OET interlinear 3YHN (3JHN) 1:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μειζοτέραν & οὐκ ἔχω χαράν

greater_‹than› & not ˱I˲_/am/_having joy

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of joy, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “Nothing makes me more joyful”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα

¬the my children

John speaks of those whom he taught to believe in Jesus as though they were his children. This also emphasizes his love and concern for them. Alternate translation: “my spiritual children”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ περιπατοῦντα

in the truth walking

Here, walking on a path is a metaphor for how a person lives his life. Alternate translation: “are living according to God’s truth”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ

in the truth

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of truth, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “in God's true ways”