2 John 1:12

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write them] with paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be made full.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Πολλὰ ἔχων ὑμῖν γράφειν, οὐκ ἐβουλήθην διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος: ἀλλὰ ἐλπίζω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλῆσαι, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾗ πεπληρωμένη.

Transliteration

Many things echōn to you to graphein, not I eboulēthēn through chartou and melanos: but I elpizō to elthein pros you, and stoma pros stoma to lalēsai, that the chara of us might be peplērōmenē.

Grammar Details

*echōn*: present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - having
*graphein*: present, active, infinitive - to write
*eboulēthēn*: aorist, passive, indicative, 1st person singular - wished/desired
*chartou*: genitive, masculine, singular - paper
*melanos*: genitive, neuter, singular - ink
*elpizō*: present, active, indicative, 1st person singular - hope
*elthein*: aorist, active, infinitive - to come
*pros*: preposition + accusative - to/toward
*stoma*: accusative, neuter, singular - mouth
*lalēsai*: aorist, active, infinitive - to speak
*chara*: nominative, feminine, singular - joy
*peplērōmenē*: perfect, passive, participle, nominative, feminine, singular - having been fulfilled

Word Meanings

*echōn*: having/possessing/holding
*graphein*: to write/record
*eboulēthēn*: wished/desired/intended
*chartou*: paper/papyrus
*melanos*: ink/black substance
*elpizō*: hope/expect
*elthein*: to come/arrive
*stoma pros stoma*: mouth to mouth/face to face
*lalēsai*: to speak/talk/converse
*chara*: joy/gladness/delight
*peplērōmenē*: having been fulfilled/completed/made full

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

John 16:24 : 24 Hitherto {G737} have ye asked {G3756} nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.
John 17:13 : 13 But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
John 15:11 : 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full.
1 John 1:4 : 4 and these things we write, that our joy may be made full.
3 John 1:13-14 : 13 I had many things to write unto thee, but I am {G2309} unwilling to write [them] to thee with ink and pen: 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.
John 16:12 : 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but {G3756} ye cannot bear them now.
Num 12:8 : 8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?
Rom 15:24 : 24 whensoever I go unto Spain (for I hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company)—
1 Cor 16:5-7 : 5 But I will come unto you, when I shall have passed through Macedonia; for I pass through Macedonia; 6 but with you it may be that I shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me forward on my journey whithersoever {G1437} I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now by the way; for I hope to tarry {G5100} a while with you, if the Lord permit.
2 Tim 1:4 : 4 longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Phlm 1:22 : 22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.
Heb 13:19 : 19 And I exhort [you] the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Heb 13:23 : 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

3 John 1:13-14
2 verses
86%
13I had many things to write unto thee, but I am {G2309} unwilling to write [them] to thee with ink and pen:
14but 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.
2 John 1:13
81%
13The children of thine elect sister salute thee.
2 Cor 2:3-4
2 verses
79%
3And I wrote this very thing, {G5213} lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is [the joy] of you all.
4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love that I have more abundantly unto you.
1 Tim 3:14
78%
14These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;
1 John 1:4
77%
4and these things we write, that our joy may be made full.
Phil 1:25-26
2 verses
76%
25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith;
26that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.
Rom 1:10-13
4 verses
76%
10making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you.
11For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.
13And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles.
2 Cor 1:13
76%
13For we write no other things unto you, than {G2228} what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope {G3754} ye will acknowledge {G2532} unto the end:
Phlm 1:20-21
2 verses
75%
20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.
21Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.
Rom 15:22-24
3 verses
75%
22Wherefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you:
23but now, having no more any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you,
24whensoever I go unto Spain (for I hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company)—
2 Cor 1:15-16
2 verses
75%
15And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit;
16and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea.
Phlm 1:6-8
3 verses
75%
6that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.
7For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.
8Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
2 Tim 1:4
75%
4longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
1 Thess 2:17
74%
17But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:
Gal 6:11
73%
11See with how large letters I write unto you with mine own hand.
Rom 15:32
73%
32that I may come unto you in joy through the will of God, and together with you find rest.
3 John 1:3
73%
3For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.
1 Cor 16:7
73%
7For I do not wish to see you now by the way; for I hope to tarry {G5100} a while with you, if the Lord permit.
Col 2:1
72%
1For I would have you know how greatly I {G2192} strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 Cor 13:10
72%
10For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.
Heb 13:22
72%
22But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written unto you in few words.
2 Cor 2:9
72%
9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.
Phil 2:28
72%
28I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
Phlm 1:15-16
2 verses
72%
15For perhaps he was therefore parted [from thee] for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;
16no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Phlm 1:13
71%
13whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
2 Cor 7:3
71%
3I say it not to condemn [you]: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.
1 Thess 3:6
71%
6But when Timothy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also [to see] you;
2 Cor 9:1
71%
1For as touching {G3303} the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
Col 2:5
71%
5For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Eph 1:15
71%
15For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which [ye show] toward all the saints,
2 Tim 4:9
71%
9Give diligence to come shortly unto me:
Phil 2:19
71%
19But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
1 Thess 2:19
71%
19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus {G5547} at his coming?
2 Cor 2:1
71%
1But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow.
2 Pet 1:15
71%
15Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.
Phil 2:23
71%
23Him {G3303} therefore I hope to send forthwith, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me:
2 Cor 7:16
71%
16I rejoice {G3754} that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.