That is why, if I come, I will call to remembrance his works which he goes on doing, chattering about us with wicked words. Also, not being content with these things, neither does he himself receive the brothers with respect, and those who are wanting to receive them he tries to hinder and to throw out of the congregation.”​—3 John 9, 10.

16. (a) How did Diotrephes act toward the apostle John? (b) In this, what lesson is there for 20th-century Christians?

¹⁶ By not receiving anything from John with respect, Diotrephes was rebelling against God-given authority. Hence, if the aging apostle came to the congregation, he would “call to remembrance” the evil deeds of Diotrephes, as well as what he was saying. Diotrephes was “chattering about” John with “wicked words,” thus maligning one of the apostolic foundation stones of heavenly New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:2, 14) Surely, he could not do that with impunity! Nor can professing Christians today expect to escape God’s adverse judgment if they unrepentantly slander fellow believers and disregard divinely constituted authority.​—Leviticus 19:16; Jude 8-13.

17. Of what other wrongdoing was Diotrephes guilty?

¹⁷ Diotrephes also refused to receive the diligent traveling brothers hospitably. In fact, he was trying to hinder others who desired to extend hospitality to the visiting evangelizers. Worse still, Diotrephes was attempting to throw hospitable and loving individuals out of the congregation by having them disfellowshipped wrongly. But in the face of all this opposition loyal Christians were undeterred in supporting Kingdom-preaching activity.