The Meaning of 3 John 1:12 Explained

3 John 1:12

KJV: Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

YLT: to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also -- we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.

Darby: Demetrius has witness borne to him by all, and by the truth itself; and we also bear witness, and thou knowest that our witness is true.

ASV: Demetrius hath the witness of all men , and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness: and thou knowest that our witness is true.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Demetrius  hath good report  of  all  [men], and  of  the truth  itself:  yea,  and  we  [also] bear record;  and  ye know  that  our  record  is  true. 

What does 3 John 1:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

John urged Gaius to show hospitable love to Demetrius to give Gaius an opportunity to practice love and thereby reprove Diotrephes" lack of love. Demetrius may have carried this letter from John to Gaius. [1] Or he may have visited Gaius later. He may have been one of the controversial itinerant preachers. [2]
John gave three recommendations (witnesses) of this brother"s worth. He had a good reputation among all who knew him, his character and conduct were in harmony with the truth, and John personally knew him and vouched for him.
"Like Gaius, Demetrius is "walking in the truth." His life matches his confession. In Pauline terms, he manifests the fruit of the Spirit. In Johannine terms, he lives the life of love." [3]
It will be interesting to get to heaven and see if this Demetrius is the same man who gave Paul so much trouble in Ephesus ( Acts 19:24). Several commentators have concluded that he was. [2] The odds are against this possibility since there were undoubtedly many men named Demetrius (lit. belonging to Demeter [5]) living in that area then. Furthermore Paul ministered in Ephesus in the early50s whereas John probably wrote this epistle in the early90s.

Context Summary

3 John 1:1-14 - The Apostle's Joy
Again we meet the words love and truth. Transparency of speech and life is an essential condition of soul health. It would not be desirable to express the wish of 3 John 1:2 to all our friends, because if their bodies were to correspond to the condition of their souls, they would suddenly fall into ill-health. In the old legend mirrors were blurred with mist when any approached who were out of harmony with truth, 3 John 1:4.
The Christian must always act worthily of God, especially toward strangers, 3 John 1:5-6. "For the sake of the Name," 3 John 1:7, r.v.-as children we must maintain the family honor. Such hospitality makes us fellow-workers with the truth. There is a Boanergic touch in 3 John 1:10. The threefold witness to Demetrius should stir our desire to emulate his character. What will it not be when the dimness of earthly converse is exchanged for the face-to-face intercourse of eternity! 3 John 1:14 [source]

Chapter Summary: 3 John 1

1  He commends Gaius for his piety,
5  and hospitality,
7  to true preachers;
9  complaining of the unkind dealing of ambitious Diotrephes on the contrary side;
11  whose evil example is not to be followed;
12  and gives special testimony to the good report of Demetrius

Greek Commentary for 3 John 1:12

Demetrius hath the witness of all men [Δημητριωι μεμαρτυρηται υπο παντων]
Perfect passive indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō “it has been witnessed to Demetrius (dative case) by all.” We know nothing else about him, unless, as is unlikely, he be identified with Demas as a shortened form (Philemon 1:24; Colossians 4:4; 2 Timothy 4:10), who has come back after his desertion or with the Ephesian silversmith (Acts 19:21.), who may have been converted under John‘s ministry, which one would like to believe, though there is no evidence for it. He may indeed be the bearer of this letter from Ephesus to Gaius and may also have come under suspicion for some reason and hence John‘s warm commendation. [source]
And of the truth itself [και υπο αυτης της αλητειας]
A second commendation of Demetrius. It is possible, in view of 1 John 5:6 (the Spirit is the truth), that John means the Holy Spirit and not a mere personification of the truth.Yea we also (και ημεις δε — kai hēmeis de). A third witness to Demetrius, that is John himself (literary plural).Thou knowest “The words in John 21:24 sound like an echo of this sentence” (Westcott). John knew Demetrius well in Ephesus. [source]
Yea we also [και ημεις δε]
A third witness to Demetrius, that is John himself (literary plural). [source]
Thou knowest [οιδας]
“The words in John 21:24 sound like an echo of this sentence” (Westcott). John knew Demetrius well in Ephesus. [source]
Demetrius hath good report [Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται]
Lit., unto Demetrius witness hath been born. See John 3:26. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 3 John 1:12

1 John 3:5 Ye know []
John's characteristic appeal to Christian knowledge. Compare 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:21; 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:14, 1 John 4:16; 1 John 5:15, 1 John 5:18; 3 John 1:12. [source]

What do the individual words in 3 John 1:12 mean?

To Demetrius witness has been given by all and itself the truth we also bear witness you know that the testimony of us TRUE is
Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν οἶδας ὅτι μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν

Δημητρίῳ  To  Demetrius 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Δημήτριος  
Sense: a heathen silversmith at Ephesus.
μεμαρτύρηται  witness  has  been  given 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μαρτυρέω  
Sense: to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.
αὐτῆς  itself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἀληθείας  truth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀλήθεια  
Sense: objectively.
δὲ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
μαρτυροῦμεν  bear  witness 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: μαρτυρέω  
Sense: to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.
οἶδας  you  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
μαρτυρία  testimony 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: μαρτυρία  
Sense: a testifying.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀληθής  TRUE 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀληθής  
Sense: true.