3 John 1:4 (YLT)

Passage

greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.

Nearby Context

3 John 1:2 beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,

3 John 1:3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;

3 John 1:4 greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.

3 John 1:5 Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,

3 John 1:6 who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "greater", "than", "things", "hear", "children", "truth", and "walking". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "greater" and "than", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "for I rejoiced exceedingly brethren coming and..." into verse 5's "Beloved faithfully dost thou do whatever thou...", so "greater" and "than" 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 "greater" and "than" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.