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.

Me, Asɔre panyin, Mekyerɛw kɔma me dɔfo pa Gaio.

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].

Mʼadamfo pa, mebɔ mpae sɛ biribiara nkɔ so yiye mma wo, na nya ahoɔden sɛnea minim sɛ wowɔ ahoɔden wɔ honhom fa mu no.

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.

Anuanom bi baa ha bɛka kyerɛɛ me se, woanya nokware no mu gyidi no, na woda so kura nokware no mu no, ɛyɛɛ me anigye yiye.

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!

Biribiara nyɛ me anigye nkyɛn sɛ mɛte sɛ me mma no te nokware mu.

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].

Mʼadamfo pa, wudi nokware yiye wɔ adwuma a woyɛ ma anuanom no a ɛmfa ho sɛ wɔyɛ ahɔho mpo.

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.

Wɔaka ɔdɔ a wodɔ asafo a ɛwɔ hɔ no ho asɛm. Mesrɛ wo, boa wɔn wɔ wɔn akwantu no mu ma ɛnsɔ Onyankopɔn ani.

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].

Efisɛ wɔretu wɔn kwan wɔ Awurade din mu a wɔmpɛ mmoa biara mfi wɔn a wɔnyɛ agyidifo no nkyɛn.

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.

Yɛn Kristofo na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛboa saa nnipa no sɛnea yɛne wɔn bɛyɛ nokware no ho adwuma.

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].

Mekyerɛw krataa tiaa bi kɔmaa asafo no, nanso Diotrefe a nʼani gye sɛ ɔyɛ wɔn panyin no ntie nea meka no.

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.

Sɛ meba a, mede biribiara a ɔreyɛ no ho asɛm bɛto mo anim. Mɛka nsɛm a ɛyɛ hu a ɔka fa yɛn ho ne atoro a otwa nyinaa no ho asɛm. Nanso ɛno nko ara nye mma no. Sɛ anuanom afoforo ba a, onnye wɔn, na osiw wɔn a wɔpɛ sɛ wogye wɔn no nso kwan, san apam wɔn fi asafo no mu.

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.

Mʼadamfo pa, munnsua ade bɔne, na mmom munsua ade pa. Obiara a ɔyɛ papa no yɛ Onyankopɔn de. Na obiara a ɔyɛ bɔne no nhuu Onyankopɔn ɛ.

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].

Obiara ka Demetrio ho asɛm pa, na mpo nokware no ankasa ka ne ho asɛm pa. Na yɛn nso yedi ne ho adanse pa, na munim sɛ nea yɛka no yɛ nokware.

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].

Mewɔ nsɛm bebree ka kyerɛ mo, nanso meremfa krataa ne kyerɛwdua so nka.

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.

Ɛrenkyɛ biara mehu mo na me ne mo akasa. Asomdwoe nka mo. Mo nnamfonom nyinaa kyiakyia mo. Kyiakyia yɛn nnamfonom nyinaa.