Dear friend, ¹  you demonstrate faithfulness ²  by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers).

biblegateway 3Jo 1:5

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;

Dear friend, you are showing your faith by whatever you do for the brothers, and this you are doing for strangers;

Dear friend, you act faithfully [in] whatever you do for the brothers, _even though they are strangers_ .

biblegateway 3Jo 1:5

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,

bibleoremus 3Jo 1:5

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends, even though they are strangers to you;

Dear friend, you show a fine loyalty in what you do for our fellow-Christians, though they are strangers to you.

biblegateway 3Jo 1:5

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

biblegateway 3Jo 1:5

Dear friend, ¹  you demonstrate faithfulness ²  by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers).

¹ tn The author has already described Gaius as “dear friend” or “beloved” (τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, tw agaphtw) in v. 1; he will address Gaius in the same way in vv. 5 and 11 (᾿Αγαπητέ, Agaphte). This is a term of endearment and personal warmth, much as it is when used by the author as an address in 1 John 2:7.

² tn BDAG 821 s.v. πιστός 1.b offers the translation “act loyally” for this context, a usage which is not common but does fit well here. Since the author is going to ask Gaius for additional help for these missionaries in the following verse, he begins here by commending Gaius for all that he has already done in this regard.

² sn When the author tells Gaius “you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do” he is commending him for his faithful service to the traveling missionaries (the brothers). Gaius has assisted them, and they have now returned with a report of this to the author (3 John 3).