3 Yohana 1
1 Mzee: Kwa Gayo rafiki yangu, nimpendaye katika kweli.
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I truly love with divine love.
2 Mpendwa, naomba ufanikiwe katika mambo yote na kuwa na afya njema kama vile roho yako ifanikiwavyo.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper concerning all things and be well, as your soul prospers.
3 Ilinifurahisha sana baadhi ya ndugu walipokuja na kutueleza juu ya uaminifu wako katika kweli na jinsi unavyoendelea kuenenda katika hiyo kweli.
I rejoice exceedingly, the brethren coming and witnessing to thy truth, as thou art walking about in truth.
4 Sina furaha kubwa kuliko hii, kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanaenenda katika kweli.
I have no greater joy than this, that I may hear of my children walking about in truth.
5 Rafiki mpendwa, wewe ni mwaminifu kwa yale unayowatendea ndugu, ingawa wao ni wageni kwako.
Beloved, whatsoever faithful deed thou mayest do to the brethren, thou art also dispensing to the strangers,
6 Wameshuhudia kuhusu upendo wako mbele ya kanisa. Utafanya vyema ukiwasafirisha kama inavyostahili kwa Mungu.
who have witnessed to thy divine love before the church: whom you will do well, having sent forth worthily of God.
7 Ilikuwa ni kwa ajili ya hilo Jina waliondoka, bila kukubali kupokea msaada wowote kutoka kwa watu wasioamini.
For the sake of his name they went out, receiving nothing from the Gentiles.
8 Kwa hiyo imetupasa sisi kuonyesha ukarimu kwa watu kama hao ili tuweze kutenda kazi pamoja kwa ajili ya kweli.
Therefore we ought to receive such, in order that we may be fellow-workers with the truth.
9 Nililiandikia kanisa, lakini Deotrefe, yeye apendaye kujifanya wa kwanza, hakubali mamlaka yetu.
I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, loving the preeminence over them, does not receive 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.
On account of this, if I may come, I will remember his works which he is doing, berating us with wicked speeches: and not content with these, he does not receive the brethren, and he prohibits them wishing to receive them, and casts them out of the church.
11 Rafiki mpendwa, usiige lile lililo baya bali lile lililo jema. Yeyote atendaye mema atoka kwa Mungu, bali atendaye mabaya hajamwona Mungu.
Beloved, imitate not the evil, but the good. The one doing good is of God: the one doing evil 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.
To Demetrius it has been testified by all, and by the truth itself: and we also testify: and you know that our testimony is true.
13 Ninayo mambo mengi ya kukuandikia, lakini sipendi kuandika kwa kalamu na wino.
Having many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write them to you with ink and paper:
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 immediately, and mouth to mouth we will speak. Peace be unto you. The friends salute you; salute the friends by name.
