3 John 1:14 (ASV)

Passage

but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace [be] unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:12 Demetrius hath the witness of all [men], and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness: and thou knowest that our witness is true.

3 John 1:13 I had many things to write unto thee, but I am unwilling to write [them] to thee with ink and pen:

3 John 1:14 but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace [be] unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hope", "shortly", "thee", "shall", "speak", "face", and "peace". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hope" and "shortly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "I had many things to write unto...", giving immediate footing for "hope" and "shortly". In 3 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

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