3 John 1
1 The eldere man to Gayus, most dere brother, whom Y loue in treuthe.
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 Most dere brothir, of alle thingis Y make preyer, that thou entre, and fare welefuly, as thi soule doith welefuli.
Dear friend, I ask [God that things may go] well for you in every way, [specifically], that you will be physically healthy just like you are spiritually healthy [MTY].
3 Y ioyede greetli, for britheren camen, and baren witnessing to thi treuthe, `as thou walkist in treuthe.
I am very happy because some fellow believers have come [here] and told me that you conduct your life in a manner [that is consistent with God’s] true message.
4 Y haue not more grace of these thingis, than that Y here that my sones walke in treuthe.
I am very happy when I hear that (people whom I helped to believe in Christ/my [spiritual] children) are conducting their lives like you are!
5 Most dere brother, thou doist feithfuli, what euer thou worchist in britheren, and that in to pilgrymys,
Dear friend, you are [serving Jesus] loyally/faithfully whenever you do things to help fellow believers, [even those whom you] do not know, who are traveling [around doing God’s work].
6 which yeldiden witnessing to thi charite, in the siyt of the chirche; which thou leddist forth, and doist wel worthili to God.
[Some of] them have reported before the congregation [here how] you have showed that you love them. You should continue to help such people in their travels in a way that is pleasing to God.
7 For thei wenten forth for his name, and token no thing of hethene men.
When those fellow believers went out [to tell people about Jesus] [MTY], the people who do not believe in Christ did not give them anything [to help them].
8 Therfor we owen to resseyue siche, that we be euen worcheris of treuthe.
So we [who believe in Christ] ought to give food and money to such people to help [them as they teach others God’s] true message.
9 I hadde write perauenture to the chirche, but this Diotrepes, that loueth to bere primacie in hem, resseyueth not vs.
I wrote [a letter] to the congregation [telling them to help those fellow believers]. However, Diotrephes does not (acknowledge my authority/[pay any attention to what] I wrote), because he (desires to be in charge/wants to be the leader) of [the congregation].
10 For this thing, if Y schal come, Y schal moneste hise werkis, whiche he doith, chidinge ayens vs with yuel wordis. And as if these thingis suffisen not to hym, nether he resseyueth britheren, and forbedith hem that resseyuen, and puttith out of the chirche.
So, when I arrive [there], I will [publicly] tell what he does: He tells others evil nonsense about us [in order to] harm [us by what he] says, and he is not content with only doing that. He himself refuses to receive the fellow believers who are traveling around doing God’s work, and he also stops those who want to receive them by expelling them from the congregation.
11 Moost dere brothir, nyle thou sue yuel thing, but that that is good thing. He that doith wel, is of God; he that doith yuel, seeth not God.
Dear friend, do not imitate a bad [example like that]. Instead, [keep imitating] good [examples. Remember that] people who do good deeds ([truly] belong to God/are [spiritual children] of God), [but] those who do [what is] evil do not (know/have fellowship with) God.
12 Witnessing is yoldun to Demetrie of alle men, and of treuthe it silf; but also we beren witnessing, and thou knowist, that oure witnessing is trewe.
All [the believers who know Demetrius] say that he [is a good person]. The fact [that he conducts his life in a way that is consistent/in accordance with God’s] true [message] shows [that he is a good person], and we also say the same thing [about him]. You know that what we say [about him] is true. [So it will be good if you welcome him and help him. He is the one who will be bringing this letter to you].
13 Y hadde many thingis to wryte to thee, but Y wolde not write to thee bi enke and penne.
[When I began] to write this letter, I had much more [that I intended] to tell you. But [now] I do not want to say [it] in a letter [MTY].
14 For Y hope soone to se thee, and we schulen speke mouth to mouth. Pees be to thee. Frendis greten thee wel. Greete thou wel frendis bi name.
Instead, I expect to [come and] see you soon. Then we will talk directly with one another. [I pray that God will enable] you [to experience inner] peace. Our friends [here] (send you their greetings/say that they are thinking affectionately about you) [MTY]. Tell our friends [there] that we (send our greetings to/are thinking fondly about) them.
