Demetrius has had witness borne to him by them all and by the truth itself. In fact, we, also, are bearing witness, and you know that the witness we give is true.”​—3 John 11, 12.

21. (a) Who was Demetrius? (b) How did Demetrius have “witness borne to him . . . by the truth itself”?

²¹ Gaius was urged to ‘imitate what is good,’ and Demetrius was a doer of good. Likely, Demetrius was traveling with the visiting brothers, perhaps overseeing that group of preachers, or missionaries. (Compare 2 Corinthians 8:16-24.) Gaius may not have known Demetrius very well, if at all, but other Christians spoke well of him, and he had “witness borne to him . . . by the truth itself.” What fellow believers were saying about Demetrius was supported by his godly conduct, for he had harmonized his life with Jehovah’s requirements and was ‘living the truth.’ Hence, “the truth,” in effect, spoke well of Demetrius. So did the apostle John, and Gaius knew that he was truthful. (Compare John 19:35; 21:24.)