2 John 1:12

Contextual Overview

¹² I have much to say to you. But I don't want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come visit you. Then we can be together and talk. That will make us very happy. ¹² Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. ¹² I had many thinges to wryte vnto you neverthelesse I wolde not wryte with paper and ynke: but I trust to come vnto you and speake with you mouth to mouth that oure ioye maye be full. ¹² Having many things to write to you, I don't want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full. ¹² Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made complete.¹² I have many things to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so we can be full of joy. ¹² Having many things to write to you, I would not [write them] with paper and ink: but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full. ¹² Having many things to write to you, I would not [write] with paper and ink: but I trust to come to you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. ¹² Having many things to write to you, I don't want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full. ¹² Having many things to write to you, I was not minded to write with paper and ink: but I trust to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

many: John 16:12

I would: 3 John 1:13

I trust: Romans 15:24, 1 Corinthians 16:5-7, Philemon 1:22, Hebrews 13:19, Hebrews 13:23

face to face: Gr. mouth to mouth, Numbers 12:8

that: John 15:11, John 16:24, John 17:13, 2 Timothy 1:4, 1 John 1:4

our: or, your

Reciprocal: Acts 15:27 - who Philippians 2:24 - General 1 Timothy 3:14 - hoping

Cross-References

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God named the dry land "earth" and the water that was gathered together "seas." God saw that this was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry ground "land" and the gathered waters he called "seas." God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry [land] Earth, and the collection of waters he called Seas: and God saw that it [was] good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that this was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it.

Genesis 1:10
And God clepide the drie place, erthe; and he clepide the gadryngis togidere of watris, the sees. And God seiy that it was good;

Genesis 1:10
And God calleth to the dry land `Earth,' and to the collection of the waters He hath called `Seas;' and God seeth that [it is] good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land "earth," and the gathering of waters He called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Having many things to write unto you,.... Either on a civil, or on a religious account, concerning the state of the churches of Asia, and particularly Ephesus, and of private families and persons, and concerning the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; not that he had any new one, or any other than what they had heard from the beginning, to communicate to them, by word of mouth, for this he denies, 2 John 1:5; wherefore this makes nothing for the unwritten traditions of the Papists, and as if the Scriptures did not contain the whole of doctrine and of the will of God.

I would not [write] with paper and ink; any more than what was written:

but I trust to come unto you; where they were, but where that was is not known; very likely in some parts of Asia, and it may be not far from Ephesus, since any long journey would not have been fit for the apostle to have taken in this his old age:

and speak face to face; that is, freely and familiarly converse together about things omitted in this epistle:

that our joy may be full; in seeing one another's faces, and through hearing the things that may be talked of; and since the conversation would doubtless turn on divine and evangelic things, so fulness, or a large measure of spiritual joy, may be here intended. Instead of "our joy", the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and the Ethiopic versions, read, "your joy".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Having many things to write unto you - That I would wish to say. This language is such as would be used by one who was hurried, or who was in feeble health, or who hoped soon to see the person written to. In such a case only the points would be selected which were of most immediate and pressing importance, and the remainder would be reserved for a more free personal interview.

I would not write with paper - The word “paper” here conveys an idea which is not strictly correct. “Paper,” as that term is now understood, was not invented until long after this period. The material designated by the word used by John (χάρτης chartēs) was the Egyptian papyrus, and the particular thing denoted was a leaf made out of that plant. The sheets were made from membranes of the plant closely pressed together. This plant was found also in Syria and Babylon, but it was produced in greater abundance in Egypt, and that was the plant which was commonly used. It was so comparatively cheap, that it in a great measure superseded the earlier materials for writing - plates of lead, or stone, or the skins of animals. It is probable that the books of the New Testament were written on this species of paper. Compare Hug, Introduction, chapter iii., Section 11.

And ink - The ink which was commonly employed in writing was made of soot and water, with a mixture of some species of gum to give it consistency and durability - Lucke. The instrument (pen) was made of a reed.

But I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face - Margin, as in Greek, “mouth to mouth.” The phrase is a common one, to denote conversation with any one, especially free and confidential conversation. Compare Numbers 12:8; Jeremiah 32:4.

That our joy may be full - Margin, “your.” The marginal reading has arisen from a variation in the Greek copies. The word “our” is best sustained, and accords best with the connection. John would be likely to express the hope that he would find pleasure from such an interview. See the notes at 1 John 1:4. Compare Romans 1:11-12.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 John 1:12. Having many things to write — That is, I have many things that I might write to thee, but I think it best not to commit them to paper, because I hope to visit thee shortly, and speak fully of those matters, which will be a means of increasing the comfort both of thee and thy family, as well as my own. There is more comfort in mutual interviews among friends than in epistolaty correspondence,