3 Yohana 1
1 Mzee: Kwa Gayo rafiki yangu, nimpendaye katika kweli.
The Elder to his dear friend Gaius. Truly I love you.
2 Mpendwa, naomba ufanikiwe katika mambo yote na kuwa na afya njema kama vile roho yako ifanikiwavyo.
My dear friend, I pray that you may in all respects prosper and enjoy good health, just as your soul already prospers.
3 Ilinifurahisha sana baadhi ya ndugu walipokuja na kutueleza juu ya uaminifu wako katika kweli na jinsi unavyoendelea kuenenda katika hiyo kweli.
For it is an intense joy to me when brethren come and bear witness to your fidelity to the truth--that you live in obedience to the truth.
4 Sina furaha kubwa kuliko hii, kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanaenenda katika kweli.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living in obedience to the truth.
5 Rafiki mpendwa, wewe ni mwaminifu kwa yale unayowatendea ndugu, ingawa wao ni wageni kwako.
My dear friend, you are acting faithfully in all your behaviour towards the brethren, even when they are strangers to you.
6 Wameshuhudia kuhusu upendo wako mbele ya kanisa. Utafanya vyema ukiwasafirisha kama inavyostahili kwa Mungu.
They have testified, in the presence of the Church, to your love; and you will do well to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of your fellowship with God.
7 Ilikuwa ni kwa ajili ya hilo Jina waliondoka, bila kukubali kupokea msaada wowote kutoka kwa watu wasioamini.
For it is for Christ that they have gone forth, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Kwa hiyo imetupasa sisi kuonyesha ukarimu kwa watu kama hao ili tuweze kutenda kazi pamoja kwa ajili ya kweli.
It is therefore our duty to show hospitality to such men, so that we may be fellow workers in promoting the truth.
9 Nililiandikia kanisa, lakini Deotrefe, yeye apendaye kujifanya wa kwanza, hakubali mamlaka yetu.
I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.
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 reason, if I come, I shall not forget his conduct, nor his idle and mischievous talk against us. And he does not stop there: he not only will not receive the brethren, but those who desire to do this he hinders, and excludes them from the Church.
11 Rafiki mpendwa, usiige lile lililo baya bali lile lililo jema. Yeyote atendaye mema atoka kwa Mungu, bali atendaye mabaya hajamwona Mungu.
My dear friend, do not follow wrong examples, but right ones. He who habitually does what is right is a child of God: he who habitually does what is wrong has 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.
The character of Demetrius has the approval of all men, and of the truth itself. We also express our approval of it, and you know that we only give our approval to that which is true.
13 Ninayo mambo mengi ya kukuandikia, lakini sipendi kuandika kwa kalamu na wino.
I have a great deal to say to you, but I do not wish to go on writing it with ink and pen.
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.
But I hope to see you very soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. Our friends send greetings to you. Greet our friends individually.
