3 john 1:10 - Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.

Generated Verse: 3 john 1:10

What does "3 john 1:10" mean?


This verse from 3 John 1:10 is a direct rebuke of a man named Diotrephes, who seems to be a leader in a specific church. It highlights several problems with Diotrephes' behavior:

"Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words." The author of 3 John (likely John the Apostle) plans to visit and publicly address Diotrephes' actions. Diotrephes is spreading false accusations against John and his associates (the "us"). These are "wicked words," indicating slanderous or malicious statements intended to damage their reputation.

"Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers..." Diotrephes isn't just verbally attacking John's group; he's also refusing to welcome and support visiting Christians or missionaries (the "brothers"). This is a serious breach of hospitality, a key value in early Christian communities.

"...and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly." Diotrephes is actively preventing others in the church from showing hospitality to these visiting Christians. He even goes so far as to expel those who disagree with him and attempt to welcome the visitors from the church.

In essence, the verse depicts Diotrephes as:

Slanderous: He's spreading lies and damaging the reputation of respected Christian leaders.
Unwelcoming: He's refusing hospitality to visiting Christians, a cultural and spiritual offense.
Authoritarian and Divisive: He's using his position to control the church, suppress dissent, and create division by expelling those who disagree with him.

The verse is a strong condemnation of abuse of power within the church and a call to uphold Christian values of truth, hospitality, and unity. It foreshadows that John intends to confront Diotrephes and correct his behavior when he arrives.

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