OET interlinear 2 YHN (2 JHN) 1:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἐχάρην λείαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ

˱I˲_˓was˒_elated (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐχάρην Λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σοῦ περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθώς ἐντολήν ἐλάβομεν παρά τοῦ Πατρός)

If it is more natural in your language to state the reason first and then the result, you can put the statement I rejoiced greatly at the end of the verse. Alternate translation: [I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have received a commandment from the Father. Therefore, I rejoiced greatly.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῶν τέκνων σου

the children (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐχάρην Λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σοῦ περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθώς ἐντολήν ἐλάβομεν παρά τοῦ Πατρός)

See how you translated the term children in 1:1. John is continuing his figure of speech in which he addresses the church collectively as a “lady” and its members as her “children.” Alternate translation: [the believers from your group]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / you

τῶν τέκνων σου

the children (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐχάρην Λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σοῦ περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθώς ἐντολήν ἐλάβομεν παρά τοῦ Πατρός)

The word your is singular here, since John is continuing his figure of speech in which he addresses the church collectively as a “lady” and its members as her children. If you are translating this in a non-figurative way, you may want to make this plural, according to what is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [the believers from your group]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ

walking in truth

Here John is speaking figuratively of a person’s life as if it were a journey, and the way that the person behaves is the way that he walks on that journey. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [living according to the truth]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν ἀληθείᾳ

in truth

If your language does not use an abstract noun for truth, you could use a phrase with an adjective. Alternate translation: [in a way that agrees with the true message from God]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐχάρην Λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σοῦ περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθώς ἐντολήν ἐλάβομεν παρά τοῦ Πατρός)

The expression received a commandment expresses the idea that God commanded the believers to do something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the Father the subject of a sentence with the verb “command.” Alternate translation: [just as the Father has commanded us]

Note 7 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

τοῦ Πατρός

the Father

Father is an important title for God. Be careful to translate it accurately and consistently.