3 John 1:13

Conclusion

1:13 I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with ¹  pen and ink. ² 

3 John 1:2

1:2 Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. ³ 

3 John 1:14

1:14 But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. ⁴  (1:15) Peace be with you. ⁵  The friends here ⁶  greet you. Greet the friends ⁷  there ⁸  by name.

[1:13]  ¹ tn Grk “by means of.”

[1:13]  ² tn Grk “ink and pen.” The more normal order in contemporary English is “pen and ink.”

[1:2]  ³ tn The noun ψυχή (yuch) is used 10 times in the Gospel of John and 2 times in 1 John; of these 6 of the uses in John and both in 1 John refer to a person’s “life” (as something that can be laid down). In John 10:24 and 12:27 the ψυχή is that part of a person where emotions are experienced; one’s ψυχή is held in suspense or deeply troubled. This is, in other words, the immaterial part of a person as opposed to his physical existence. A close parallel is found in Philo, Heir 58 (285): “nourished with peace, he will depart, having gained a calm, unclouded life…welfare in the body, welfare in the soul (ψυχή)…health and strength…delight in virtues.”

[1:14]  ⁵ tn Grk “speak mouth to mouth,” an idiom for which the contemporary English equivalent is “speak face to face.”

[1:14]  ⁶ tn Grk “peace to you.”

[1:14]  ⁷ tn The word “here” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[1:14]  ⁸ sn It is possible that the designation friends (φίλοι, filoi) indicates that these are personal friends of Gaius who send their greetings, but if this is the case it is somewhat surprising that their names are not mentioned, especially when the author instructs Gaius, Greet the friends there by name. More likely this is an alternative to “brothers” (ἀδελφοί, adelfoi) as an early Christian self-designation, especially within the Johannine community. It may have arisen in the Johannine community from Jesus’ teaching in John 15:13-15, “you are my friends if you do what I command you.”

[1:14]  ⁹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.