作長老的寫信給親愛的
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
作長老的寫信給親愛的
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
親愛的兄弟啊，我願你凡事興盛，身體健壯，正如你的靈魂興盛一樣。
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
有弟兄來證明你心裏存的真理，正如你按真理而行，我就甚喜樂。
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
我聽見我的兒女們按真理而行，我的喜樂就沒有比這個大的。
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
親愛的兄弟啊，凡你向作客旅之弟兄所行的都是忠心的。
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,
他們在教會面前證明了你的愛；你若配得過神，幫助他們往前行，這就好了。
who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
因他們是為主的名〔原文作「那名」〕出外，對於外邦人一無所取。
For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.
所以我們應該接待這樣的人，叫我們與他們一同為真理做工。
Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
我曾略略地寫信給教會，但那在教會中好為首的
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.
所以我若去，必要提說他所行的事，就是他用惡言妄論我們。還不以此為足，他自己不接待弟兄，有人願意接待，他也禁止，並且將接待弟兄的人趕出教會。
So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
親愛的兄弟啊，不要效法惡，只要效法善。行善的屬乎神；行惡的未曾見過神。
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
我原有許多事要寫給你，卻不願意用筆墨寫給你，
I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink.
但盼望快快地見你，我們就當面談論。
I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
願你平安。眾位朋友都問你安。請你替我按著姓名問眾位朋友安。
Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.