1Mukuru kumudzimai wakasanangurwa navana vake vandinoda muchokwadi; uye kwete ini ndoga, asiwo vose vakaziva chokwadi;
1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth;
2nekuda kwechokwadi, chinogara matiri, chichagarawo nesu nokusingaperi.
2for the truth's sake which abideth in us, and it shall be with us for ever:
3Ngazvive nemwi, nyasha, tsitsi, nerugare, zvinobva kuna Mwari Baba nokuna Ishe Jesu Kristu, Mwanakomana waBaba, muchokwadi nerudo.
3Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4Ndinofara zvikuru, nekuti ndakawana pavana venyu vanofamba muchokwadi, sezvatakagamuchira murairo kuna Baba.
4I rejoice greatly that I have found [certain] of thy children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father.
5Ikozvino ndinokukumbirisai, amai, kwete sezvivonzi ndinonyora murairo mutsva kwamuri, asi uyo watakanga tinawo kubva pakutanga, kuti tidanane.
5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6zvino urwu ndirwo rudo, kuti tifambe nemirairo yake. Uyu ndiwo murairo, kuti sezvamakanzwa kubva pakutanga, mufambe mauri.
6And this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it.
7Nekuti vanyepedzeri vazhinji vakapinda munyika, vasingabvumi kuti Jesu Kristu wakauya panyama. Uyu ndiye munyepedzeri nemupikisi waKristu.
7For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8Zvichenjererei imi, kuti tirege kurashikirwa nezvinhu zvatakabatira, asi kuti tipiwe mubairo wakakwana.
8Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward.
9Umwe neumwe, unodarika, asingarambiri mukudzidzisa kwaKristu, haana Mwari; asi uyo, unorambira mukudzidzisa kwaKristu ndiye une zvose Baba noMwanakomana.
9Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.
10Kana kukauya umwe kwamuri, asingauyi nedzidziso iyi, musamugamuchira mumba, kana kuti kwaari, Hekanhi!
10If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting:
11Nekuti unoti kwaari: Hekanhi! unodyidzana naye pamabasa ake akaipa.
11for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.
12Kunyange ndine zvinhu zvizhinji zvekunyora kwamuri, handina kuda kukunyorerai pabepa neingi; asi ndinotarisira kuuya kwamuri, tigotaurirana muromo nomuromo, kuti mufaro wenyu uzadziswe.
12Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write them] with paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be made full.
13Vana vomunin'ina wenyu wakasanangurwa vanokukwazisai.
13The children of thine elect sister salute thee.