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.

L'ancien à Gaïus le bien-aimé, que j'aime véritablement.

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].

Bien-aimé, je souhaite que tu prospères en toutes choses, et que la santé de ton corps soit aussi bonne que celle de ton âme.

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.

En effet, j'ai éprouvé une grande joie en voyant arriver des frères qui ont rendu témoignage à ton attachement à la vérité, et à la manière dont tu marches dans cette vérité.

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!

Je n'ai pas de plus grande joie que d'apprendre que mes enfants marchent dans la vérité.

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].

Bien-aimé, tu agis fidèlement dans tout ce que tu fais pour les frères, et même pour des frères étrangers.

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.

Ils ont rendu témoignage à ta charité en présence de l'Eglise. Tu feras bien de pourvoir à leur voyage d'une manière digne de Dieu;

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].

car c'est pour le nom de Jésus-Christ qu'ils se sont mis en route, sans rien recevoir des Païens.

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.

Aussi devons-nous accueillir de tels hommes, afin que nous travaillions avec eux pour la vérité.

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].

J'ai écrit quelques mots à l'Église; mais Diotrèphe, qui aime à y tenir le premier rang, ne veut pas nous recevoir.

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.

C'est pourquoi, si je viens, je signalerai le mal qu'il fait, en tenant contre nous de méchants propos. Non content de cela, il ne reçoit pas les frères; et ceux qui voudraient le faire, il les en empêche et les chasse de l'Église.

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.

Bien-aimé, n'imite pas le mal, mais imite le bien. Celui qui fait le bien, est de Dieu; celui qui fait le mal, n'a point vu Dieu.

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].

Tous rendent un bon témoignage à Démétrius, et la vérité elle-même le lui rend; nous y joignons notre propre témoignage, et tu sais qu'il est conforme à la vérité.

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].

J'aurais bien des choses à te dire; mais je ne veux pas le faire avec l'encre et la plume.

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.

J'espère te voir bientôt, et nous nous entretiendrons de vive voix. Que la paix soit avec toi! Les amis te saluent. Salue les amis, chacun en particulier.