3 Juan 1
1 Yo, un anciano en la iglesia, escribo al buen amado Gayo, a quien amo en verdad.
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 Amado, es mi oración que seas prosperado en todas las cosas y seas saludable en tu cuerpo, así como tu alma prospera.
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 Porque me alegró mucho cuando vinieron algunos de los hermanos y dieron testimonio de tu verdad, que te mantienes fiel a la verdad.
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 No tengo mayor alegría que está, tener noticias de que mis hijos están caminando en la verdad.
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 Amado, estás haciendo un buen trabajo al ser amable con los hermanos, especialmente a los que vienen de otros lugares;
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 Que han dado testimonio a la iglesia de tu amor por ellos; y harás bien en enviarlos en su camino bien atendidos, como es justo para los siervos de Dios;
[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 Porque salieron por amor del Nombre de Él, sin tomar nada de los gentiles.
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 Así que es correcto que tomemos a tales hombres como invitados, para que podamos tomar nuestra parte en el trabajo de la fe verdadera.
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 Envié una carta a la iglesia, pero Diótrefes, cuyo deseo es siempre tener el primer lugar entre ellos, no nos recibe.
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 Así que si voy, tendré en cuenta las cosas que hace, hablando contra nosotros con malas palabras; y como si esto no fuera suficiente, no lleva a los hermanos a su casa, y los que están listos para recibirlos, les evita hacerlo, sacándolos de la iglesia si lo hacen.
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 Amado, no copie lo que es malo, sino lo que es bueno. El que hace lo bueno es de Dios; el que hace lo malo no ha visto a Dios.
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 Demetrio tiene la aprobación de todos los hombres y de lo que es verdadero, y damos el mismo testimonio, y ustedes saben que nuestro testimonio es verdadero.
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 Tenía mucho para decirte, pero no es mi intención dejarlo todo con tinta y pluma;
[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 Pero espero verte en un corto tiempo y hablar contigo cara a cara. La paz sea contigo. Tus amigos aquí te envían saludos. Dale mis saludos a nuestros amigos por su nombre.
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.
