This verse is often misinterpreted by prosperity preachers as a divine promise of material wealth and perfect health for every believer who has faith, ignoring its context as a specific, affectionate well-wish from John to Gaius based on the man's proven spiritual maturity; it is not a universal guarantee or magical formula but a conditional prayer highlighting soul prosperity as the prerequisite.
III John 1:2
King James Version (1769)
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
In this personal greeting, the apostle John conveys his affectionate prayer for Gaius, desiring that his physical prosperity and health flourish to the same degree as his soul already prospers, underscoring the priority of spiritual well-being as the foundation for holistic blessing and reflecting God's concern for the whole person in body and spirit.