3 Yohana 1
1 Mzee: Kwa Gayo rafiki yangu, nimpendaye katika kweli.
The elder, unto Gaius the beloved, whom, I, love in truth.
2 Mpendwa, naomba ufanikiwe katika mambo yote na kuwa na afya njema kama vile roho yako ifanikiwavyo.
Beloved! concerning all things, I pray thou mayest be prospering, and be in health, even as, thy soul, is prospering,
3 Ilinifurahisha sana baadhi ya ndugu walipokuja na kutueleza juu ya uaminifu wako katika kweli na jinsi unavyoendelea kuenenda katika hiyo kweli.
For I rejoiced exceedingly, at brethren coming and bearing witness unto thy truth, —even as, thou, in truth, art walking.
4 Sina furaha kubwa kuliko hii, kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanaenenda katika kweli.
I have no, greater, favour than these things, that I should be hearing that, my own children, in the truth, are walking.
5 Rafiki mpendwa, wewe ni mwaminifu kwa yale unayowatendea ndugu, ingawa wao ni wageni kwako.
Beloved! a faithful thing, art thou doing, whatsoever thou shalt accomplish for them that are brethren, and withal strangers, —
6 Wameshuhudia kuhusu upendo wako mbele ya kanisa. Utafanya vyema ukiwasafirisha kama inavyostahili kwa Mungu.
Who have borne witness to thy love before the assembly: whom thou wilt do, nobly, to set forward worthily of God.
7 Ilikuwa ni kwa ajili ya hilo Jina waliondoka, bila kukubali kupokea msaada wowote kutoka kwa watu wasioamini.
For, in behalf of The Name, have they gone forth, taking, nothing, from them of the nations.
8 Kwa hiyo imetupasa sisi kuonyesha ukarimu kwa watu kama hao ili tuweze kutenda kazi pamoja kwa ajili ya kweli.
We, therefore ought to be sustaining such as these, that we may become, fellowworkers, with the truth.
9 Nililiandikia kanisa, lakini Deotrefe, yeye apendaye kujifanya wa kwanza, hakubali mamlaka yetu.
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 Hivyo kama nikija, nitakumbuka matendo yake atendayo, akitusingizia kwa maneno ya hila. Wala hatosheki na hayo anayotusingizia, bali pia hukataa kuwakaribisha ndugu, na hata huwazuia wale walio tayari kufanya hivyo na kuwafukuza watoke kanisani.
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 Rafiki mpendwa, usiige lile lililo baya bali lile lililo jema. Yeyote atendaye mema atoka kwa Mungu, bali atendaye mabaya hajamwona Mungu.
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 Kila mtu ameshuhudia mema kuhusu Demetrio, vivyo hivyo hata na hiyo kweli yenyewe. Sisi pia twashuhudia mema juu yake, nanyi mwajua kwamba ushuhuda wetu ni kweli.
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 Ninayo mambo mengi ya kukuandikia, lakini sipendi kuandika kwa kalamu na wino.
Many things, had I to write unto thee, —but I am unwilling, with ink and pen, to be writing;
14 Badala yake, nataraji kukuona upesi, nasi tutaongea pamoja ana kwa ana. Amani iwe kwako. Rafiki zetu walioko hapa wanakusalimu. Wasalimu hao rafiki zetu walioko huko, kila mmoja kwa jina lake.
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.
