3 John 1:3
in 3 John 1For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.
KJV
For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
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This verse in 3 John 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseHe who walks in the truth is one who walks according to the simplicity of the Gospel. By the word "walk" one must understand not the movement of feet, for such stepping motion from place to place is characteristic of every animal that has legs, …
This site's exposition
walkest in the truth
on 3 John 1:3-4
The elder's evidence is testimony brought by travelers, the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth, doctrine and walk agreeing, which is the Johannine test passed. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth is the aged apostle's own summary of a lifetime's ministry. The children are his converts and charges, and their walking, present tense, is the joy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and bore witness to your truth, as you walk in the truth. "you walk in the truth." He walks in truth who walks in the righteous simplicity of the Gospel. However, to walk does not refer to the …
The truth of Gaius's life was seen in the perfection of his works. He was a man who went about without any guile in thought, word or deed. Instead of that, he followed the commandments of God to the best of his ability.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For - I know thou usest all thy talents to his glory. The truth that is in thee - The true faith and love.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came,....
Those who know it not cannot be expected to value it; churches and Christian patriots ought to concur to support the propagation of holy religion in the pagan countries; public spirits should concur according to their several capacities; those who are freely communicative of Christ's gospel should be assisted by those who are communicative of their purses.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came - Who these were is not certainly known. They may have been members of the same church with Gaius, who, for some reason, had visited the writer of this Epistle; or they may have been the “brethren” who had gone from him with a letter of commendation to the church, 3Jn 1:9, and had been rejected by the church through the influence of Diotrephes, and who, after having been hospitably entertained by Gaius, had again returned to the writer of this Epistle.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
testified of the truth that is in thee--Greek, "of" (or 'to') thy truth": thy share of that truth in which thou walkest [ALFORD]. even as thou--in contrast to Diotrephes (3Jo 9).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes
When the brethren came - Probably the same of whom he speaks in the fifth (3Jn 1:5) and following verses, and who appear to have been itinerant evangelists. The truth that is in thee - The soundness of thy faith and the depth of thy religion.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐχάρην | echaren | I rejoiced | G5463 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | |
| λίαν | lian | exceedingly | G3029 → | |
| ἐρχομένων | erchomenon | when were coming | G2064 → | |
| ἀδελφῶν | adelphon | [the] brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μαρτυρούντων | marturounton | those bearing witness | G3140 → | 76 times |
| σου | sou | from you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τῇ | tea | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀληθείᾳ, | aletheia | to truth, | G225 → | 109 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | |
| σὺ | su | you yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἀληθείᾳ | aletheia | truth | G225 → | 109 times |
| περιπατεῖς. | peripateis | are walking. | G4043 → |
ἐχάρηνI rejoiced
echarenG5463 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →
λίανexceedingly
lianG3029 →
ἐρχομένωνwhen were coming
erchomenonG2064 →
ἀδελφῶν[the] brothers
adelphonG80 →343 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μαρτυρούντωνthose bearing witness
marturountonG3140 →76 times
σουfrom you
souG4771 →2973 times
τῇto the
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἀληθείᾳ,to truth,
aletheiaG225 →109 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →
σὺyou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἀληθείᾳtruth
aletheiaG225 →109 times
περιπατεῖς.are walking.
peripateisG4043 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 119:11I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 37:31
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.
- Psalms 40:8
I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”
- Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
- Psalms 1:2
But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
- Colossians 3:16
Through
2 John 1:4I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us.
it leads to
- 3 John 1:3–4
For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk.
- Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Hosea 14:9
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
- 3 John 1:3–4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 3 John
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 3 John and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 3 John.