3 John 1:11

3 John 1:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
• New International Version (NIV)Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

Context of 3 John 1:11

9I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction. 10So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with pen and ink.

3 John 1:11 word by word

Ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν· ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν.Read the interlinear

• Belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• do notμήmē · notG3361
• imitateμιμέομαιmimeomai · to imitateG3401
• whatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• does goodἀγαθοποιέωagathopoieō · to do goodG15
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• does evilκακοποιέωkakopoieō · to do evil/harmG2554
• has not seenοὐou · noG3756
• has not seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708

Cross-references for 3 John 1:11

• Exodus 23:2You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
• Psalms 37:27Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever.
• Proverbs 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
• Isaiah 1:16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
• John 10:27My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
• 1 Corinthians 4:16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
• 1 Corinthians 11:1You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
• Ephesians 5:1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
• Philippians 3:17Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.
• 1 Thessalonians 1:6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
• 2 Timothy 3:10You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,
• Hebrews 6:12Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
• 1 Peter 3:13Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
• 1 Peter 3:11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

Commentaries on 3 John 1:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Follow not that which is evil - · Do not imitate that wicked man, i.e., the conduct of Diotrephes; be merciful, loving, and kind. For whatever profession any man may make, it will ever appear that he who doeth good is of God - he alone is the person who uses rightly the grace received from God, and he alone shall enjoy the Divine approbation; While he that doeth evil - He who is unfeeling, unmerciful, unkind, hath not seen God - has no proper knowledge of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good - There can be no doubt that in this exhortation the writer had Diotrephes particularly in his eye, and that he means to exhort Gaius not to imitate his example. He was a man of influence in the church, and though Gaius had shown that he was disposed to act in an independent manner, yet it was not improper to exhort him not to be influenced by the example of any one who did wrong. John wished…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 Both the heart and mouth must be watched. The temper and spirit of Diotrephes was full of pride and ambition. It is bad not to do good ourselves; but it is worse to hinder those who would do good. Those cautions and counsels are most likely to be accepted, which are seasoned with love. Follow that which is good, for he that doeth good, as delighting therein, is born of God. Evil-workers vainly pretend or boast acquaintance with God. Let us not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11the one who does evil: John condemns Diotrephes for not living by the Christian rule of love (1 John 3:10–14). This was how Gaius could be sure that Diotrephes was not living according to the truth. This applies to all who refuse to accept the apostolic teaching about Jesus Christ and refuse to live in fellowship with others who do.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. follow not that which is evil--as manifested in Diotrephes (3Jo 9, 10). but ... good--as manifested in Demetrius (3Jo 12). is of God--is born of God, who is good. hath not seen God--spiritually, not literally.Read the comment

Topics related to 3 John 1:11

• Blindness
• Commandments
• Example
• Holiness
• Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Follow

Commentaries on 3 John 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings