3 John 1:13 (KJV)

Passage

I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

Nearby Context

3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

3 John 1:12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

3 John 1:13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

3 John 1:14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "write", and "thee". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "write", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Demetrius hath good report of all men..." into verse 14's "But I trust I shall shortly see...", so "things" and "write" belong inside that flow. In 3 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "things" and "write" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.