inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (3John 1:14)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the addressee).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (3 John 1:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:14:

  • Uma: “For I hope it won’t be much longer we will meet again, so that we will talk to each other lip-to-lip.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I expect that we (dual) will soon see each other and face each other to talk.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It is my desire to come there before too long and then we can talk. May your situation there be peaceful. As for your friends here, they send greetings to you. Also greet for me all of our (incl.) friends there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because if possible, it will not be long and I will go to see you (sing.). Then we (du) will converse properly.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I hope/expect that hopefully I can come there to you quickly/easily, so that we can talk together in each other’s presence. I pray that hopefully with you always is the peace/protection of mind/inner-being which God gives. You are greeted by our friends here. And I want hopefully that you will greet each one of my friends there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because I await the time that I will soon come to speak with you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I am waiting for us to meet soon and when we are together we will speak with one another in person.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Because I hope to go there in a little while, and see you, and we will talk together.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “because I am hoping to see you soon so we can chat.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on 3 John 1:13 – 1:14

Verses 13-14 closely resemble 2 John 12, which see. The few differences are the following; The verb to write is not the present participle but is in the imperfect tense, expressing obligation; the Greek term rendered I would rather not is slightly more definite than the corresponding one in the other verse, 2 John 12; the term rendered to see is in this context probably a more common synonym of the one rendered “to come and see” in 2 John 12; and, soon (or ‘shortly,’ ‘in a little while,’ ‘before long’) is lacking in 2 John 12.

To write with pen and ink uses the word order common in English instead of the word order “ink and pen” used in the Greek. The phrase parallels “to use paper and ink” in 2 John 12 as a synonym for “to write a letter.” Renderings of the two phrases may have to be identical.

Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The Third Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 3 John 1:14

14b

face to face: (Translation) As in 2 John 12, this is an idiom which should be translated by a natural phrase for having a friendly personal talk with someone.

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Sung version of 3 John

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