3 John 1:4

3 John 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
• New International Version (NIV)I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Context of 3 John 1:4

2Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3For I was overjoyed when brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 5Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brothers and sisters, and especially when they are strangers; 6and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

3 John 1:4 word by word

μειζοτέραν τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαρὰν ἵνα ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα.Read the interlinear

• I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• noοὐou · noG3756
• greaterμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• to hearἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• my childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• walkingπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• in the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225

Cross-references for 3 John 1:4

• Proverbs 23:24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
• Isaiah 8:18Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of armies, who dwells on Mount Zion.
• 1 Corinthians 4:15For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
• Galatians 4:19My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you--
• Philemon 1:10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I fathered in my imprisonment,
• 1 Kings 2:4so that the Lord may fulfill His promise which He spoke regarding me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and all their soul, you shall not be deprived of a man to occupy the throne of Israel.’
• 1 Kings 3:6Then Solomon said, “You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great faithfulness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
• 2 Kings 20:3“Please, Lord, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight!” And Hezekiah wept profusely.
• Psalms 26:1Vindicate me, Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
• Isaiah 38:3and said, “Please, Lord, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept profusely.
• John 12:35So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
• Galatians 2:14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Commentaries on 3 John 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4To 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth - That they adhere steadfastly to the truth, and that they live in accordance with it. This is such language as would be used by an aged apostle when speaking of those who had been converted by his instrumentality, and who looked up to him as a father; and we may, therefore, infer that Gaius had been converted under the ministry of John, and that he was probably a much younger man than he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Like in 2 John (see 2 John 1:1–4), John emphasizes the importance of knowing and following the truth. This stands in contrast to Diotrephes and those who follow him (3 John 1:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. my children--members of the Church: confirming the view that the "elect lady" is a Church.Read the comment

Topics related to 3 John 1:4

• Minister, Christian
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• John, the Second and Third Epistles of
• joy, joyful, rejoice, glad

Commentaries on 3 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings