3 John 1-8 Translation
My translation:
This is from “the old man” and is written to my dear friend Gaius, who I truly love.
I pray that everything you do prospers and that you might be in good health, just as your prosper spiritually. I know that you’re prospering spiritually because – and this made very happy – some brothers and sisters came by and reported the truth about you: You are living according to God’s truth! Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children (disciples) are living according to God’s truth. Dear friend, you are being faithful to God because of your work among the brothers and sisters and, this time, strangers who have told us about your love among the church. I also know that you will rightfully help them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. You do this because these brothers and sisters left for their journey in the name of God while accepting no help from unbelievers. Therefore, we – that is, believers – ought to receive them just as you’ve done so that together we might become God’s true workers. (3 John 1-8)
Greek Text:
Ὁ Ï€ÏεσβύτεÏος Γαΐῳ Ï„á¿· ἀγαπητῷ, ὃν á¼Î³á½¼ ἀγαπῶ á¼Î½ ἀληθείᾳ.
Ἀγαπητέ, πεÏὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εá½Î¿Î´Î¿á¿¦ÏƒÎ¸Î±Î¹ καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εá½Î¿Î´Î¿á¿¦Ï„αί σου ἡ ψυχή. á¼Ï‡á½±Ïην Î³á½°Ï Î»á½·Î±Î½ á¼Ïχομένων ἀδελφῶν καὶ μαÏÏ„Ï…Ïούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς σὺ á¼Î½ ἀληθείᾳ πεÏιπατεῖς. μειζοτέÏαν τούτων οá½Îº ἔχω χαÏάν, ἵνα ἀκούω Ï„á½° á¼Î¼á½° τέκνα á¼Î½ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πεÏιπατοῦντα. Ἀγαπητέ, πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ á¼á½°Î½ á¼Ïγάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τοῦτο ξένους, 6οἳ á¼Î¼Î±ÏÏ„á½»Ïησάν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ á¼Î½á½½Ï€Î¹Î¿Î½ á¼ÎºÎºÎ»Î·Ïƒá½·Î±Ï‚, οὓς καλῶς ποιήσεις Ï€Ïοπέμψας ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ: á½‘Ï€á½²Ï Î³á½°Ï Ï„Î¿á¿¦ ὀνόματος á¼Î¾á¿†Î»Î¸Î¿Î½ μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν á¼Î¸Î½Î¹Îºá¿¶Î½. ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεÏγοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ.
Here is another translation for comparison:
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
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. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 1-8 ESV)
Alan,
Thanks for this translation. Very edifying! I like how you translated the first word “old man” rather than the traditional “elder.” Also in that verse, your rendering of “dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love,” works well. Looking forward to more translations to come,
Andy