Epistula III Ioannis, 1

1. Presbyter Gaio carissimo, quem ego diligo in veritate.

1. The elder to the beloved Ga'ius, whom I love in the truth.

2. Carissime, in omnibus exopto prospere te agere et valere, sicut prospere agit anima tua.

2. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul.

3. Nam gavisus sum valde, venientibus fratribus et testimonium perhibentibus veritati tuae, quomodo tu in veritate ambules.

3. For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth.

4. Maius horum non habeo gaudium, quam ut audiam filios meos in veritate ambulare.

4. No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.

5. Carissime, fideliter facis, quidquid operaris in fratres et hoc in peregrinos,

5. Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers,

6. qui testimonium reddiderunt caritati tuae in conspectu ecclesiae. Bene facies subveniens illis in via digne Deo;

6. who have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God's service.

7. pro nomine enim profecti sunt, nihil accipientes a gentilibus.

7. For they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen.

8. Nos ergo debemus sublevare huiusmodi, ut cooperatores simus veritatis.

8. So we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers in the truth.

9. Scripsi aliquid ecclesiae; sed is qui amat primatum gerere in eis, Diotrephes, non recipit nos.

9. I have written something to the church; but Diot'rephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority.

10. Propter hoc, si venero, commonebo eius opera, quae facit verbis malignis garriens in nos; et quasi non ei ista sufficiant, nec ipse suscipit fratres et eos, qui cu piunt, prohibet et de ecclesia eicit.

10. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, prating against me with evil words. And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church.

11. Carissime, noli imitari malum, sed quod bonum est. Qui benefacit, ex Deo est; qui malefacit, non vidit Deum.

11. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God.

12. Demetrio testimonium redditur ab omnibus et ab ipsa veritate; sed et nos testimonium perhibemus, et scis quoniam testimonium nostrum verum est.

12. Deme'trius has testimony from every one, and from the truth itself; I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.

13. Multa habui scribere tibi, sed nolo per atramentum et calamum scribere tibi;

13. I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink;

14. spero autem protinus te videre, et os ad os loquemur.

14. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.

15. Pax tibi. Salutant te amici. Saluta amicos nominatim.

15. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them.