< Ιωαννου Γ΄ 1 >
1 Ὁ πρεσβύτερος· Γαΐῳ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ.
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Ἀγαπητέ, περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή.
Beloved, I pray above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.
3 Ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν καὶ μαρτυρούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified to the truth that is in you, even as you walk in the truth.
4 Μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαράν, ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.
5 Ἀγαπητέ, πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ, ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοῦτο ξένους,
Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do to the brethren, and to strangers,
6 οἳ ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας, οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις, προπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ.
who have testified to your love before the church: if you conduct these on their journey, in a manner worthy of God, you will do well:
7 Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐξῆλθαν, μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν.
for, on account of his name, they went out, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ.
We, therefore, ought to receive such, that we may be fellow-helpers to the truth.
9 Ἔγραψά τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀλλʼ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν, Διοτρέφης, οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς.
I wrote to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, receives us not.
10 Διὰ τοῦτο, ἐὰν ἔλθω, ὑπομνήσω αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ποιεῖ, λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς, καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐπιδέχεται τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους κωλύει, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει.
Therefore, if I come, I will remember his works which he does, prating against us with malicious words: and not content with these things, he does not himself receive the brethren, but both forbids those who are willing, and casts them out of the church.
11 Ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν ˚Θεόν.
Beloved, do not imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God: he that does evil has not seen God.
12 Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων, καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν.
A good report is given of Demetrius by all, and by the truth itself: and we also give our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι, ἀλλʼ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν,
I had many things to write, but I will not communicate them to you with ink and pen.
14 ἐλπίζω δὲ εὐθέως σε ἰδεῖν, καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλήσομεν. Εἰρήνη σοι. Ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ φίλοι. Ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατʼ ὄνομα.
But I trust that I shall shortly see you, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to you. Our friends here salute you. Salute our friends with you by name.