings about being proud and causing strife.



Proverbs 28
1 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.

2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.

3 A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But such as keep the law contend with them.

5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.

6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.

10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
But the blameless will inherit good.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.

18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same is companion to a destroyer.

25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.

Job's counter examples against wickedness as cause of sufferings

Here is Job's response to his friend's suggestions that the wicked will be punished in this life and implying that Job was wicked as shown by the evidence of his punishment. Job starts of by warning his friends, saying Prepare to be Astonished - v3 "Put your hand over your mouth".

So Job begins to explain:

v7 - wicked people live to old age and become powerful.

v8 - they see their grandchildren mature, or even great grandchildren.

v9 - their homes are safe and secure

v10 - their lifestock or business prosper

v11-13 - the wicked enjoy wealth and pleasure

v14 - 15 - the wicked reject God

v19-21 So some believe that the wicked, although are not punished immediately, they will see the punishment on their children.
v25-26 - both the wicked who enjoyed pleasures and perhaps the non-wicked who did not enjoy pleasures, they will come to the same end in their lives.


So Job is saying that there are many examples in life that the wicked appear to enjoy a pleasurable life. Some even die happy. And if their punishment is reserved for their children, then the wicked ones escapes the punishment - clearly there is no justice and truth in that. The last verses, Job emphasize further that even when they die, sometimes the wicked are being honored, they have big funeral processions, they are buried in expensive grounds. These are clear evidence of Job's friends incorrect theories about wickedness as the cause of Job's or anyone else's sufferings.

Job 21

Job’s Discourse on the Wicked

 ¹ Then Job answered and said: ² “Listen carefully to my speech,
      And let this be your consolation.
 ³ Bear with me that I may speak,
      And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
 ⁴ “As for me, is my complaint against man?
      And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
 ⁵ Look at me and be astonished;
      Put your hand over your mouth.
 ⁶ Even when I remember I am terrified,
      And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
 ⁷ Why do the wicked live and become old,
      Yes, become mighty in power?
 ⁸ Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
      And their offspring before their eyes.
 ⁹ Their houses are safe from fear,
      Neither is the rod of God upon them.
 ¹⁰ Their bull breeds without failure;
      Their cow calves without miscarriage.
 ¹¹ They send forth their little ones like a flock,
      And their children dance.
 ¹² They sing to the tambourine and harp,
      And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
 ¹³ They spend their days in wealth,
      And in a moment go down to the grave.^[a]
 14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
      For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
 ¹⁵ Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
      And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
 ¹⁶ Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand;
      The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
 ¹⁷ “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
      How often does their destruction come upon them,
      The sorrows God distributes in His anger?
 ¹⁸ They are like straw before the wind,
      And like chaff that a storm carries away.
 ¹⁹ They say, ‘God lays up one’s^[b] iniquity for his children’;
      Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
 ²⁰ Let his eyes see his destruction,
      And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
 ²¹ For what does he care about his household after him,
      When the number of his months is cut in half?
 ²² “Can anyone teach God knowledge,
      Since He judges those on high?
 ²³ One dies in his full strength,
      Being wholly at ease and secure;
 ²⁴ His pails^[c] are full of milk,
      And the marrow of his bones is moist.
 ²⁵ Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
      Never having eaten with pleasure.
 ²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust,
      And worms cover them.
 ²⁷ “Look, I know your thoughts,
      And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
 ²⁸ For you say,
‘ Where is the house of the prince?
      And where is the tent,^[d]
      The dwelling place of the wicked?’
 ²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel the road?
      And do you not know their signs?
 ³⁰ For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
      They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
 ³¹ Who condemns his way to his face?
      And who repays him for what he has done?
 ³² Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
      And a vigil kept over the tomb.
 ³³ The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
      Everyone shall follow him,
      As countless have gone before him.
 ³⁴ How then can you comfort me with empty words,
      Since falsehood remains in your answers?”