Gaius and Diotrephes

Some travellers wey dust cover reach one door after dark. Dem be strangers, and dem no carry anything pass dia sandals and dia message. Di door open wide, and one voice talk, come inside, hunger must dey catch una.

For di first years of di church, di good news dey spread through teachers wey dey waka from town to town. Hotel no dey for dem, and salary no dey. Dem dey depend on believers wey go open dia house, give dem food, and send dem go with wetin dem go need for di next part of di road. Di old church leader wey call imself di elder, wey tradition talk say na John, don send some of dis travellers go out. Now e don hear how people take treat dem. And e write to one friend wey dem dey call Gaius.

Di elder, to Gaius wey I love well well, wey I love inside di truth. My dear friend, e talk, I dey pray make everything go well for you, and make your body dey strong, as your soul dey do well. Some of di travellers don come back and tell John everything about Gaius. How e dey faithful. How e dey waka inside di truth. And John talk, no joy dey wey pass am for me, to hear say my children dey waka inside di truth. Then e praise Gaius for wetin e do. You dey faithful for wetin you dey do for di brothers, even though dem be strangers to you. Dem don tell di church about your love. Abeg send dem go dia journey for di way wey go give God honour. Dem go out because of di name of Jesus, and dem no collect anything from people wey no believe. So we suppose welcome people like dis, John talk, so dat we go become fellow workers for di truth. As Gaius welcome di travellers, e become partner for dia work.

Then di letter change. I write something to di church, John talk, but Diotrephes, wey like to be di first among dem, no go welcome us. Diotrephes na leader for di church, and e want make e be di one wey dey control everything. E dey spread words about John wey no kind and wey no true. And e come worse pass. E refuse to welcome di travelling brothers imself, e stop di others wey want welcome dem, and e even drive dem comot from di church. One man, wey put imself first, dey close di door for everybody face. So, John talk, when I come, I go bring out wetin e dey do.

Then John talk softly to Gaius. My dear friend, no copy wetin dey evil, but copy wetin dey good. Anybody wey dey do good na from God e come. Anybody wey dey do evil never see God. And e give Gaius one good example to follow instead. Everybody dey talk good about Demetrius, and di truth itself dey talk good about am. We too dey talk good about am, and you know say wetin we talk na true. Maybe na Demetrius carry dis same letter. Then, just like im letter to di chosen lady, John end am as e talk say e still get plenty to write, but e no want use pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we go talk face to face. Peace be with you. Di friends wey dey here greet you. Greet di friends wey dey there, each one by name.

To welcome teachers wey dey travel important so tey say di early Christians write down rules about am. One church manual wey dem dey call di Didache, wey fit come from around di end of di first century, talk say make dem welcome apostle wey dey travel as dem go welcome di Lord. E fit stay one day, or two if e need am. But if e stay three days, or e ask for money, e be false prophet. Di welcome dey generous, but nobody suppose abuse am.

Gaius and Diotrephes. You go find dem for Third John, one of di shortest books for di Bible. One open di door. Di other close am. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Who you fit welcome dis week, one new pikin for school, one visitor for church, or one neighbour, so dat dem go feel at home?