As in other one-chapter books, there is no chapter number when you refer to a scripture. For example, the fifth verse of 3 John should be written as 3 John 5.
It is like writing a one-page letter, you will not identify the first page because there are no others. The same exists with a one-chapter book of the Bible. There is no need to write Chapter 1 because no chapters follow the first one.
3 JOHN - ONE CHAPTER
Verses 1-4
1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Commentary
Verses 1-3
Notice the recipient of 3 John has changed from the recipients of 1 and 2 John. John wrote this book to the elder Gaius, John's "dear friend." His prayer for Gaius is that he enjoys good health and that all will go well with him physically as his soul is getting along well.
John states that it gives him great joy because believers have testified to him about Gaius' faithfulness to the truth.
Verses 5-8
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
Commentary
Verses 5-8
Notice this is the third time John has called Gaius his friend. Also, notice that John compliments Gaius for being faithful to strangers and for his love and hospitality to them.
Verses 9-10
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
Commentary
Verses 9-10
John mentions a person who he wrote to the church about. This person is different from Gaius. Instead of putting others first, Diotrephes loves to be first himself. He will not welcome John and his team. Even though John wrote to the church about him, John will call attention to what he is doing, such as spreading malicious nonsense about them. He has not welcomed other believers. Diotrephes has gone so far as to stop people in the church from offering hospitality to others.
Verses 11-12
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
Commentary
Verses 11-12
For the fourth time, John calls Gaius his dear friend. Notice he did not call Diotrephes his friend. Demetrius was well spoken of by everyone, including John.
Verse 13
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
Commentary
In the final verse of this one-chapter book, John says he has much more to write about, but he hopes to talk to him face-to-face soon when he visits.
John closes his book with a blessing of peace. He tells Gaius that his friends there send greetings and to greet the friends there by their names.
This closing is similar to the way Paul closed his letters to the churches. He sent greetings.
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