3 UJohane 1
1 Umdala, kuye uGayusi othandekayo, mina engimthanda ngeqiniso.
The elder, unto Gaius the beloved, whom, I, love in truth.
2 Sithandwa, kuzo zonke izinto ngifisa ukuthi uphumelele njalo uphile, njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphumelela.
Beloved! concerning all things, I pray thou mayest be prospering, and be in health, even as, thy soul, is prospering,
3 Ngoba ngathokoza kakhulukazi, lapho kufika abazalwane, befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba wena uhamba eqinisweni.
For I rejoiced exceedingly, at brethren coming and bearing witness unto thy truth, —even as, thou, in truth, art walking.
4 Kangilantokozo enkulu edlula lezizinto, ukuthi ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.
I have no, greater, favour than these things, that I should be hearing that, my own children, in the truth, are walking.
5 Sithandwa, wenza ngokuthembeka loba yikuphi okwenza kubazalwane lakwabemzini,
Beloved! a faithful thing, art thou doing, whatsoever thou shalt accomplish for them that are brethren, and withal strangers, —
6 abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kuhle uba ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.
Who have borne witness to thy love before the assembly: whom thou wilt do, nobly, to set forward worthily of God.
7 Ngoba ngenxa yebizo lakhe baphumile bengemukeli lutho kwabezizwe.
For, in behalf of The Name, have they gone forth, taking, nothing, from them of the nations.
8 Ngakho thina sifanele ukubemukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe yizisebenzi kanye leqiniso.
We, therefore ought to be sustaining such as these, that we may become, fellowworkers, with the truth.
9 Ngabhalela ibandla; kodwa uDiyotrefe othanda ukuba ngowokuqala kubo kasemukeli.
I wrote something unto the assembly; but, he who is fond of taking the first place among them—Diotrephes, doth not make us welcome.
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, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he is doing, —with wicked words, prating against us; and, not content with these, he neither, himself, maketh the brethren welcome, but, them who are minded [to do it], he forbiddeth, and, out of the assembly, doth cast [them].
11 Sithandwa, ungakulingiseli okubi, kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; kodwa owenza okubi kambonanga uNkulunkulu.
Beloved! be not thou imitating what is bad, but what is good. He that doeth good, is, of God: he that doeth what is bad, hath not seen God.
12 NgoDemetriyu kufakazwe yibo bonke, langeqiniso uqobo; lathi futhi siyafakaza, lani liyazi ukuthi ubufakazi bethu buqinisile.
Unto Demetrius, hath witness been borne by all and by the truth itself; howbeit, we also, bear witness, and thou knowest that, our witness, is, true.
13 Bengilezinto ezinengi zokubhala, kodwa kangithandi ukukubhalela ngeyinki losiba;
Many things, had I to write unto thee, —but I am unwilling, with ink and pen, to be writing;
14 kodwa ngithemba ukukubona masinyane, sibe sesikhuluma umlomo ngomlomo. Ukuthula kakube kuwe. Abangane bayakubingelela. Bingelela abangane ngamabizo.
I hope, however, straightway, to see thee, and, mouth to mouth, will we talk. Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.
