3 UJohane 1

1 Umdala, kuye uGayusi othandekayo, mina engimthanda ngeqiniso.

The elder, to Gaius, the beloved, whom I love in the truth.

2 Sithandwa, kuzo zonke izinto ngifisa ukuthi uphumelele njalo uphile, njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphumelela.

Beloved, I pray, that with respect to all things, you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

3 Ngoba ngathokoza kakhulukazi, lapho kufika abazalwane, befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba wena uhamba eqinisweni.

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came, and bore witness to your truth, even as you walk in truth.

4 Kangilantokozo enkulu edlula lezizinto, ukuthi ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.

I have no greater joy than that which I have when I hear my children are walking in truth.

5 Sithandwa, wenza ngokuthembeka loba yikuphi okwenza kubazalwane lakwabemzini,

Beloved, you do faithfully what you perform for the brethren, and for the strangers.

6 abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kuhle uba ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.

These have borne testimony to your love, in the presence of the congregation; whom, if you help forward on their journey, in a manner worthy of God, you will do well.

7 Ngoba ngenxa yebizo lakhe baphumile bengemukeli lutho kwabezizwe.

Because for his name's sake, they went forth, receiving nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Ngakho thina sifanele ukubemukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe yizisebenzi kanye leqiniso.

We, therefore, ought to entertain such, that we may be joint laborers in the truth.

9 Ngabhalela ibandla; kodwa uDiyotrefe othanda ukuba ngowokuqala kubo kasemukeli.

I wrote to the congregation: but Diotrephes, who affects a pre-eminence among them, does not receive us.

10 Ngakho, uba ngifika, ngizakhumbuza imisebenzi yakhe ayenzayo, uyasihleba ngamazwi amabi; futhi kakholiswa yilezizinto, yena uqobo kemukeli abazalwane, uyabalela lalabo abathanda ukukwenza, njalo uyabaxotsha ebandleni.

For this cause, when I come, I will bring his deeds to remembrance, which he practices--prating against us with malicious words; and, not content with this, he does not himself receive the brethren, and forbids them who would, and casts them out of the congregation.

11 Sithandwa, ungakulingiseli okubi, kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; kodwa owenza okubi kambonanga uNkulunkulu.

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good, is of God; but he who does evil, has not seen God.

12 NgoDemetriyu kufakazwe yibo bonke, langeqiniso uqobo; lathi futhi siyafakaza, lani liyazi ukuthi ubufakazi bethu buqinisile.

Testimony is borne to Demetrius, by all, and by the truth itself; and we also bear testimony; and you know that our testimony is true.

13 Bengilezinto ezinengi zokubhala, kodwa kangithandi ukukubhalela ngeyinki losiba;

I have many things to write; but I do not incline to write them to you with pen and ink:

14 kodwa ngithemba ukukubona masinyane, sibe sesikhuluma umlomo ngomlomo. Ukuthula kakube kuwe. Abangane bayakubingelela. Bingelela abangane ngamabizo.

for I hope immediately to see you, and so we shall speak face to face. Salute the friends by name.