15Instead, as true human beings, we will walk out this truth on the path of love. When we become fully grown, we will be like the Chosen One, joined together with him in the same way a body is connected to its head. 16Every joint in this body is needed to hold it together and help it grow. When all the parts work together the way they should, then the body grows strong in the love of the Great Spirit.
REPRESENTING OUR HONORED CHIEF
17I say this to you as one who represents our Honored Chief. You must no longer walk the dark path of the Nations who have chosen their own ways. 18Their minds have no good thoughts, because the darkness has taken away their ability to see and think clearly. Their hearts have become as hard as stone and can no longer beat with the life that comes from the Great Spirit. 19This takes them down the path of greed and selfish pleasure, leading to an impure life. 20This is not the path you learned from the Chosen One, 21for the true path to walk is only found in Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
22Take off that worn-out and stained outfit of your past life with its selfish desires and worthless ways of thinking. It no longer represents who you are. 23You are now true human beings, with a new way of seeing and thinking. 24Put on the regalia of your new life. For you have been made new, created again to look like the one who made you, standing in a good way and walking a true and sacred path.
LIVING IN HARMONY
25We are all members of one body—one tribe—so we must speak truth and be honest with each other, leaving the path of falsehood far behind.
26There are times when anger is the right thing, but do not let your anger turn into rage, for it will burn like a wildfire. Work things out before the sun sets that day, 27or the evil one may use it to burn up all the good things in your life.9
There is no room for thieves on this sacred path. 28The ones among you who have stolen and taken what is not theirs must learn to do good, working hard with their hands. In this way they will not only have enough for themselves but also something to help others.
DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT
29Keep a close watch over the words you speak, for our mouths can be full of worthless and empty talk that will bring death to others. Let your words be full of wisdom and goodwill that will give strength and bring healing to the ones who hear you. 30In this way, Creator’s Holy Spirit will not be grieved. For it is he who marks you as his own and keeps you safe for the day when all things will be complete.10
31Let Creator pull the bitter roots from your heart, for they feed the rage and anger that takes you down a path of fighting, hurting, and speaking evil of your fellow human beings. 32Instead, show goodwill and kindness to others, by releasing them from the things they have done wrong. For this is what the Great Spirit, through the Chosen One, has done for you.
WALKING HIS ROAD
1We must follow in the steps of the Great Spirit, for we are his much-loved children. 2Walk the road of love, following the path of the Chosen One, who loved us and offered up his life to the Great Spirit like the smoke of burning sage.
3Sexual relations are sacred. They must be kept pure, and free from uncontrolled desire. As his holy people, we must follow Creator’s purpose and plan for human beings who represent him. 4Sexual relations should be spoken of with respect—no foolish talk or dirty jokes. Instead, give thanks for this sacred gift of creating new life.
5Listen closely, no one who walks an impure path of uncontrolled desires participates in the good road of the Chosen One and the Great Spirit. The ones who walk in this way follow lying spirits that take them down a dark path, far from the sacred ways of the Great Spirit. 6Do not listen to their empty words and forked tongues, for the Great Spirit’s anger will be shown to the ones who follow these ways. 7Do not walk with them on a path that leads to a bad end.
DARKNESS AND LIGHT
8As weak human beings, you were once empty and full of darkness, but now that Creator’s Spirit lives in you, you are beings full of light. 9Walk in the light, and all things good and right and true will shine out from you. 10This will prove you are his children—the ones who seek for ways to make his heart glad.
11Turn away from the path of darkness with its worthless ways. Instead, let your light shine into the darkness to show the way out. 12The shameful things done under the blanket of night should not even be spoken of, 13for the light shines into the darkness and takes the mask off its empty ways. It is like the sunrise that pushes back the night and brings the light of a new day. 14This is why it is said, “Wake up, O sleeper, come back from the dead, and the Chosen One will shine on you!”
THE WAY OF WISDOM
15Walk with your eyes wide open and make wise use of your time, 16for the evil days we live in are full of worthless and troubled ways. 17Keep foolishness far from you and welcome the ways of wisdom, for then you will clearly see the path Creator has chosen for you.
18It is not wise to become a drunk, for it will lead you to a life of emptiness and sorrow. Instead, drink deeply of Creator’s Spirit, and he will lead you into a life of beauty and harmony.
19At your gatherings, tell the ancient stories and sing the traditional songs. Sing spiritual songs from your heart as you dance before the Great Spirit, 20giving thanks to our Father the Creator, as you represent our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the Chosen One.
WISDOM FOR HUSBANDS AND WIVES
21If you have respect for the Chosen One, then have respect for each other. 22Wives, honor your husbands in the same way you honor the Great Spirit. 23Just as the Chosen One guides and protects his sacred family as his own body when they put their trust in him, 24so a wife should, in the same way, follow the loving guidance of her husband in all these things.
