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Monday, October 7th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

3 John 1:4

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Hospitality;   Zeal, Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Missionary Work by Ministers;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gaius;   Truth;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Walk;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Diotrephes;   Gaius;   John the Apostle;   John, the Epistles of;   Timothy, the First Epistle to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Love;   Truth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Brotherly Love;   Diotrephes;   Excommunication;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Joy;   Walk (2);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - John the Baptist;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Simplified Cowboy Version
It sure didn't surprise me any, but I was glad about it nonetheless.
Bible in Basic English
I have no greater joy than to have news that my children are walking in the true way.
Darby Translation
I have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children walking in the truth.
World English Bible
I have no greater joy than this, to hear about my children walking in truth.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children walk in the truth.
Weymouth's New Testament
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living in obedience to the truth.
King James Version (1611)
I haue no greater ioy, then to heare that my children walke in truth.
Literal Translation
I have no greater joy than these things, that I hear my children are walking in truth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue no greater ioye, the to heare that my childre walke in the trueth.
Mace New Testament (1729)
greater joy I cannot have, than to hear that my children are attach'd to the truth.
Amplified Bible
I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living [their lives] in the truth.
American Standard Version
Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Revised Standard Version
No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I have no greater ioye then for to heare howe that my sonnes walke in veritie.
Update Bible Version
I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Webster's Bible Translation
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Young's Literal Translation
greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.
New Century Version
Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are following the way of truth.
New English Translation
I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth.
Berean Standard Bible
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Contemporary English Version
Nothing brings me greater happiness than to hear that my children are obeying the truth.
Complete Jewish Bible
Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.
English Standard Version
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue no greater ioy then these, that is, to heare that my sonnes walke in veritie.
George Lamsa Translation
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children follow the truth.
Christian Standard Bible®
I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Hebrew Names Version
I have no greater joy than this, to hear about my children walking in truth.
International Standard Version
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living according to the truth.[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And greater joy than this I have not (than) when I hear that my sons walk in the truth.
Murdock Translation
And I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in the truth.
New King James Version
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. [fn]
New Life Bible
I can have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.
English Revised Version
Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
New Revised Standard
I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I have no, greater, favour than these things, that I should be hearing that, my own children, in the truth, are walking.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I have no greater grace than this, to hear that my children walk in truth.
King James Version
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Lexham English Bible
I have no greater joy than this: that I hear my children are walking in the truth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I haue no greater ioy, the for to heare how that my sonnes walke in veritie.
Easy-to-Read Version
It always gives me the greatest joy when I hear that my children are following the way of truth.
New American Standard Bible
I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Good News Translation
Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y haue not more grace of these thingis, than that Y here that my sones walke in treuthe.

Contextual Overview

3 Some 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. 4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

have: Proverbs 23:24

that: Isaiah 8:18, 1 Corinthians 4:15, Galatians 4:19, Philemon 1:10

walk: 1 Kings 2:4, 1 Kings 3:6, 2 Kings 20:3, Psalms 26:1-3, Isaiah 38:3, John 12:35, John 12:36, Galatians 2:14

Reciprocal: Psalms 26:3 - and Psalms 86:11 - I will Proverbs 17:21 - hath Proverbs 20:7 - just Proverbs 23:15 - if Acts 11:23 - seen Romans 1:12 - that I may 1 Corinthians 16:18 - they 2 Corinthians 6:13 - I speak Philippians 1:27 - I may Philippians 2:2 - Fulfil Philippians 2:19 - that I Colossians 1:4 - we Philemon 1:20 - let me 1 John 1:7 - If we 2 John 1:4 - rejoiced 3 John 1:3 - I

Cross-References

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry ground "land" and the waters "seas." And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:18
to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:25
God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:31
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.
Ecclesiastes 2:13
I thought, "Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.
Ecclesiastes 11:7
Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I 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 was. John, the aged apostle, says that he had no higher happiness than to learn, respecting those who regarded him as their spiritual father, that they were steadfast in their adherence to the doctrines of religion. The same thing may be:

(a) of all the ministers of the gospel, that their highest comfort is found in the fact that those to whom they minister, whether still under their care or removed from them, persevere in a steadfast attachment to the true doctrines of religion, and live accordingly; and,

(b) of all Christian parents respecting their own children. the highest joy that a Christian parent can have is to know that his children, whether at home or abroad, adhere to the truths of religion, and live in accordance with the requirements of the gospel of Christ.

If a child wished to confer the highest possible happiness upon his parents when with them, it would be by becoming a decided Christian; if, when abroad, in foreign lands or his own, he wished to convey intelligence to them that would most thrill their hearts with joy, it would be to announce to them that he had given his heart to God. There is no joy in a family like that when children are converted; there is no news that comes from abroad that diffuses so much happiness through the domestic circle as the intelligence that a child is truly converted to the Saviour. There is nothing that would give more peace to the dying pillow of the Christian parent, than to be able to leave the world with the assurance that his children would always walk in truth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 3 John 1:4. 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.


 
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