3 John 1

1 The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!

我長老致書給可愛的加約，就是我在真理內所愛的。

2 Beloved, I desire you to prosper concerning all things, and to be in health, even as your soul prospers,

親愛的，祝你諸事順利，並祝你健康，就如你的靈魂常順利一樣。

3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brothers coming and testifying of the truth in you, even as you walk in truth;

有些弟兄來，證明你在真理內，就是說你怎樣在真理內生活，我很是高興。

4 I have no joy greater than these things, that I may hear of my children walking in truth.

我聽說我的孩子們在真理內生活，我沒有比這再大的喜樂了。

5 Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you may do toward the brothers and the one [among] strangers,

親愛的，凡你對弟兄，尤其對旅客所行的，都是真信徒的行為。

6 who testified of your love before an assembly, whom you will do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

他們在教會前證明了你的愛德。你若以相稱天主的態度，幫助他們走上旅途，就是做了善事，

7 because they went forth for [His] Name, receiving nothing from the nations;

因為他們出發是為主的名字，並沒有從外教人接受什麼；

8 we, then, ought to receive such, that we may become fellow-workers to the truth.

所以我們應當款待這樣的人，為叫我們成為與真理合作的人。

9 I wrote to the assembly, but he who is loving to be first among them—Diotrephes—does not receive us;

我給教會寫過信，但是那在他們中間愛作首領的狄約勒斐，卻不承認我們。

10 because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he does, talking nonsense against us with evil words; and not content with these, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and he forbids those intending [to receive them], and he casts [them] out of the assembly.

為此，我若來到，必要指摘他所行的事，就是他用惡言惡語誹謗我們的事；但這為他還不夠：他自己不款待弟兄們，連那願意款待的，他也加以阻止，甚而將他們逐出教會。

11 Beloved, do not be following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, he is of God, [but] he who is doing evil has not seen God;

親愛的，你不要效法惡，但要效法善：那行善的是出於天主，那作惡的是沒有見過天主。

12 testimony has been given to Demetrius by all, and by the truth itself, and we also—we testify, and you have known that our testimony is true.

眾人和真理本身都給德默特琉作證，我們自己也給他作證，而你也知道我們所作的證是真實的。

13 Many things I had to write, but I do not wish to write to you through ink and pen,

我本來有許多事要寫給你，但是我不願意以筆墨給你寫；

14 and I hope to see you soon, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to you! The friends greet you. Be greeting the friends by name.

只希望快見到你，我們好親口面談。 祝你平安！朋友都問候你。請你也一一問候各位朋友。