Today, with so many translations available to the English reader, you really have to ask yourself:
" What Bible translation should I use"
My answer to this question is to find a literal translation and then progressively compare it to more literal translations. This forces you to think of not only the general meaning of the text, but the differences between the words as well. Listed below is the book of 3rd John; as you read, I think you will see the benefit of what I am saying.
Note: The completed work can be found on compositebible.com. There are a variety of PDF Bible combinations to choose from or you can read online if you prefer or download one or more of the four Microsoft Access Database programs (a free runtime edition of MS Access is available).
Enjoy your study!!!
The Composite Bible
The
World English Bible
Darby's
Translation
Young's
Literal Translation
3
John
3
John 1 1
The
elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.
The
elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
The
Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!
3
John 1 2
Beloved,
I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as
your soul prospers.
Beloved,
I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health,
even as thy
soul
prospers.
beloved,
concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health,
even
as
thy soul doth prosper,
3
John 1 3
For
I rejoiced greatly, when brothers came and testified about your
truth, even as you walk in
truth.
For
I rejoiced exceedingly when [the] brethren came and bore testimony
to thy [holding
fast
the] truth, even as *thou* walkest in truth.
for
I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth
in thee,
even
as thou in truth dost walk;
3
John 1 4
I
have no greater joy than this, to hear about my children walking in
truth.
I
have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children
walking in the truth.
greater
than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in
truth
walking.
3
John 1 5
Beloved,
you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are
brothers and
strangers.
Beloved,
thou doest faithfully [in] whatever thou mayest have wrought towards
the
brethren
and that strangers,
Beloved,
faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren
and to
the strangers,
3
John 1 6
They
have testified about your love before the assembly. You will do well
to send them forward
on
their journey in a manner worthy of God,
(who
have witnessed of thy love before [the] assembly,) in setting
forward whom on their
journey
worthily of God, thou wilt do well;
who
did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well,
having
sent
forward worthily of God,
3
John 1 7
because
for the sake of the Name they went out, taking nothing from the
Gentiles.
for
for the name have they gone forth, taking nothing of those of the
nations.
because
for [His] name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;
3
John 1 8
We
therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow workers for
the truth.
*We*
therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow-workers with
the truth.
we,
then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to
the truth.
3
John 1 9
I
wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among
them, doesn`t accept what
we
say.
I
wrote something to the assembly; but Diotrephes, who loves to have
the first place
among
them, receives us not.
I
did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place
among them --
Diotrephes
-- doth not receive us;
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.
For
this reason, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which
he does, babbling
against us with wicked words; and not content with these, neither
does he himself
receive
the brethren; and those who would he prevents, and casts [them] out
of the
because
of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that
he
doth,
with evil words prating against us; and not content with these,
neither doth
he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth
forbid, and out of
the
assembly he doth cast.
3
John 1 11
Beloved,
don`t imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He who does
good is of God. He
who
does evil hasn`t seen God.
Beloved,
do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He that does good is
of God. He that
does evil has not seen God.
Beloved,
be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he
who
is
doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen
God;
3
John 1 12
Demetrius
has the testimony of all, and of the truth itself; yes, we also
testify, and you know that
our
testimony is true.
Demetrius
has witness borne to him by all, and by the truth itself; and *we*
also bear
witness,
and thou knowest that our witness is true.
to
Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself,
and we also
-- we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.
3
John 1 13
I
had many things to write to you, but I am unwilling to write to you
with ink and pen;
I
had many things to write to thee, but I will not with ink and pen
write to thee;
Many
things I had to write, but I do not wish through ink and pen to
write to thee,
3
John 1 14
but
I hope to see you soon, and we will speak face to face. Peace be to
you. The friends greet you.
Greet
the friends by name.
but
I hope soon to see thee, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace
[be] to thee. The
friends
greet thee. Greet the friends by name.
and
I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak.
Peace to
thee!
salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.
