3 Yokaana 1
1 Nze, Omukadde, mpandiikira ggwe Gayo omwagalwa, gwe njagala mu mazima.
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 Munnange omwagalwa, nkusabira okole bulungi ebintu byonna era obeere mulamu mu mubiri, nga bw’oli mu mwoyo.
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 Abooluganda bwe nabatuukako kya nsanyusa nnyo bwe bambuulira nti onyweredde mu mazima, era nti mw’otambulira.
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 Tewali kindeetera ssanyu lisinga ng’eryo lye nfuna bwe mpulira nti abaana bange batambulira mu mazima.
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 Omwagalwa, okola ekintu kya bwesigwa buli lw’okolera abooluganda ebirungi na ddala ababeera ku ŋŋendo ne bw’oba tobamanyi.
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 Baategeeza Ekkanisa omukwano gwe wabalaga awamu ne bye wabakolera. Kibeera kirungi singa obasiibuza ekirabo ekiba kisaanidde.
[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 Kubanga baatambulira mu linnya lya Mukama, nga tebakkiriza ebyo abatali bakkiriza bye baabawanga.
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 Noolwekyo ffe ffennyini, ffe tusaana okubalabirira tulyoke tufuuke bakozi bannaabwe mu mazima.
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 Nawandiikira Ekkanisa ku nsonga eyo, kyokka Diyotuleefe, olw’okwagala okwefuula omukulembeze tatwagala.
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 Bwe ndijja ndibategeeza ebimu ku bintu by’akola, n’ebintu by’atwogerako ebitali birungi, era n’olulimi oluvuma lw’akozesa. Takoma ku kugaana kwaniriza abooluganda abatambuze kyokka, naye n’okulagira alagira abantu abalala nabo, baleme okubaaniriza era abo ababaaniriza agezaako okubagoba mu Kkanisa.
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 Mukwano gwange, togobereranga kyakulabirako ekibi wabula eby’obutuukirivu. Gobereranga ebyo byokka by’olaba nga bya butuukirivu. Kirungi ojjukirenga nti abo abakola eby’obutuukirivu baba bakakasiza ddala nga bwe bali abaana ba Katonda; naye abakola ebitali bya butuukirivu balaga nga bwe bali ewala ne Katonda.
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 Naye buli omu ayogera bya mazima ku Demeteriyo. Nange mwogerako bya mazima byereere. Naye omanyi nga nze njogera mazima.
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 Mbadde na bingi eby’okukugamba, kyokka saagala kubikuwandiikira mu bbaluwa,
[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 kubanga nsuubira okukulaba mu bbanga ttono. Kale olwo tuliba na bingi eby’okwogerako ffembi nga tulabaganye amaaso n’amaaso. Emirembe gibeerenga naawe. Ab’emikwano abali wano bakulamusizza. Nange, mikwano gyange abali eyo, buli omu munnamusize.
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.
