Passage

Diotrephes refuses the letter

Source and translation

World English Bible, Protestant Edition · Public domain · en

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⁹I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.

3 John 1:9World English Bible, Protestant Edition

The scene

The writer says Diotrephes loves to be first and will not accept what they say.

To understand

The next sentence lists accusations, refusal to receive fellow believers and expulsion of those who would receive them. This follows an instruction to welcome such people as fellow workers for the truth.

A question

How does Diotrephes's conduct conflict with the welcome described just before it?