¹Mukuru, kuna Gayo unodikamwa zvikuru, wandinoda ini nechokwadi.

¹The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!

²Mudiwa, ndinoshuva pamusoro pezvinhu zvose, kuti ubudirire, uve wakasimba, somweya wako uchibudirira.

²beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,

³Nekuti ndakafara zvikuru hama padzakasvika dzichipupurira chokwadi chiri mauri kunyange sezvawakafamba muchokwadi.

³for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;

⁴Handina mufaro unopfuura kunzwa kuti vana vangu vanofamba muchokwadi.

⁴greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.

⁵Mudiwa, unoita nokutendeka zvose zvaunoita kuhama nekuvaeni;

⁵Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,

⁶vakapupurira rudo rwako pamberi pekereke; ivo kana ukavaperekedza nomutowo wakafanira Mwari uchaita zvakanaka.

⁶who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

⁷Nekuti nekuda kweZita rake vakabuda, vasingatori chinhu kuvahedheni.

⁷because for [His] name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;

⁸Naizvozvo isu tinofanira kugamuchira vakadaro, kuti tibatsirane pachokwadi.

⁸we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.

⁹Ndakanyorera kereke; asi Dhiotirefe, unoda kuva wepamberi pakati pavo, haatigamuchiri.

⁹I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them — Diotrephes — doth not receive us;

¹⁰Naizvozvo kana ndichiuya, ndicharangarira mabasa ake aanoita, achitiitira makuhwa namashoko akaipa; uye asingagutsikani naizvozvo, kana iye amene haagamuchiri hama, uye unovadzivisa avo vanoda nokuvadzinga mukereke.

¹⁰because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.

¹¹Mudiwa, usatevera chakaipa, asi chakanaka. Uyo, unoita zvakanaka, ndewaMwari; asi unoita zvakaipa, haana kuona Mwari.

¹¹Beloved, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;

¹²Dhemetirio unopupurirwa zvakanaka navose, uye nechokwadi chomene; nesuwo tinopupura, nemwi munoziva kuti kupupura kwedu ndokwechokwadi.

¹²to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also — we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.

¹³Ndakanga ndine zvinhu zvizhinji zvekunyora, asi handidi kukunyorera neingi nepeni;

¹³Many things I had to write, but I do not wish through ink and pen to write to thee,

¹⁴asi ndinovimba ndichakurumidza kukuona, tigotaurirana pazviso. Rugare kwauri. Hama dzinokukwazisa. Kwazisa hama nemazita.

¹⁴and I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak. Peace to thee! salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.