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.

Mimi mzee nakuandikia wewe Gayo, rafiki yangu, ninayekupenda 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].

Mpenzi wangu, nakutakia mafanikio mema ya kila aina; nakutakia afya njema ya mwili kama ulivyo nayo rohoni.

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.

Nimefurahi sana ndugu kadhaa walipofika hapa, wakaiambia juu ya uaminifu wako kuhusu ukweli; naam, wewe unaishi daima katika ukweli.

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!

Hakuna kitu kinachonifurahisha zaidi kuliko kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanaishi katika ukweli.

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].

Mpenzi wangu, wewe ni mwaminifu kila mara unapowahudumia ndugu, hata kama ni 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.

Ndugu hao wamelieleza kanisa hapa habari za upendo wako. Tafadhali uwasaidie waendelee na safari yao kwa namna itakayompendeza 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].

Maana wanaanza safari yao katika utumishi wa Kristo bila kupokea msaada wowote kutoka kwa watu wasioamini.

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.

Basi, sisi tunapaswa kuwasaidia watu hawa, ili nasi tupate kushiriki katika kazi yao kwa ajili ya ukweli.

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].

Niliandika barua fupi kwa hilo kanisa; lakini Diotrefe, ambaye hupenda kuwa kiongozi wao, hataki kabisa kunisikiliza.

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.

Basi, nitakapokuja nitayafichua mambo yote anayofanya, maneno mabaya anayotutolea na uongo anaosema juu yetu. Isitoshe, yeye hukataa kuwakaribisha hao ndugu walio safarini, na hata huwazuia watu wengine wanaotaka kuwakaribisha, na hujaribu kuwafukuzia nje ya kanisa.

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 wangu, usifuate mfano mbaya, bali mfano mwema. Kila atendaye mema ni wa Mungu; lakini anayetenda mabaya hajapata kumwona 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].

Kila mtu anamsifu Demetrio; naam, ukweli wenyewe unamsifu. Nasi pia tunatoa ushahidi wetu juu yake, nawe wajua kwamba tunachosema ni 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 bado mengi ya kukwambia, lakini sipendi kuyaandika 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.

Natumaini kukuona karibuni na hapo tutazungumza ana kwa ana. Nakutakia amani. Rafiki zako wanakusalimu. Wasalimu rafiki zetu wote kila mmoja binafsi.