Neville Goddard on 3 John 1:9-11 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read 3 John 1 in context

Scripture Focus

9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

3 John 1:9-11

Biblical Context

John writes to the church about Diotrephes, who seeks preeminence and rejects fellowship. The passage contrasts good and evil, urging believers to imitate what is good and remain in unity.

Neville's Inner Vision

John's note on Diotrephes is not about an inner person distant from you, but about an inner posture you entertain when the I AM forgets itself in pride. Diotrephes embodies a state of consciousness that loves to be first, to speak harshly, and to reject others. In Neville's method, this is a misalignment of imagination with God, for God is the I AM within you, the awareness that includes all. The contrast of good and evil is the movement of mind: the good is unity, generosity, and inclusion; the evil is separation, control, and dismissal. When you align with what is good, you are following the very nature of God, for goodness is the expression of your true self. The church in this text represents your inner atmosphere of belief; Diotrephes' conduct shows how fear or pride can exclude and condemn. Yet the command stands: let your inner sanctuary be filled with the truth of unity, and your outward life will reflect that inner Christ, not personal triumph. By revision of thought, you can move from self-exaltation to the realization that all beings are Manifestations of the One I AM.

Practice This Now

Close your eyes and assume the feeling of the I AM as the sole reality of all church life. Revise the impulse to preeminence by affirming, 'Only the good is seen through me now,' and let unity replace resistance.