1 Die ouderling aan die geliefde Gajus wat ek in waarheid liefhet.
2 Geliefde, ek wens dat dit met jou in alles goed mag gaan en dat jy gesond is, soos dit met jou siel goed gaan;
3 want ek was baie bly as daar broeders kom en van jou waarheid getuig, soos jy in die waarheid wandel.
4 Ek het geen groter blydskap as dit nie, dat ek hoor dat my kinders in die waarheid wandel.
5 Geliefde, jy handel getrou in alles wat jy doen vir die broeders, en dit vir vreemdelinge,
6 wat van jou liefde voor die gemeente getuig het. Jy sal goed doen as jy hulle voorthelp op 'n voor God waardige wyse.
7 Want vir sy Naam het hulle uitgegaan sonder om iets van die heidene te neem.
8 Ons behoort dan sulke mense goed te ontvang, sodat ons mede-arbeiders van die waarheid kan word.
9 Ek het aan die gemeente geskrywe, maar Diotrefes, wat onder hulle die eerste wil wees, steur hom nie aan ons nie.
10 Daarom, as ek kom, sal ek hom herinner aan die werke wat hy doen deur met slegte woorde teen ons uit te vaar; en hiermee nie tevrede nie, ontvang hy nie alleen self die broeders nie gasvry nie, maar verhinder ook die wat dit wil doen en werp hulle uit die gemeente.
11 Geliefde, moenie navolg wat kwaad is nie, maar wat goed is. Hy wat goed doen, is uit God; maar hy wat kwaad doen, het God nie gesien nie.
12 Van Dem,trius is deur almal getuienis gegee en deur die waarheid self; en ons getuig ook, en julle weet dat ons getuienis waar is.
13 Ek het baie dinge gehad om te skrywe, maar ek wil nie met ink en pen aan jou skryf nie.
14 Maar ek hoop om jou gou te sien, en ons sal van mond tot mond spreek. [ (III John 1:15) Vrede vir jou! Die vriende groet jou. Groet die vriende by die naam. ]
1 I, a ruler in the church, send word to the well loved Gaius, for whom I have true love.
2 My loved one, it is my prayer that you may do well in all things, and be healthy in body, even as your soul does well.
3 For it gave me great joy when some of the brothers came and gave witness that you had the true faith and were walking in the true way.
4 I have no greater joy than to have news that my children are walking in the true way.
5 My loved one, you are doing a good work in being kind to those brothers who come from other places;
6 Who have given witness to the church of your love for them: and you will do well to send them on their way well cared for, as is right for servants of God:
7 For they went out for love of the Name, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
8 So it is right for us to take in such men as guests, so that we may take our part in the work of the true faith.
9 I sent a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, whose desire is ever to have the first place among them, will not have us there.
10 So if I come, I will keep in mind the things he does, talking against us with evil words: and as if this was not enough, he does not take the brothers into his house, and those who are ready to take them in, he keeps from doing so, putting them out of the church if they do.
11 My loved one, do not be copying what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God: he who does evil has not seen God.
12 Demetrius has the approval of all men and of what is true: and we give the same witness, and you are certain that our witness is true.
13 I had much to say to you, but it is not my purpose to put it all down with ink and pen:
14 But I am hoping to see you in a short time, and to have talk with you face to face.\