3 John 1:9

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, does not acknowledge us.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἔγραψά τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ: ἀλλʼ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν, Διοτρέφης, οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς.

Transliteration

Egrapsa to the ekklēsia: but the philoprōteuōn of them, Diotrephēs, not epidechetai us.

Grammar Details

• *Egrapsa*: aorist, active, indicative, 1st person singular - I wrote
• *ekklēsia*: dative, feminine, singular - church/assembly
• *all*: conjunction - but
• *philoprōteuōn*: present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - loving to be first
• *autōn*: genitive, masculine, plural, personal pronoun - of them/their
• *Diotrephēs*: nominative, masculine, singular - name (Diotrephes)
• *ouk*: negative particle - not
• *epidechetai*: present, middle, indicative, 3rd person singular - receives/welcomes
• *hēmas*: accusative, 1st person plural pronoun - us

Word Meanings

• *Egrapsa*: I wrote/have written
• *ekklēsia*: church/assembly/congregation
• *philoprōteuōn*: loving to be first/desiring preeminence/ambitious for primacy
• *epidechetai*: receives/welcomes/accepts

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  I wrote to the church: but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  I wrote somewhat unto{G1125} the church:{G1577} but{G235} Diotrephes,{G1361} who loveth to have the preeminence{G5383} among them,{G846} receiveth{G1926} us{G2248} not.{G3756}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  I wrote{G1125}{(G5656)} unto the church{G1577}: but{G235} Diotrephes{G1361}, who{G3588} loveth to have the preeminence{G5383}{(G5723)} among them{G846}, receiveth{G1926}{(G5736)} us{G2248} not{G3756}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  I wrote vnto the congregacio: but Diotrephes which loveth to have the preeminence amoge them receaveth vs not.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  I wrote to the congregacion, but Diotriphes, which loueth to haue the preemynence amonge them, receaued vs not.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  I wrote vnto the Church: but Diotrephes which loueth to haue the preeminence among them, receiueth vs not.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  I wrote vnto the Churche: but Diotrephes which loueth to haue the preeminence among the, receaueth vs not.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn't accept what we say.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them -- Diotrephes -- doth not receive us;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  I sent a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, whose desire is ever to have the first place among them, will not have us there.

• World English Bible (2000)

  I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn't accept what we say.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Diotrephes the Troublemaker I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.

Referenced Verses

• Matt 10:40-42 : 40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple—truly I tell you, he will by no means lose his reward.
• Matt 20:20-28 : 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling before him and asking something from him. 21 'What do you want?' he asked. She said to him, 'Declare that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.' 22 Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' They said to him, 'We are able.' 23 He said to them, 'You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left hand is not mine to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.' 24 When the ten heard this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.' 26 'It shall not be so among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.' 27 'And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.' 28 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
• Matt 23:4-8 : 4 They tie up heavy and unbearable burdens, and place them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries broad and their tassels long. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by others. 8 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
• Mark 9:34 : 34 But they kept silent, because on the way they had been arguing about who was the greatest.
• Mark 10:35-45 : 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said, 'Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.' 36 'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked. 37 They replied, 'Let one of us sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.' 38 Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' 39 'We can,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 'but to sit at my right or left is not mine to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.' 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.' 43 'But it shall not be so among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,' 44 'and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all.' 45 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
• Luke 9:48 : 48 Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the least among you who is the greatest.'
• Luke 22:24-27 : 24 Then a dispute arose among them about who was considered to be the greatest. 25 But he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.' 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
• Rom 12:10 : 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
• Titus 1:7-9 : 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be blameless—not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, and not greedy for dishonest gain. 8 But he must be hospitable, a lover of what is good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who oppose it. 10 For there are many who are rebellious, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced because they are upsetting whole households by teaching things they should not for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of their own prophets has said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons.' 13 This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and human commandments that turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; rather, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
• 3 John 1:8 : 8 Therefore, we ought to support people like these so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
• Phil 2:3-5 : 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have the same mindset in yourselves that was also in Christ Jesus:
• Mark 9:37 : 37 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.'