3 Giovanni 1
1 L'ANZIANO al diletto Gaio, il quale io amo in verità.
[You(sg) know me as] the [chief] Elder. [I am writing this letter to you], my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 Diletto, io desidero che tu prosperi in ogni cosa e stii sano, siccome l'anima tua prospera.
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].
3 Perciocchè io mi son grandemente rallegrato, quando son venuti i fratelli, ed hanno reso testimonianza della tua verità, secondo che tu cammini in verità.
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.
4 Io non ho maggiore allegrezza di questa, d'intendere che i miei figliuoli camminano in verità.
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!
5 Diletto, tu fai da [vero] fedele, in ciò che tu operi inverso i fratelli, e inverso i forestieri.
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].
6 I quali hanno reso testimonianza della tua carità nel cospetto della chiesa; i quali farai bene d'accomiatar degnamente, secondo Iddio.
[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.
7 Poichè si sono dipartiti da' Gentili per lo suo nome, senza prender nulla;
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].
8 noi adunque dobbiamo accoglier que' tali, acciocchè siamo aiutatori alla verità.
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.
9 IO ho scritto alla chiesa; ma Diotrefe, il qual procaccia il primato fra loro, non ci riceve.
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].
10 Perciò, se io vengo, ricorderò le opere ch'egli fa, cianciando di noi con malvage parole; e, non contento di questo, non solo egli non riceve i fratelli, ma ancora impedisce coloro che [li] vogliono [ricevere], e li caccia fuor della chiesa.
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.
11 Diletto, non imitare il male, ma il bene; chi fa bene è da Dio; ma chi fa male non ha veduto Iddio.
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.
12 A Demetrio è resa testimonianza da tutti, e dalla verità stessa; ed ancora noi ne testimoniamo, e voi sapete che la nostra testimonianza è vera.
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].
13 Io avea molte cose da scrivere, ma non voglio scrivertele con inchiostro, e con penna.
[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].
14 Ma spero di vederti tosto, ed [allora] ci parleremo a bocca. Pace [sia] teco. Gli amici ti salutano. Saluta gli amici ad uno ad uno.
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.
