2 John 1:12

Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Having	ἔχων echōn	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
many	Πολλὰ Polla	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — accusative plural neuter
write	γράφειν graphein	G1125	to "grave" · verb — present active infinitive
you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
would	ἐβουλήθην eboulēthēn	G1014	to "will · verb — aorist passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
with	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
paper	χάρτου chartou	G5489	a sheet ("chart") of writing-material (as to be scribbl… · noun — genitive singular masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
ink	μέλανος· melanos	G3188	ink · noun — genitive singular neuter
but	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
trust	ἐλπίζω elpizō	G1679	to expect or confide · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
come	ἔρχομαι érchomai	G2064	to come or go (in a great variety of applications
unto	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
speak	λαλῆσαι lalēsai	G2980	to talk · verb — aorist active infinitive
face	στόμα stoma	G4750	the mouth (as if a gash in the face) · noun — accusative singular neuter
to	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
face	στόμα stoma	G4750	the mouth (as if a gash in the face) · noun — accusative singular neuter
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
our	ἡμῶν hēmōn	G2257	of (or from) us
joy	χαρὰ chara	G5479	cheerfulness · noun — nominative singular feminine
be	ὦ ō	G5600	(may
full	πεπληρωμένη peplērōmenē	G4137	to make replete · verb — perfect passive participle, nominative singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
3 John 1:13-14 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
Numbers 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore t…
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Romans 15:24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward b…
1 Corinthians 16:5-7 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 John 1:12–end

The apostle concludes this letter, 1. With an adjournment of many things to personal conference: Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink; but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. Here it is supposed that some things are better spoken than written. The use of pen and ink may be a mercy and a pleasure; but a personal interview may be more so. The apostle was not yet too old for travel, nor consequently for travelling service. The communion of saints should be by all methods maintained; and their communion should tend to their mutual joy. Excellent ministers may have their joy advanced by their Christian friends. That I ma…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 John 1:12

I would not write--A heart full of love pours itself out more freely face to face, than by letter. paper--made of Egyptian papyrus. Pens were then reeds split. ink--made of soot and water, thickened with gum. Parchment was used for the permanent manuscripts in which the Epistles were preserved. Writing tablets were used merely for temporary purposes, as our slates. face to face--literally, "mouth to mouth." full--Greek, "filled full." Your joy will be complete in hearing from me in person the joyful Gospel truths which I now defer communicating till I see you. On other occasions his writing the glad truths was for the same purpose.

Adam Clarke on 2 John 1:12

Having many things to write - That is, I have many things that I might write to thee, but I think it best not to commit them to paper, because I hope to visit thee shortly, and speak fully of those matters, which will be a means of increasing the comfort both of thee and thy family, as well as my own. There is more comfort in mutual interviews among friends than in epistolaty correspondence,

John Gill on 2 John 1:12

Having many things to write unto you,.... Either on a civil, or on a religious account, concerning the state of the churches of Asia, and particularly Ephesus, and of private families and persons, and concerning the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; not that he had any new one, or any other than what they had heard from the beginning, to communicate to them, by word of mouth, for this he denies, 2 John 1:5; wherefore this makes nothing for the unwritten traditions of the Papists, and as if the Scriptures did not contain the whole of doctrine and of the will of God. I would not write with paper and ink; any more than what was written: but I trust to come unto you; where they were, but whe…

The Church Fathers

Because of the incapacity of his hearers, John did not think it right to entrust the solutions of secrets of this kind to paper and ink.
— Origen of Alexandria, SERMONS ON EXODUS 4.2

Since I had many things to write to you, I did not want to do so by paper and ink. But I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your sister the Elect greet you. Amen. The reason for the briefness of the letter, both in this and in the following one, is that John hoped to come to them and to add in person and by his presence what was lacking. However, by what he adds, "The children of your sister, the Elect, greet you," some wish to argue that the letter is not addressed to a woman but to the Church; concerning which I have decided not to dispute.
— Oecumenius, Commentary on 2 John

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 John 1:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 John 1:12

Adam Clarke on 2 John 1:12

John Gill on 2 John 1:12

The Church Fathers

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 John 1:12–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 John 1:12

Adam Clarke on 2 John 1:12

John Gill on 2 John 1:12

The Church Fathers

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 John 1:12