我这做长老的写信给亲爱的该犹,就是我本着真理所爱的人。 亲爱的弟兄,衷心地祝你凡事顺利,身体和灵魂一样健康。

该犹的好品行

有弟兄们来为你的行为做见证,说你忠心地遵行真理,这使我非常欣慰。 没有比听见自己的孩子遵行真理更使我欢喜了。

亲爱的弟兄,你常常忠心地照顾素不相识的弟兄, 他们把你的爱心告诉了教会。愿你照着上帝所喜悦的方式继续帮助他们, 因为他们为了主耶稣的名四处传道,不收取非信徒的任何东西。 我们应该接待这样的人,好与他们一同传扬真理。

丢特腓的恶行

我曾写信给你那里的教会,但喜欢做领袖的丢特腓不理会我们。 10 因此,我若去你们那里,会提及他的所作所为,就是他怎样恶言中伤我们。不仅如此,他还拒绝接待弟兄,并且禁止别人接待,甚至将接待的人赶出教会。

抑恶扬善

11 亲爱的弟兄,不要效法罪恶,要效法美善。行善的人属于上帝,行恶的人不认识上帝。 12 低米丢得到了众人的好评,真理本身也为他做见证,我们也为他做见证。你们知道我们的见证是真实的。

结语

13 我本来有很多事想跟你谈,但不想用笔墨写给你, 14 只希望可以快快地见到你,跟你当面畅谈。

15 祝你平安!这里的朋友们都问候你,请代我一一问候你那边的朋友。

L'ancien, à Gaïus, le bien aimé, que j'aime dans la vérité.

Bien-aimé, je souhaite que tu prospères à tous égards et sois en bonne santé, comme prospère l'état de ton âme.

J'ai été fort réjoui, lorsque des frères sont arrivés et ont rendu témoignage de la vérité qui est en toi, de la manière dont tu marches dans la vérité.

Je n'ai pas de plus grande joie que d'apprendre que mes enfants marchent dans la vérité.

Bien-aimé, tu agis fidèlement dans ce que tu fais pour les frères, et même pour des frères étrangers,

lesquels ont rendu témoignage de ta charité, en présence de l'Église. Tu feras bien de pourvoir à leur voyage d'une manière digne de Dieu.

Car c'est pour le nom de Jésus Christ qu'ils sont partis, sans rien recevoir des païens.

Nous devons donc accueillir de tels hommes, afin d'être ouvriers avec eux pour la vérité.

J'ai écrit quelques mots à l'Église; mais Diotrèphe, qui aime à être le premier parmi eux, ne nous reçoit point.

10 C'est pourquoi, si je vais vous voir, je rappellerai les actes qu'il commet, en tenant contre nous de méchants propos; non content de cela, il ne reçoit pas les frères, et ceux qui voudraient le faire, il les en empêche et les chasse de l'Église.

11 Bien-aimé, n'imite pas le mal, mais le bien. Celui qui fait le bien est de Dieu; celui qui fait le mal n'a point vu Dieu.

12 Tous, et la vérité elle-même, rendent un bon témoignage à Démétrius; nous aussi, nous lui rendons témoignage, et tu sais que notre témoignage est vrai.

13 J'aurais beaucoup de choses à t'écrire, mais je ne veux pas le faire avec l'encre et la plume.

14 J'espère te voir bientôt, et nous parlerons de bouche à bouche. (1:15) Que la paix soit avec toi! Les amis te saluent. Salue les amis, chacun en particulier.

John says ‘Hello’ to Gaius

This letter comes from me, the leader of the believers. I am writing to you, my friend Gaius. I love you because we believe God's true message. My friend, I pray that God will help you to live well. I know that you are well in your spirit. I pray that your body will also be well. I was very happy when I heard news about you. Some Christian friends came here to tell me about you. They said that you are living in a good way. That is the way that God's true message tells us to live. I am happy when I hear that my children are living like that. When they obey God's true message, it makes me very happy.

Continue to help people

My friend, you do many things to help other believers. You help them even when they are strangers to you. This shows that you are serving God well. These men have spoken to the group of believers here about your love. Please continue to help them when they visit you. Give them the things that they need to continue on their journey. That will make God happy. They are travelling to different places to tell people about Jesus Christ. They do not accept any gifts from those people who are not Christians. Because of that, we Christians must help them with the things that they need. In this way we will be working together with them as they tell people the true message about Christ.

Diotrephes is causing problems

I have already written something to the group of believers. But Diotrephes refuses to accept our authority. He really wants to be the only leader among them. 10 So, when I arrive there myself, I will speak to the believers about this. I will tell them clearly about the bad things that Diotrephes is doing. He tells other people bad things about us that are not true. Even that is not enough for him. He himself refuses to welcome the believers who are visiting. He also stops anyone else who wants to welcome those visitors.[a] Instead, he sends them away from the group of believers.

Copy what good people do

11 My friend, do not copy what bad people do. Instead, you should copy the good things that people do. The person who does good things shows that he belongs to God. But anyone who does bad things does not know God.

12 All the believers say that Demetrius is a good person. He obeys God's true message. That also shows clearly that he is a good person. We also say the same thing about him. You know very well that what we say about him is true.

John finishes his letter

13 I would like to tell you many more things. But I do not want to write them in a letter. 14 Instead, I hope to come and visit you soon. Then I can see you and we can talk together.

15 I pray that God will give you peace. All your Christian friends here say ‘hello’ to you. Say ‘hello’ for me to each of my friends there, one by one.

Footnotes

  1. 1:10 These visitors are Christians who are travelling to different places to teach the message about Jesus Christ. See 3 John 1:7.

The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.