3 John 1:11
“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →John urges Gaius to imitate good rather than evil, for doing good shows one belongs to God while doing evil shows one has not known Him.
What Does 3 John 1:11 Mean?
After the dark example of Diotrephes, John turns back to Gaius with an affectionate word of guidance. He pleads with him not to imitate evil but to follow what is good, setting before him the choice every disciple faces between two paths.
The reason reaches to the root: the one who does good belongs to God, while the one who persists in evil shows he has not truly known Him. A life's pattern reveals where the heart truly rests. This is not a claim that we earn God's favor by deeds, but that those who have met God are changed by Him and bear the fruit of His goodness. John gently warns that what we habitually do uncovers who we truly are.
In the Original Language
agathopoieo (ἀγαθοποιέω), "to do good" — to act with active, practical goodness, the visible fruit of one who belongs to God.