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.

Mzee, kwa Gayo mpenzi, ninayempenda katika kweli.

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].

Mpendwa, nakuombea ufanikiwe katika mambo yote na kuwa na afya njema, kama vile roho yako inavyofanikiwa.

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.

Maana nilifurahi sana wakati nilipoambiwa na ndugu waliokuja na kutoa ushuhuda juu ya kweli yako, kama vile unavyoenenda katika kweli.

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!

Sina furaha kubwa zaidi ya hii, kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanatembea katika kweli.

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].

Mpendwa, unaenenda kwa uaminifu unapowahudumia ndugu na wageni,

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.

ambao wametoa ushuhuda wa upendo wako mbele ya kanisa. Unafanya vizuri kuwasafirisha katika safari zao kwa namna ambayo inampendeza Mungu.

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].

Kwa sababu kwa ajili ya Jina, walienda bila kuchukua kitu chochote kutoka kwa watu wa Mataifa.

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.

Hivyo, tunatakiwa kuwakaribisha watu kama hawa, ili tuwe watenda kazi wenza kwa ajili ya kweli.

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].

Nililiandikia kusanyiko jambo fulani, lakini Diotrofe, anayependa kuwa wa kwanza miongoni mwao, hakubaliani na sisi.

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.

Hivyo, kama nikija nitayakumbuka matendo yake anayoyafanya, jinsi anavyosema maneno mabaya kinyume nasi. Hajaridhika na matendo haya, yeye mwenyewe hawapokei ndugu. Hata huwakataza wengine ambao wanatamani kuwakaribisha hao ndugu na kuwafukuza watoke kwenye kusanyiko.

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.

Mpenzi, usiige kilicho kibaya, bali iga kilicho chema. Yeye atendaye mema ni wa Mungu; na yeye atendaye mabaya hajamwona Mungu.

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].

Demetrio ameshuhudiwa na wote na kweli yenyewe. sisi pia ni mashahidi, na unajua kuwa ushahuhuda wetu ni wa kweli.

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].

Ninayo mambo mengi ya kukuandikia, lakini sipendi kukuandikia kwa kalamu na wino.

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.

Bali ninatarajia kukuona hivi karibuni, na tutaongea nawe ana kwa ana. Amani iwe pamoja nawe. Marafiki wanakusalimu. Wasalimu marafiki kila mmoja kwa jina lake.