3 John 1

1 [You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.

Mupati kuli uyandika Gayiyasi, ooyo ngwenjanda chakasimpe.

2 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].

Oyandwa, Ndikukkombela ikuti zintu zyoonse zikwendele kabotu alubo upone kabotu, mbuli mbopona kabotu mumuuya wako.

3 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.

Nkambo ndakakondwa ndakabotelwa loko inzubo nizyakasika akupa bukamboni bwakasimpe kaako, mbuli mboyenda mukasimpe.

4 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!

Nsikwe kubotelwa kumbi kwinda oku pe, ikumvwa kuti bana bangu benda mukasimpe.

5 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].

Oyandwa, uchita michito chalusyomo mpobelekela inzubo akubenzu,

6 [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.

aabo bakazopa bukamboni bwaluyando lwako kunembo lyembungano. Uchita kabotu kubasindikila munyeendo zyabo chakubotezya Leza,

7 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].

nkambo kezina eelyo ndibayobwendela, nkabata tambwide chintu kuli bamasi.

8 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.

Aboobo aswebo tulachitambula mbubo, ikuti tukabe basimulimo nyokwe mukasimpe.

9 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].

Kuli nzindakalembela imbungano, pesi Diyotilefesi, oyo uyandisya kuba mutanzi akati kabo, tatutambuli pe swebo.

10 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.

Eelyo, nindasika, nzomuyeezya milimo yakwe njali kuchita, yakututamikizya chakubeja amajwi mabi kulindiswe. Mukutakkutisika, takaki biyo kutambula ibana bakwabo, pesi ulakasya alubo kulaabo ibayanda kubatambula benzu mpawo akubatanda mumbungano.

11 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.

Noyandwa, utatobeli kuchita zibi pesi kuleezyo zibotu. Ooyo uchita zibotu nguwa Leza; simuchita zibi tanakubona Leza,

12 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].

Demetiliyasi wakatambula bukamboni bubotu kuli boonse amukasimpe. Alubo andiswe tuli bakamboni, alubo ayebo ulizi kuti bukamboni bwesu mbwakasimpe.

13 [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].

Ndali ezyiingi zyakukulembela pesi nsikkonzyi kukulembela pe zyoonse empesele amulende.

14 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.

Pesi ndilangila kuzokubona lino lino, elyo tuzowambuula katulangene. Lumuno alube ayebo. Benzuma balikumujuzya. Ujuzye ibeenzuma oko muzina.