3 John, 1
11. Dear friend, do not imitate evil, but only the good. Whoever does good is of God. Whoever does evil does not know God.
11. Dear friend, do not imitate evil, but only the good. Whoever does good is of God. Whoever does evil does not know God.
3 John 1 is a short chapter that contains a letter from John addressed to Gaio. In the letter, John praises Gaio for his faithfulness and hospitality to the brothers of the Church. He also warns diórefes, which was causing problems in the church, and praises Demetrius. Below are five verses related to the topics addressed in 3 John 1:
Proverbs 23:6-7: "Do not eat the bread of the one who has evil eyes, nor covered with his delicious delicacies; for, as imagines in his soul, so he is; he says: eat and drink; but his heart It's not with you. " This verse talks about how one's intentions can be revealed by their eyes and how we should be careful when accepting the food or drink of people with bad intentions.
1 John 2:9-10: "He who says he is in light, and hates his brother, so far is in darkness. He who loves his brother is in light, and in him there is no scandal." John emphasizes the importance of love and unity among the brothers of the Church, in contrast to the hateful behavior of diotrefs.
1 Corinthians 4:6: "And these things, brothers, I applied them in a figure to me and Apollo, for the sake of you; so that you may learn not to go beyond what is written, not teaching you in favor of a against another. " This verse talks about the importance of not being exceeded or proud, but following the Scriptures and maintaining humility, something diotrefs failed to do.
1 Timothy 5:24-25: "The sins of some men are manifest before they go into judgment, but in some, only after. In the same way, good works are manifested in advance, and those that are not can be hidden forever." John praises Demetrius's reputation and highlights how someone's good works can be evident for everyone.
James 5:9: "Brothers, do not complain of each other, so that you are not judged. Behold, the judge is at the door." John advises his readers not to complain about each other, but to maintain peace and unity in the church, something Gaio seems to have done well when welcoming his brothers with love.
“Deus não opera prodígios onde não há fé.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