25Husbands, love your wives just as the Chosen One loved and gave his life for his sacred family. 26He did this to give them a place of honor and dignity above all others. He washes all with the purifying water of the word he speaks over them. 27He will clothe his sacred family with the regalia of beauty and harmony with no wrinkles or stains, like a bride dressed for her wedding day. 28This is the manner in which husbands should love their wives, as their own bodies. For the one who loves his wife loves himself. 29-30No one hates his own body but instead takes good care of it, just as the Chosen One does for his sacred family. We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31“For this purpose a man must leave his father and mother, so he can join with his wife, and the two will become one body.”11 32This is a great mystery, but I am telling you that it is about the Chosen One and his sacred family. 33So each man should love his wife as himself, treat her as he wants her to treat him, and each wife is to give respect to her husband.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON RESPECT
1Children, it is the right thing to follow the guidance of your parents, for this is what Creator wants. 2“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first instruction in our tribal law that carries a promise with it— 3“that it will go well with you, and you will live long on the land.”12
4Fathers, if you push your children too hard, it will only make them angry. Instead, help them to grow strong in the ways of the Great Spirit.
5Slaves, do everything your earthly masters tell you to do. Show great respect to them in the same way you serve the Chosen One. Do this from a strong and pure heart, 6not just to look good to your earthly master, 7but as if you were serving our Honored Chief, 8knowing that Creator will see and honor all who serve others, no matter whether they are slaves or free.
9Masters, do not use threats, but treat your slaves with the same respect you would give to the Great Spirit. For he is your master from the spirit-world above as well as theirs, and he will not favor one over another.
PREPARING FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
10Last of all, I must remind you that we are all fighting in a spiritual battle. We are weak human beings, so let your strength come from our Great Warrior Chief. 11The only way to stand strong against the war plans of the evil trickster13 is to put on Creator’s war garments. 12But reme
mber, we are not fighting against human beings. Our battle is against the evil rulers, the dark powers, and the spiritual forces of the spirit-world above and around us.
13Once you are fully dressed for this war, you will be able to stand your ground in this day of the enemy’s evil rule. You are now ready to make your stand—so stand strong. 14Wrap the sash of truth around your waist. Cover your heart with the breastplate of making wrongs right again. 15Put on your feet the moccasins of Creator’s peace treaty, so you will always be ready to tell the good story as you walk the road of life. 16Then you must raise high the shield of trusting in Creator. This shield will put out the flaming arrows of the evil one. Do not forget to 17put on the headdress of Creator’s power to rescue and set free, and use the long knife of the Spirit—which is the word of Creator coming from your mouth.
18All of this is done by prayer, sending your voice to the Great Spirit, asking him for all that is needed. As you pray with the help of the Spirit, stay alert and keep all of Creator’s holy people in your thoughts, praying for their needs. 19Also ask Creator to give me the right words to speak and the courage to make known the mystery of Creator’s good story. 20This is the reason I now represent the Great Spirit as a captive in chains. Pray that I will speak with boldness and not hold back.
FINAL WORDS
21-22So you will know how I am doing, I am sending He Is at Ease (Tychicus), a much-loved spiritual brother and one who serves others as a gift from Creator. He will let you know how we are doing so your hearts can be lifted up and strengthened.
23Peace be to all the sacred family members, along with love and trust from the Great Spirit, who is our Father, and from our Wisdomkeeper, Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the Chosen One.
24May Creator’s great kindness rest on all who love the Chosen One, with a love that will never grow old or fade away.
Aho! May it be so!
SMALL MAN TO THE SACRED FAMILY IN VILLAGE OF HORSES
PHILIPPIANS
GREETINGS
1From Small Man (Paul) and He Gives Honor (Timothy), sacred servants of the Chosen One, Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
To all of Creator’s holy people who gather in Village of Horses (Philippi) and to the spiritual leaders and those who have the sacred task of helping others, who together watch over the sacred family.
2May our Father the Great Spirit and our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, bless you with the gift of his great kindness and peace.
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
3Whenever you come into my thoughts I give thanks to my Creator. 4I always pray with a glad heart when I send up prayers for you, 5because from the first day until now we have walked side by side in the telling of the good story. 6I have no doubts that the one who set your feet on this good path will keep walking it with you until the day that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One appears.
7It is right for me to think of you in this way, for you hold a warm place in my heart. You have shared with me in the gift of Creator’s great kindness, both in my chains and when I stand on the truth of the good story. 8The Great Spirit knows that the longing I have to see you comes from the warm and tender heart of the Chosen One, Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
9When I send my voice to the Great Spirit, I pray that the love you have for each other will grow strong and remain steady in wisdom and understanding. 10In this way, you will be able to make good choices that will lead to a pure heart and keep you from stumbling until the day of the Chosen One. 11I pray that your lives will be filled with the good fruit of doing what is right, which comes from remaining true to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One. All of this will bring honor and praise to the Great Spirit.
