Some Key Words

Imitate (mimeomai [3401]):

to imitate anyone; to mimic

Evil (kakos [2556]):

wicked, from a word indicating retreat in battle; of a bad nature, not as it ought to be, wrong thinking, troublesome, injurious, destructive; worthless, depraved

Good (agathos [18]):

good and benevolent, useful; of good nature, useful, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, upright and honorable; good

Of God (ek [1537]):

out of, from, from the family of, from the source of, of the motive; out of, from, by; the point from which motion or action proceeds (ho [3588]): this, that; the (theos [2316]): God; a god, the Trinity, the only and true God - His counsels, interests, and due, that which resembles or represents God; a deity, with [3588], indicating the supreme Divinity

Seen (horao [3708]):

to see, behold, but not with great attention; to see with the eyes or the mind, become acquainted with by experience, to take heed, beware; to stare at, discern clearly, attend to, experience

Demetrius (Demetrios [1216]):

"belonging to Ceres". A Christian

Has received a good testimony (martureo [3140]):

to bear witness, testify, implying praise, to be of good report, having good character; to affirm what has been seen and heard, to give and not keep back testimony, to utter honorable testimony; to be a witness

Know (eido [1492]):

to perceive with the senses, understand, experience, be acquainted with, acknowledge; perceive, pay attention to, inspect, examine, to understand, perceive, the force and meaning of something that has definite meaning, to be skilled at; to see or know

Witness (marturia [3141]):

witnessing to, certifying, that which anyone states concerning a person or thing, corroborative information from a trusted source; the office committed to the prophets concerning future events, what is testified, the testimony; evidence given

 

 

Paraphrase

11 Having examples of good and evil, follow the good for it is of God. Evildoers don't see God. 12 Demetrius is a good example, as many including John testify to.

Key Verse

11 - It holds the point that there is a clear distinction between good and evil.

Some Parallel Verses

11

Ps 34:14 - Leave evil, and do good - seeking peace. Ps 37:27 - In so doing, you abide forever. 1Jn 2:29 - All who act righteously come of the righteous One. 1Jn 3:10 - By contrast, those who act unrighteously, and don't love, are not from God. 1Jn 3:6 - For the habitual sinner doesn't know God, nor does the one who knows God sin habitually.

12

Ac 6:3 - Men of good reputation were chosen to work with the widows in the church. 1Ti 3:7 - For the deacon, this good repute must extend even outside the church. Jn 19:35 - John's witness to the life of Christ was true and trustworthy. Jn 21:24 - This is because he was an eye-witness to the things he testified to.

 

 

New Thoughts

How do we recognize true witness? How do we discern the true teacher from the false? It seems to me that the 'know' of this verse offers a key: we perceive with the senses, we inspect and examine what is being said or taught. If we have already acquainted ourselves with, and become skilled at the truth, then we will see this new thing and know whether it accords with the truth we know or stands in opposition to it. So the key is twofold. First, we must prepare ourselves by attention to the truth we have. This comes primarily of prayerful study of the Bible itself, and is augmented by the teaching of trusted teachers. Thus prepared, we are in position to examine every new thing. If it accords, and we find this particular source consistently accords with the truth, then we have established another trusted teacher. If not, then we ought to avoid any potential influencing by this new source. The strictures of 2 John apply to such a one, and we ought - as far as possible - to break contact with this person, lest we join them in their falsehood.