¹Mimi mzee nakuandikia wewe Gayo, rafiki yangu, ninayekupenda kweli.

¹The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.

²Mpenzi wangu, nakutakia mafanikio mema ya kila aina; nakutakia afya njema ya mwili kama ulivyo nayo rohoni.

²Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

³Nimefurahi sana ndugu kadhaa walipofika hapa, wakaiambia juu ya uaminifu wako kuhusu ukweli; naam, wewe unaishi daima katika ukweli.

³For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.

⁴Hakuna kitu kinachonifurahisha zaidi kuliko kusikia kwamba watoto wangu wanaishi katika ukweli.

⁴Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

⁵Mpenzi wangu, wewe ni mwaminifu kila mara unapowahudumia ndugu, hata kama ni wageni.

⁵Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal;

⁶Ndugu hao wamelieleza kanisa hapa habari za upendo wako. Tafadhali uwasaidie waendelee na safari yao kwa namna itakayompendeza Mungu,

⁶who bare witness to thy love before the church: whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God:

⁷Maana wanaanza safari yao katika utumishi wa Kristo bila kupokea msaada wowote kutoka kwa watu wasioamini.

⁷because that for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

⁸Basi, sisi tunapaswa kuwasaidia watu hawa, ili nasi tupate kushiriki katika kazi yao kwa ajili ya ukweli.

⁸We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers for the truth.

⁹Niliandika barua fupi kwa hilo kanisa; lakini Diotrefe, ambaye hupenda kuwa kiongozi wao, hataki kabisa kunisikiliza.

⁹I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

¹⁰Basi, nitakapokuja nitayafichua mambo yote anayofanya, maneno mabaya anayotutolea na uongo anaosema juu yetu. Isitoshe, yeye hukataa kuwakaribisha hao ndugu walio safarini, na hata huwazuia watu wengine wanaotaka kuwakaribisha, na hujaribu kuwafukuzia nje ya kanisa.

¹⁰Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would he forbiddeth and casteth [them] out of the church.

¹¹Mpenzi wangu, usifuate mfano mbaya, bali mfano mwema. Kila atendaye mema ni wa Mungu; lakini anayetenda mabaya hajapata kumwona Mungu.

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

¹²Kila mtu anamsifu Demetrio; naam, ukweli wenyewe unamsifu. Nasi pia tunatoa ushahidi wetu juu yake, nawe wajua kwamba tunachosema ni kweli.

¹²Demetrius hath the witness of all [men], and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness: and thou knowest that our witness is true.

¹³Ninayo bado mengi ya kukwambia, lakini sipendi kuyaandika kwa kalamu na wino.

¹³I had many things to write unto thee, but I am unwilling to write [them] to thee with ink and pen:

¹⁴Natumaini kukuona karibuni na hapo tutazungumza ana kwa ana. (G1-15) Nakutakia amani. Rafiki zako wanakusalimu. Wasalimu rafiki zetu wote kila mmoja binafsi.

¹⁴but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face.

¹⁵Peace [be] unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.