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

2because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. 3Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. 5I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard 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 4:10How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:19After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.
• 3 John 1:3Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth.
• Hosea 14:9Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.
• Malachi 2:6They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
• Galatians 2:14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
• Ephesians 5:2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
• 1 John 1:6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.
• 1 John 2:6Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

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