This may be the first book you’ve ever attempted to translate in full. It was for me. Translating an entire book of the Bible can feel intimidating—and that’s entirely normal. III John is a great place to start. The epistle is brief, situational, and easy to overlook, yet rich enough to reward careful attention. I approached it slowly, letting the relationships and repeated vocabulary set the agenda before asking larger interpretive questions.
This book should be a fun book for you, too. You can be both serious about building Greek fluency and genuinely enjoy the work of translating the Holy Scriptures. Why is III John such a good candidate? It is short enough—about as long as some intermediate Greek graded readings—to complete in a few weeks. Translating an entire biblical book is deeply encouraging, and III John gives you a complete text by a single author. As such, it serves as a clear test of both what you already know and where you still have room to grow. And at just fourteen verses, it has a great deal to say to us, even in the twenty-first century.
The goal of this TBWM is not speed or mastery, but careful reading, sustained attention to the Greek text, and growing confidence through practice. Join the conversation. Don’t be afraid to get lost in the text and its many layers. Serious language study can be demanding—but sustained attention to the text is often deeply absorbing.
TBWM Roadmap (Recommended)
This is Sequence I in the Accessible Faith Greek Reading Program. Below you’ll find the full side-by-side interlinear, along with links to each TBWM breakdown and my field notes.
Working through the Johannine letters?
See the Johannine Appendix for shared themes, vocabulary patterns, and authorial habits across I–III John.
New to TBWM? Start Here
Translate the Bible With Me (TBWM) is a guided practice in reading extended portions of the New Testament in Greek, focused on structure, judgment, and careful attention to the text.
TBWM can be used in several different ways depending on your goals—translation practice, teaching, or guided reading.
How to Use TBWM → [The TBWM Method]
What TBWM is / is not → [What TBWM is all about]
Diagramming Guide → [How to read (and make) the notebook sketches]
Let’s get to work
Here is the full translation with side-by-side Greek and English with links back to these analyses and my Field notes.
Navigation
Return to TBWM Main Page
Questions or corrections? Contact →