3 Jan 1
1 Se mwen menm, chèf reskonsab nan legliz la, k'ap ekri lèt sa a pou Gayis, frè mwen renmen tout bon an.
From the elder to his dear friend Gaius, whom he sincerely loves.
2 Gayis monchè, mwen swete tout bagay ap mache byen pou ou. Mwen swete ou an sante nan kò ou tankou ou an sante nan lespri ou.
Dear friend, I pray that all may be well with you and that you may have good health – I know that all is well with your soul.
3 Mwen pa t' manke kontan lè kèk frè rive bò isit la, yo di m' jan ou rete fèm nan verite a, jan ou toujou ap viv dakò ak verite a.
For it was a great joy to me, when some followers of the Lord came and testified to your fidelity to the truth. I know that your own life is guided by the truth.
4 Pa gen anyen ki pou fè m' pi kontan pase lè m' tande pitit mwen yo ap viv dakò ak verite a.
Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to hear from time to time that the lives of my children are guided by the truth.
5 Zanmi mwen, tou sa w'ap fè pou frè yo, menm pou frè etranje yo tou, ou fè l' byen.
Dear friend, you are faithful in all the things you do for other followers – even when they are strangers to you.
6 Yo di devan tout legliz la jan ou gen renmen tout bon nan kè ou. Tanpri, toujou ede frè yo pou yo ka pousib vwayaj yo, jan Bondye vle l' la.
They themselves have testified before the church to your love. You will do well to help them on their way in a manner worthy of the service of God.
7 Paske, se pou sèvis Kris la y'ap fè vwayaj sa a. Yo pa asepte okenn konkou nan men moun ki pa konn Bondye.
For it was on behalf of Christ’s name that they set out, not accepting even one thing from the Gentiles.
8 Se poutèt sa, moun konsa, nou menm patizan Kris yo, nou fèt pou soutni yo pou nou ka patisipe nan travay y'ap fè pou verite a.
Therefore, we should support people like them, and so take our share in their work for the truth.
9 Mwen te ekri yon lèt tou kout voye bay legliz la. Men, Diyotrèf ki renmen pran pòz chèf li nan mitan yo a, refize koute sa m' di a.
I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes (who loves to be the leader among them) doesn’t welcome us.
10 Se poutèt sa, lè m'a rive, m'ap devwale tou sa li fè ki mal, tout move pawòl ak manti l'ap bay sou mwen yo. Li pa kontante l' fè sa sèlman. Li refize resevwa frè yo ki depasaj. Si gen moun ki ta vle resevwa yo, li enpoze yo fè l', li menm chache mete yo deyò nan legliz la.
So if I come, I will bring up his actions in telling wicked nonsense about us. Not content with that, he not only refuses to personally welcome our friends who are followers, but actually stops those who would, and expels them from the church.
11 Zanmi mwen, pa fè tankou moun k'ap fè sa ki mal. Fè tankou moun k'ap fè sa ki byen. Moun k'ap fè sa ki byen, se moun Bondye yo ye. Moun k'ap fè sa ki mal pa t' janm wè Bondye.
Dear friend, do not follow a bad example, but a good one. The person who does what is good is from God; the person who does what is bad has never seen God.
12 Tout frè yo pale byen pou Demetriyis. Menm laverite a pale byen pou msye. Nou menm tou, n'ap pale byen pou li, epitou ou konnen sa nou di se verite.
Everyone has always had a good word for Demetrius, and the truth itself speaks for him. Yes, and we also add our good word, and you know that what we say is true.
13 Mwen gen anpil bagay pou m' ta di ou. Men, mwen pa vle ekri yo ak plim ak lank.
I have many things to tell you, but I would rather not use pen and ink.
14 (14-15) Mwen swete m'a ka vin wè ou talè konsa, pou nou ka koze fasafas. Mwen mande pou Bondye ba ou kè poze. Tout zanmi ou yo voye bonjou pou ou. Di chak zanmi m' yo yon bonjou apa pou mwen.
I hope to see you soon, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. The friends here send you their greetings. Greet each one of our friends.
