3 UJohane 1

1 Mina omdala, Ngilobela umngane wami othandekayo uGayiyasi, engimthanda ngeqiniso.

The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.

2 Mngane wami othandekayo, ngiyakhuleka ukuba ube lempilo enhle lokuthi konke kukuhambele kuhle njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphila kuhle.

My dear friend, I pray that you may in all respects prosper and enjoy good health, just as your soul already prospers.

3 Kwangithokozisa kakhulu ukuba labanye abazalwane abafika bafakaza ngokuthembeka kwakho eqinisweni kanye lokuthi uyaqhubeka uphila ngeqiniso.

For it is an intense joy to me when brethren come and bear witness to your fidelity to the truth--that you live in obedience to the truth.

4 Angilakuthokoza okukhulu okudlula ukuzwa ukuthi abantwabami baphila ngokweqiniso.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living in obedience to the truth.

5 Mngane othandekayo, uthembekile kulokho okwenzela abazalwane, lanxa nje kuwe bengabemzini.

My dear friend, you are acting faithfully in all your behaviour towards the brethren, even when they are strangers to you.

6 Sebetshele ibandla ngothando lwakho. Ngicela ubathume ngendlela edumisa uNkulunkulu.

They have testified, in the presence of the Church, to your love; and you will do well to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of your fellowship with God.

7 Baphuma ngenxa yeBizo, abaze bathola usizo kwabangakholwayo.

For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Ngakho kufanele sitshengise ukuphana ebantwini abanjalo ukuze sisebenzele ndawonye iqiniso.

It is therefore our duty to show hospitality to such men, so that we may be fellow workers in promoting the truth.

9 Ngalobela ebandleni kodwa uDiyothrefasi othanda ubukhulu akasoze asemukela.

I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.

10 Ngakho-ke, ngingeza ngizakukhangelisisa lokhu akwenzayo, ekhuluma kakubi ngathi. Kasuthiseki ngalokho, uyala ukwamukela abazalwane. Labafuna ukwenzanjalo uyabalela abaxotshe ebandleni.

For this reason, if I come, I shall not forget his conduct, nor his idle and mischievous talk against us. And he does not stop there: he not only will not receive the brethren, but those who desire to do this he hinders, and excludes them from the Church.

11 Bangane abathandekayo, lingalingiseli okubi, kodwa lingisani okuhle. Lowo oyenza okuhle ngokaNkulunkulu. Lowo oyenza okubi kakamboni uNkulunkulu.

My dear friend, do not follow wrong examples, but right ones. He who habitually does what is right is a child of God: he who habitually does what is wrong has not seen God.

12 UDemetriyasi unconywa ngabantu bonke kanye laliqiniso uqobo. Lathi sikhuluma okuhle ngaye njalo liyakwazi ukuthi ubufakazi bethu buliqiniso.

The character of Demetrius has the approval of all men, and of the truth itself. We also express our approval of it, and you know that we only give our approval to that which is true.

13 Ngilokunengi engingalilobela khona, kodwa angifuni ukusebenzisa usiba le-inki.

I have a great deal to say to you, but I do not wish to go on writing it with ink and pen.

14 Ngithemba ukuthi ngizalibona masinyane lapho esizakhuluma khona ubuso ngobuso. Ukuthula kakube kini. Abangane abalapha bayalibingelela. Bingelela abangane abangapho munye ngamunye.

But I hope to see you very soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. Our friends send greetings to you. Greet our friends individually.