3 Jaona 1
1 I Zokey, Ho an-drañeko Gaio, ikokoako an-katò.
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 O rañetse, mitat’azo iraho, lonike t’ie hiraorao naho ho jangañe, mira amo fanintsiñan’ arofo’oo.
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 Akore ty hafalean-troko, te niloneak’ atoy o rolongoo nitaroñe ty hatò ama’o ao, ty fañaveloa’o an-katò.
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 Tsy eo ty mahaehak’ ahy mandikoatse zao, t’ie mahatsanoñe te mañavelo an-katò o anakoo.
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 O rañetse, migahin-drehe amo hene fañimbà’o an-drolongoo antsak’ amo ambahinio.
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 Fa nitalilie’ iareo añatrefa’ i Fivoriy ty fikokoa’o. Aa le mahasoa azo t’ie ampionjone’o mañeva an’Andrianañahare,
[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 amy te i Tahina’ey ty niavota’ iareo mb’eo tsy nandrambe ndra inoñ’ inoñe amo kilakila ondatio.
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 Aa le mete aman-tika ty mañimba ondaty hoe zaio, hitraofan-tika fitoloñe ami’ty hatò.
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 Nisokireko i Fivoriy, fe tsy mandrambe ty enta-tika t’i Diotrefa, ie te ho mpiaolo añivo’ iereo.
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 Aa naho mb’eo iraho le hampanohineko aze o sata anoe’eo ie manambaitambaiñ’ antika. Mbore tsy mahaeneñe aze, kanao mitoky tsy handrambe o rahalahio, naho sebañe’e o te hanao zaio, toe aitoa’e amy Fivoriy.
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 O rañetse, ko mitsikombe ty raty fa ty soa. Boak’ aman’ Añahare ty manao soa; tsy nahaisak’ an’ Andrianañahare ty mpanao raty.
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 Hene mitalily soa i Demetrio, naho ty hatò, naho onjone’ay amy taro’aiy vaho fohi’o te to ty taro’ay.
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 Maro ty ho nisokirako, fe tsy teako t’ie an-taratasy ndra rano-mainte te sokireñe.
[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 Misalala hahatrea azo te aniany, hifañòhahohàn-tika laharañ’ an-daharañe. Hanintsiñe ama’o. Mañontane azo o rañetseo. Añontaneo an-tahinañe o rañetseo.
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.
