1 N a te kaumatua ki a Kaiu, ki te hoa aroha, ki taku e aroha atu nei i runga i te pono.

The church leader writes to the much-loved Gaius. I love you because of the truth.

2 E te hoa aroha, nui atu i nga mea katoa taku inoi kia kake koe ki te pai, kia ora, kia pera ano me tou wairua kua kake ki te pai.

Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way. I pray that your body is strong and well even as your soul is.

3 H ari pu hoki ahau i nga teina i haere mai nei, i whakaatu mai i te pono i roto i a koe, ara i tau haere i runga i te pono.

I was very happy when some Christians came and told me about how you are following the truth.

4 K ahore oku hari e nui atu ana i tenei, ara kia rongo ahau e haere ana aku tamariki i runga i te pono.

I can have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

5 E te hoa aroha, pono tonu tau mahi e mea na koe mo nga teina, mo nga tangata iwi ke ano hoki;

Dear friend, you are doing a good work by being kind to the Christians, and for sure, to the strangers.

6 E whakaatu na i tou aroha i te aroaro o te hahi: na kia rite ki ta te Atua tau kawe i a ratou, a ka pai tau mahi:

They have told the church about your love. It will be good for you to help them on their way as God would have you.

7 H e whakaaro hoki ki tona ingoa i haere atu ai ratou, kihai ano i riro i a ratou tetahi mea a nga Tauiwi.

These people are working for the Lord. They are taking nothing from the people who do not know God.

8 K oia i tika ai kia whakamanuhiri tatou i nga tangata penei, kia ai hoki tatou hei hoa mahi mo te pono.

So we should help such people. That way we will be working with them as they teach the truth.

9 I tuhituhi atu ahau ki te hahi: otira kahore matou e manakohia mai e Rioterepi, ko tana hoki e pai ai ko ia kia meinga hei tuatahi mo ratou.

I wrote a letter to the church. But Diotrephes wants to be the leader and put himself first. He will have nothing to do with us.

10 M o konei ki te haere atu ahau, ka whakamahara ahau i ana mahi e mea nei ia, ki te kino o ana kupu i a ia e komeme mai nei mo matou; kahore hoki tana i mutu i konei, kahore ia e manako ki nga teina, e riria ana hoki e ia nga tangata e pai ana kia pera, e peia ana i roto i te hahi.

So if I come, I will show what he is doing by the bad things he is saying about us. Not only that, he will not take the Christian brothers into his home. He keeps others from doing it also. When they do, he puts them out of the church.

11 E te hoa aroha, kaua e arumia te kino, engari te pai. Ko te tangata e mahi pai ana, no te Atua ia: tena ko te kaimahi i te kino, kahore ano ia kia kite i te Atua.

Dear friend, do not follow what is sinful, but follow what is good. The person who does what is good belongs to God. The person who does what is sinful has not seen God.

12 E korerotia paitia ana a Rimitiriu e te katoa, e te pono ano hoki: ae ra ko matou ano etahi hei kaiwhakaatu; e mohio ana koutou he pono ta matou whakaatu.

Everyone speaks good things about Demetrius. The truth itself speaks for him. We say the same thing also and you know we are speaking the truth.

13 H e maha nga mea hei tuhituhinga atu maku, otira e kore ahau e pai kia tuhituhi atu ki a koe ki te mangumangu, ki te pene:

I have much to write about but I do not want to write it in this letter.

14 E mea ana hoki ahau tera ahau e kite wawe i a koe, a e korero taua, he mangai, he mangai. Kia tau te rangimarie ki a koe. Tenei nga hoa aroha te oha atu nei ki a koe. Oha atu ki nga hoa aroha me te whakahua ano i te ingoa o tera, o tera.

I hope to see you soon and then we can talk together. May you have peace. The friends here greet you. Greet each friend there by name.