Father Mike Schmitz

Final Greetings Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come and see you and talk with you face to face that our joy may be complete.

The children of your elect sister greet you.

The Third Letter of John Salutation The Elder, to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Gaius commended for his service.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you, and that you may be in health.

For I know that it is well with your soul.

For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth.

No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.

Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers, who have testified to your love before the church.

You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God's service, for they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen.

So we ought to support such men that we may be fellow workers in the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius.

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority.

So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, accusing me falsely with evil words.

And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church.

Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good.

He who does good is of God.

He who does evil has not seen God.

Demetrius has testimony from everyone and from the truth itself.

I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.