2 John 1:4

2 John 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
• New International Version (NIV)It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.

Context of 2 John 1:4

2We love you because of the truth which lives in us and will be with us forever. 3Good will, mercy, and peace will be with us. They come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, who in truth and love is the Father’s Son. I was very happy to find some of your children living in the truth as the Father has commanded us. 5Dear lady, I’m now requesting that we continue to love each other. It’s not as though I’m writing to give you a new commandment. Rather, from the beginning we were commanded to love each other. 6Love means that we live by doing what he commands. We were commanded to live in love, and you have heard this from the beginning.

2 John 1:4 word by word

Ἐχάρην λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I rejoicedχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• greatlyλίανlian · greatlyG3029
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• I foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• walkingπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• we have receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• a commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• fromπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962

Cross-references for 2 John 1:4

• Philippians 4:10The Lord has filled me with joy because you again showed interest in me. You were interested but did not have an opportunity to show it.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:19Who is our hope, joy, or prize that we can brag about in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it you?
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6But Timothy has just now come back to us from you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, as we want to see you.
• 3 John 1:3I was very happy when some believers came and told us that you are living according to the truth.
• Hosea 14:9Wise people will understand these things. A person with insight will recognize them. The Lord’s ways are right. Righteous people live by them. Rebellious people stumble over them.
• Malachi 2:6The teaching that came from his mouth was true. Nothing unjust was found on his lips. He lived with me in peace and honesty and turned many people away from sin.
• Galatians 2:14But I saw that they were not properly following the truth of the Good News. So I told Cephas in front of everyone, “You’re Jewish, but you live like a person who is not Jewish. So how can you insist that people who are not Jewish must live like Jews?”
• Ephesians 5:2Live in love as Christ also loved us. He gave his life for us as an offering and sacrifice, a soothing aroma to God.
• 1 John 1:6If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful.
• 1 John 2:6Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived.

Commentaries on 2 John 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That I found of thy children walking in truth - I have already supposed this Christian matron to be mother of a family, probably a widow, for no mention is made of her husband; and that she was also a deaconess in the church, and one in those house the traveling evangelists preached, and there they were entertained. The children mentioned here may either be her own children, or those members of the Church which were under her care, or some of both. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I rejoiced greatly that I found … - That I learned this fact respecting some of thy children. The apostle does not say how he had learned this. It may have been that he had become personally acquainted with them when they were away from their home, or that he had learned it from others. The word used ̔́ heurēkawould apply to either method. Grotius supposed that some of the sons had come to Ephesus on business, and that John had become acquainted with…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 It is good to be trained to early religion; and children may be beloved for their parents' sake. It gave great joy to the apostle to see children treading in their parents' steps, and likely in their turn to support the gospel. May God bless such families more and more, and raise up many to copy their example. How pleasing the contrast to numbers who spread irreligion, infidelity, and vice, among their children! Our walk is true, our converse…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-11John now applies the truth and love that he mentioned in the introduction (1:1–3) to the situation of those he is writing to. Living in truth and love means maintaining unity or fellowship with true Christians (1:4–6). It also involves recognizing false teachers and choosing not to listen to or support them (1:7–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. I found--probably in one of his missionary tours of superintendence. See Introduction, at the end, and 2Jo 12; 3Jo 10, 14. of thy children--some. in truth--that is, in the Gospel truth. as--even as. "The Father's commandment" is the standard of "the truth."Read the comment

Topics related to 2 John 1:4

• God
• Holiness

In the dictionaries

• Adoption
• Child; Children

Commentaries on 2 John 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings