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This letter is very similar to 2 John, with one difference: where 2 John deals with general principles, 3 John gives concrete examples in the life of a specific congregation. John encourages his readers to walk in Christ, brotherly love, and to avoid false doctrine.

We do not know which Gaius this is. There are three friends of Paul with this name: Gaius of Corinth (1 Cor 1:14), Gaius of Macedonia (Acts 19:29) and Gaius of Derbe (Acts 20:4). Gaius was a very common name in the time of the letter’s writing. It is possible that 3 John 9 is referring to 2 John and, if so, then both letters went to individuals in the same church (one to a loyal woman and one to a loyal man). Three persons are described in 3 John. Gaius is the dependable layman in the church, Diotrephes is the dominating official, Demetrius is the kind messenger from Ephesus with the letter.