3 John 1:4

Contextual Overview

³ Some believers came and told me about the truth in your life. They told me that you continue to follow the way of truth. This made me very happy. ³ For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. ³ I reioysed greatly when the brethren came and testified of the trueth that is in the how thou walkest in trouthe. ³ For I rejoiced greatly, when brothers came and testified about your truth, even as you walk in truth. ³ For I was overjoyed when brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. ³ I was very happy when some brothers and sisters came and told me about the truth in your life and how you are following the way of truth. ³ For I rejoiced greatly, when brothers came and bore witness to your truth, even as you walk in truth. ³ For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ³ For I rejoiced greatly, when brothers came and testified about your truth, even as you walk in truth. ³ For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came, and testified of the truth that is in thee, as thou walkest in 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 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

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.