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.

Den eldste til den kjære Gaius, som eg elskar i sanning.

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].

Kjære ven! Eg ynskjer at du i alle måtar må liva vel og hava helsa, liksom di sjæl liver vel.

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.

For eg vart mykje glad då det kom nokre brør og vitna um di sanning, korleis du ferdast i sanning.

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!

Eg hev ingi større gleda enn det, at eg høyrer mine born ferdast i sanningi.

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].

Kjære ven, du gjer ei trufast gjerning med det du gjer mot brørne, og det jamvel mot dei framande,

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.

og dei hev vitna for kyrkjelyden um din kjærleik. Du gjer vel um du hjelper deim i veg, som det er sømelegt for Gud.

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].

For det er for hans namn skuld dei er gjengne ut, og dei tek ikkje imot noko av heidningarne.

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.

Me er då skuldige til å taka imot slike, so me kann verta medarbeidarar for sanningi.

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].

Eg hev skrive til kyrkjelyden; men Diotrefes, som gjerne vil vera fyrstemannen millom deim, tek ikkje imot oss.

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.

Difor vil eg, når eg kjem, minna um dei gjerningar som han gjer, med di han baktalar oss med vonde ord; og ikkje nøgd med det, tek han ikkje sjølv imot brørne, og deim som det vil, hindrar han og støyter deim ut or kyrkjelyden.

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.

Kjære, gjer ikkje etter det vonde, men etter det gode! den som gjer godt, er av Gud; den som gjer vondt, hev ikkje set Gud.

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].

Demetrius hev godt lov av alle og av sjølve sanningi; ogso me gjev honom godt vitnemål, og du veit at vårt vitnemål er sant.

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].

Eg hadde mangt å skriva til deg, men eg vil ikkje skriva til deg med blekk og penn.

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.

Men eg vonar å få sjå deg snart, og då skal me talast ved munn til munn. Fred vere med deg! Venerne helsar deg. Helsa venerne med namn!