1For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain, 2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict. 3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. 4But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. 5For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), 6nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. 7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us. 9For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God. 10You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. 11As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
13For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men, 16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
17But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire, 18because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us. 19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20For you are our glory and our joy.
John was aware of Gaius’ hospitable treatment of Christian strangers by the testimonies of those he had been hospitable toward. John’s view of him was based on eyewitness accounts delivered to John’s church in Ephesus, “the assembly.”
Gaius will continue to do well if he continues his practice. To send them forward means helping them continue their travel to the next church where they are to minister. This would include such things as financial support for travel expenses and possibly a letter to a friend in the next city endorsing the traveler.
John encourages Gaius to continue supporting these traveling preachers. To support them “worthy of God” means to do it in such a way that God is glorified and appreciates it. The Greco-Roman concept of doing something worthy of the gods meant to live in a way that enhanced that god’s reputation and, in turn, the god would take note of that person in appreciation. Paul used this concept when he spoke of walking worthy of God (Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12) and indicated that it is true of God. When we live in a way that enhances His reputation, that brings Him glory, He appreciates us. John is encouraging Gaius to do this very thing.