3 John 1:3 (GNV)

Passage

For I reioyced greatly when the brethren came, and testified of the trueth that is in thee, how thou walkest in the trueth.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:1 The Elder vnto the beloued Gaius, whom I loue in the trueth.

3 John 1:2 Beloued, I wish chiefly that thou prosperedst and faredst well as thy soule prospereth.

3 John 1:3 For I reioyced greatly when the brethren came, and testified of the trueth that is in thee, how thou walkest in the trueth.

3 John 1:4 I haue no greater ioy then these, that is, to heare that my sonnes walke in veritie.

3 John 1:5 Beloued, thou doest faithfully, whatsoeuer thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "reioyced", "greatly", "brethren", "came", "testified", "trueth", "thee", and "thou". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "reioyced" and "greatly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "Beloued I wish chiefly that thou prosperedst..." into verse 4's "I haue no greater ioy then these...", so "reioyced" and "greatly" 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 "reioyced" and "greatly" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.