3 John 1
1 The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!
Umdala, kuye uGayusi othandekayo, mina engimthanda ngeqiniso.
2 Beloved, I desire you to prosper concerning all things, and to be in health, even as your soul prospers,
Sithandwa, kuzo zonke izinto ngifisa ukuthi uphumelele njalo uphile, njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphumelela.
3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brothers coming and testifying of the truth in you, even as you walk in truth;
Ngoba ngathokoza kakhulukazi, lapho kufika abazalwane, befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba wena uhamba eqinisweni.
4 I have no joy greater than these things, that I may hear of my children walking in truth.
Kangilantokozo enkulu edlula lezizinto, ukuthi ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.
5 Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you may do toward the brothers and the one [among] strangers,
Sithandwa, wenza ngokuthembeka loba yikuphi okwenza kubazalwane lakwabemzini,
6 who testified of your love before an assembly, whom you will do well, having sent forward worthily of God,
abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kuhle uba ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.
7 because they went forth for [His] Name, receiving nothing from the nations;
Ngoba ngenxa yebizo lakhe baphumile bengemukeli lutho kwabezizwe.
8 we, then, ought to receive such, that we may become fellow-workers to the truth.
Ngakho thina sifanele ukubemukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe yizisebenzi kanye leqiniso.
9 I wrote to the assembly, but he who is loving to be first among them—Diotrephes—does not receive us;
Ngabhalela ibandla; kodwa uDiyotrefe othanda ukuba ngowokuqala kubo kasemukeli.
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.
Ngakho, uba ngifika, ngizakhumbuza imisebenzi yakhe ayenzayo, uyasihleba ngamazwi amabi; futhi kakholiswa yilezizinto, yena uqobo kemukeli abazalwane, uyabalela lalabo abathanda ukukwenza, njalo uyabaxotsha ebandleni.
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;
Sithandwa, ungakulingiseli okubi, kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; kodwa owenza okubi kambonanga uNkulunkulu.
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.
NgoDemetriyu kufakazwe yibo bonke, langeqiniso uqobo; lathi futhi siyafakaza, lani liyazi ukuthi ubufakazi bethu buqinisile.
13 Many things I had to write, but I do not wish to write to you through ink and pen,
Bengilezinto ezinengi zokubhala, kodwa kangithandi ukukubhalela ngeyinki losiba;
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.
kodwa ngithemba ukukubona masinyane, sibe sesikhuluma umlomo ngomlomo. Ukuthula kakube kuwe. Abangane bayakubingelela. Bingelela abangane ngamabizo.
