Iohannis Iii 1
1 senior Gaio carissimo quem ego diligo in veritate
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 carissime de omnibus orationem facio prospere te ingredi et valere sicut prospere agit anima tua
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 gavisus sum valde venientibus fratribus et testimonium perhibentibus veritati tuae sicut tu in veritate ambulas
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 maiorem horum non habeo gratiam quam ut audiam filios meos in veritate ambulantes
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 carissime fideliter facis quicquid operaris in fratres et hoc in peregrinos
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 qui testimonium reddiderunt caritati tuae in conspectu ecclesiae quos bene facies deducens digne Deo
[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 pro nomine enim profecti sunt nihil accipientes a gentibus
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 nos ergo debemus suscipere huiusmodi ut cooperatores simus veritatis
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 scripsissem forsitan ecclesiae sed is qui amat primatum gerere in eis Diotrepes non recipit nos
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 propter hoc si venero commoneam eius opera quae facit verbis malignis garriens in nos et quasi non ei ista sufficiant nec ipse suscipit fratres et eos qui cupiunt prohibet et de ecclesia eicit
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 carissime noli imitari malum sed quod bonum est qui benefacit ex Deo est qui malefacit non vidit Deum
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 Demetrio testimonium redditur ab omnibus et ab ipsa veritate et nos autem testimonium perhibemus et nosti quoniam testimonium nostrum verum est
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 multa habui scribere tibi sed nolui per atramentum et calamum scribere tibi
[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 spero autem protinus te videre et os ad os loquemur pax tibi salutant te amici saluta amicos per nomen
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.