THE STORY OF THE CHOSEN ONE IS BEING TOLD
12My sacred family members, I want you to know that the hard times I find myself facing have not held me back. Instead, new ground has been gained for the telling of the good story. 13So now the soldiers who guard the lodge of the People of Iron (Romans) and all the other people here know that I am in chains because I follow the Chosen One.
14Knowing that I am in chains has given a great number of the sacred family members new courage in our Honored Chief to win the victory over their fear and boldly tell the good story. 15It is true that some tell about the Chosen One only because they are full of jealousy and bitterness, while others do so out of a good heart.
16The ones with good hearts do so because of their love, for they know that Creator has given me the sacred task of guarding the truth of the good story. 17The others, who are filled with jealousy and bitterness, tell about the Chosen One with crooked hearts and out of a selfish desire to cause trouble for me while I am a captive in chains.
18So here is how I see it. Whether they do these things for the wrong reasons or the right reasons, the story about the Chosen One is being told. This is what makes my heart dance. And my heart will keep dancing, 19for I know that when I am set free it will be through your prayers and the help given from the Spirit of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One.
HONORING THE CHOSEN ONE
20From deep in my spirit comes the hope that I will never face the shame of defeat but that I will have the courage, now and always, to bring honor to the Chosen One by the way I live or by the way I die. 21How can I lose? The Chosen One is my life, and death only brings me something better.
22Even if death would be a better choice, living in this world means my work will bear good fruit. So I do not know which way to go. 23I am being pulled from both directions. On the one hand, I desire to go and be with the Chosen One, which would be far better than staying here in this world.
24But on the other hand, staying here to help you is needed even more. 25Since I am needed here, I am sure that I will stay, so I can continue to walk you down a road of joy and strengthen your faith. 26Then when I come face to face with you once again, you can be full of joy and stand tall in what the Chosen One, Creator Sets Free (Jesus), has done through me.
WALKING WORTHY OF THE CHOSEN ONE
27Whatever happens, you should walk in a manner that brings honor to the good story about the Chosen One. In this way, whether or not I come to see you, I will hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, having one purpose, and struggling together to hold true to the good story in which we have put our trust.
28Show courage in the face of those who oppose you. This will be a sign to them that they are coming to a bad end, but for you it will be a sign that Creator is setting you free. 29For you have been given the honor not only to trust in the Chosen One but also to suffer for him. 30For you are now struggling in the same spiritual battle you saw me fight in the past, one I am still fighting.
WALKING THE ROAD TOGETHER
1As you walk the road with the Chosen One, have you gained from him courage for the journey? Have you found comfort in his love? Do you share together in his Spirit? Has his tenderness and mercy captured your heart? 2If so, then have the same kind of thoughts. Love with one heart. Join together in one Spirit. And walk side by side on one path. This will make my heart leap for joy.
3But when you do these things, make sure you do them for the right reasons. Do not let selfish ways take you down a path of bragging or trying to look better than others. Instead, let humility be your guide as you honor others above yourself. 4Each of you should look to the needs of others, not just to your own.
THE HUMILITY OF THE CHOSEN ONE
5Think about yourselves in the same way Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One thought about himself.
6Even though Creator Sets Free (Jesus) has always been the same as the Great Spirit and shared everything equally with him, he did not even think of holding on to this in a selfish way.
7Instead, he emptied himself, became nothing, and gave up all he had. Then, having been born as a human being, he took on himself the lowly form of a servant.
8As a True Human Being, he lowered himself even more by following the guidance of the Great Spirit, even when death was waiting fo
r him at the end of the trail, death on a tree-pole—the cross!
9Because Creator Sets Free (Jesus) did this, the Great Spirit gave him an honored place above all others and bestowed on him a name greater than all other names, 10so that all who live in the spirit-world above, on the earth below, and underneath the earth will bow their knee to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) in honor of his name. 11Then everyone, in their native language, will shout out loud that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One is Grand Chief over all the earth. This will bring honor and praise to our Father the Great Spirit.
WISE COUNSEL FROM SMALL MAN
12My much-loved family, you have always followed my guidance, not only when I was with you but much more now that I am away. So then, with great respect, you must walk the path Creator has given you for being set free and made whole. 13For the Great Spirit is creating in you the desire and strength to do what pleases him.
14Do everything without grumbling or arguing. 15In this way, you will show yourselves to be pure and innocent children of the Great Spirit. Even though you walk among a generation of people who live in bent and twisted ways, your reputation will shine as bright as the stars in the night sky 16as you hold out to them the words of life. In this way, on the day of the Chosen One, I can stand tall at the end of the trail knowing that my hard work was not wasted on you. 17Even if my lifeblood is to be poured out like a ceremonial drink offering in loving service to your faith, my heart is glad and I share my joy with you. 18Your hearts should also be glad and share the same joy that I have.
First Nations Version Page 61
