3 John 1
1 The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!
Umdala, kuye uGayusi othandekayo, mina engimthanda ngeqiniso.
2 beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,
Sithandwa, kuzo zonke izinto ngifisa ukuthi uphumelele njalo uphile, njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphumelela.
3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;
Ngoba ngathokoza kakhulukazi, lapho kufika abazalwane, befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba wena uhamba eqinisweni.
4 greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.
Kangilantokozo enkulu edlula lezizinto, ukuthi ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.
5 Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,
Sithandwa, wenza ngokuthembeka loba yikuphi okwenza kubazalwane lakwabemzini,
6 who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,
abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kuhle uba ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.
7 because for [His] name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;
Ngoba ngenxa yebizo lakhe baphumile bengemukeli lutho kwabezizwe.
8 we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.
Ngakho thina sifanele ukubemukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe yizisebenzi kanye leqiniso.
9 I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them — Diotrephes — doth 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 doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.
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, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;
Sithandwa, ungakulingiseli okubi, kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; kodwa owenza okubi kambonanga uNkulunkulu.
12 to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also — we do testify, and ye 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 through ink and pen to write to thee,
Bengilezinto ezinengi zokubhala, kodwa kangithandi ukukubhalela ngeyinki losiba;
14 and I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak. Peace to thee! salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.
kodwa ngithemba ukukubona masinyane, sibe sesikhuluma umlomo ngomlomo. Ukuthula kakube kuwe. Abangane bayakubingelela. Bingelela abangane ngamabizo.
