“BELOVED, I PRAY THAT YOU MAY PROSPER IN ALL THINGS AND BE IN HEALTH, JUST AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS” (NKJV)

Let’s deconstruct this much maligned verse to determine its true meaning:

“I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health” was a common greeting frequently found in first century letters, used by Christians and pagans alike, and very similar in meaning and intent to our twenty first century greeting “I trust this letter finds you well.” Misunderstanding this “formula greeting” has led to two misinterpretations of 3 John 2: 1) That Gaius had been ill. 2) That John’s words invoke a blessing or provisioning of prosperity and health.

“Pray” is translated from the simple Greek verb euchomai, which is used seven times in the New Testament and translated would, wish, or pray, with the original literal meaning “to speak out, to express a wish.” Euchomai’s translation is context dependent which in this passage, considering it is part of a common secular greeting, is clearly “wish”, as it is translated in the KJV, rather than “pray.” If this were a prayer John would not have used this common secular greeting and would have, no doubt, used the compound verb proseuchomai, the primary New Testament Greek word for “pray” which is translated pray 121 times.

“Prosper”, the Greek euodoo, means a good road, a good journey...  “To have a good and safe life journey”, and does not impose the idea of wealth. It is noteworthy the proper Greek words for prosper/prosperous (i.e., evimero, evdaimonas) do not even appear in the New Testament Greek manuscripts.

“Be in health”, compound words translated from the Greek Hugiaino, means safe, sound and well. John is simply wishing by way of greeting that his letter finds Gaius, an old friend and spiritual warrior safe, sound and well on his journey of life, and adds “just as your soul prospers”... just as your soul’s journey has been safe, sound and well, a fact attested to by the brethren (i.e., verse 3). John was simply wishing that the physical health of his old friend Gaius was equal to his spiritual health, which he knows to be robust.

“In all things” immediately follows “pray” (i.e., “wish”) in the New Testament Greek manuscripts and KJV, rather than following “prosper” as the NKJV has it. John’s wish for his old friend encompasses all matters of life.

 “BELOVED, I WISH THAT IN ALL THINGS YOU HAVE A GOOD LIFE JOURNEY, AND ARE SAFE, SOUND, AND WELL, JUST AS YOUR SOUL’S JOURNEY HAS BEEN SAFE, SOUND AND WELL” (John’s Translation)

Endnote: The Wisdom Of Agur: “Give me neither poverty nor riches -- Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.” (Prov. 30:8-9)