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.

Mini o nikpelo n diani fini gayusa po, min bua fini yua leni imoamoani.

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].

N buado, n sugini li bonla kuli n dagidi a po, ŋan ya pia laafia a gbanandinni nani a naano n pia laafia maama yeni.

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.

N pali den mangi hali boncianla, ti kpiiba n den cua ya yogunu ki tieni a po siedi, ke a tie moamoandaano, ki go cuoni i moamoani maama.

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!

Mii pia ya pamancianli n cie, ki ya gba ke n bila cuoni imoamoaninni.

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].

N buado a tie nidugikoa a tuona nni ti kpiiba po, baa leni bi canba.

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.

Bani, bi baa den tieni a buama siedo Kilisiti nitaanli siiga. Li baa ŋani, ŋan todi ba bi sancenli po, nani lan dagidi U Tienu po maama.

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].

Kelima o Diedo Jesu Kilisiti yeli po yo ke bi gedi kaa gaa liba kuli bi nilanba kani.

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.

Li pundi tin yaa gaani laa nibuolu cangu, yeni ke ti mo n taani leni baa imoamoani wangima tuonli nni.

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].

N den diani maama waamu kilisiti nitaanli po, ama diotefe, yua bua ki yaa tugi yuli bi siiga yeni naa tuo ti po.

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.

Lanyaapo n ya ti cua ki baa la yi, n ba togidi wan tieni yaala kuli leni wan maadi tipo yaa mabiadima. Laa tie lani bebe kaa, waa gaani ti kpiiba cangu, yaaba n bua ki gaa bi cangu mo, waa tuo bipo. Ki go deli ki ñani ba kilisiti n yini yaaba nitaanli nni.

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.

N buado, da togidi yaala n bia ama ŋan ya togidi yaala n ŋani. yua tiendi yaala n ŋani tie U Tienu yua. Ama yua n tiendi yaala n bia daa laa U Tienu.

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].

Bi niba kuli, leni imoamoani yini iba tiendi demetilusa po ya siedi n ŋani, ti moko tiendi opo yene, a bani mo ke ti siedi tie moamoane.

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].

N pia mi maama boncianla ki bua ki diani a po, ama mii bua ki diani leni utidiamuanu.

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.

N sugini ki la ŋa ke li kan waagi, tin fidi ki boe. Mi yanduama n ya ye leni ŋa, a danlinba fuondi a, ŋan fuondi ti danlinba kuli yendo yendo.