3 John 1:4 BSB — MannaFest

3 John 1:4

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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

KJV

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

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Commentary

3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

I have no greater joy,.... Nothing that causes greater joy. The Vulgate Latin version reads "grace" or "thanks"; and then the sense is, that he had nothing to be more thankful for: than to hear that my children walk in truth; meaning his spiritual children, those whose conversion he had been the instrument of; and among these it seems Gaius was one.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

To hear that my children - From this it has been inferred that Caius was one of St. John’s converts, and consequently not the Corinthian Caius, who was converted, most probably, by St. Paul. But the apostle might use the term children here as implying those who were immediately under his pastoral care, and, being an old man, he had a right to use such terms in addressing his juniors both in age and grace; and there is much both of propriety and dignity in the appellation coming from such a person.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1148: “The Parent's and Pastor's Joy” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1873)

JOHN speaks of himself as though he were a father and, therefore, we concede to parents the right to use the language of the text. Sure am I that many of you here present, both mothers and fathers, can truly say, "We have no greater joy than to hear that our children walk in truth" [the Truth of God.] But John was not after the flesh, the father of those of whom he was writing—he was their spiritual father. It was through his ministry that they had been brought into the new life.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

14 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
μειζοτέραν	meizoteran	Greater	G3173 →
τούτων	toutōn	than these things	G3778 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἔχω	echō	I have	G2192 →
χαρὰν	charan	joy	G5479 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
ἀκούω	akouō	I may hear of	G191 →
τὰ	ta	<the>	G3588 →
ἐμὰ	ema	my	G1473 →
τέκνα	tekna	children	G5043 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
τῇ	tēa	the	G3588 →
ἀληθείᾳ	alētheia	truth	G225 →
περιπατοῦντα.	peripatounta	walking.	G4043 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

G225aletheiatruth109×

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Galatians 4:19
My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
leads to
- Ephesians 4:13
  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
- Romans 8:29
  For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Romans 13:14
  Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
- Ephesians 4:24
  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Colossians 4:12
  Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the…
Through
1 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
leads to
- Titus 1:4
  To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- 2 Timothy 1:2
  To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Through
Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
leads to
- Proverbs 10:1
  The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.

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01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 3 John

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 3 John