3 UJohane 1
1 Umdala, kuye uGayusi othandekayo, mina engimthanda ngeqiniso.
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2 Sithandwa, kuzo zonke izinto ngifisa ukuthi uphumelele njalo uphile, njengalokhu umphefumulo wakho uphumelela.
Beloved, I pray for thee to prosper concerning all things, and to be healthy, just as thy soul prospers.
3 Ngoba ngathokoza kakhulukazi, lapho kufika abazalwane, befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba wena uhamba eqinisweni.
For I rejoiced exceedingly of brothers coming and testifying to the truth of thee, just as thou walk in truth.
4 Kangilantokozo enkulu edlula lezizinto, ukuthi ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.
I have no greater joy than these things that I hear my children walking in truth.
5 Sithandwa, wenza ngokuthembeka loba yikuphi okwenza kubazalwane lakwabemzini,
Beloved, thou do a faithful thing, whatever thou work for the brothers and for strangers,
6 abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kuhle uba ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.
who testified about thy love in sight of the congregation, whom thou will do well having helped send on their way worthily of God.
7 Ngoba ngenxa yebizo lakhe baphumile bengemukeli lutho kwabezizwe.
For they went forth on behalf of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Ngakho thina sifanele ukubemukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe yizisebenzi kanye leqiniso.
We therefore ought to welcome such men, so that we might become fellow workmen for the truth.
9 Ngabhalela ibandla; kodwa uDiyotrefe othanda ukuba ngowokuqala kubo kasemukeli.
I wrote to the congregation, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first of them, did not accept 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.
Because of this, if I come, I will remember his works that he does, prating against us with evil words. And not being satisfied in these, he himself does not even accept the brothers, and he forbids those who would, and expels them out of the congregation.
11 Sithandwa, ungakulingiseli okubi, kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; kodwa owenza okubi kambonanga uNkulunkulu.
Beloved, do not imitate the evil, but the good. The man doing right is of God. The man doing wrong has not seen God.
12 NgoDemetriyu kufakazwe yibo bonke, langeqiniso uqobo; lathi futhi siyafakaza, lani liyazi ukuthi ubufakazi bethu buqinisile.
Demetrius has been testified by all, and by the truth itself. But we also testify, and ye know that our testimony is true.
13 Bengilezinto ezinengi zokubhala, kodwa kangithandi ukukubhalela ngeyinki losiba;
I had many things to write, but I did not want to write to thee by pen and ink.
14 kodwa ngithemba ukukubona masinyane, sibe sesikhuluma umlomo ngomlomo. Ukuthula kakube kuwe. Abangane bayakubingelela. Bingelela abangane ngamabizo.
But I hope to see thee straightaway, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace to thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.
