Small Man To The Sacred Family In VIllage Of Desire Ephesians

¹Because I walk the road with our Honored Chief, I have been made a prisoner. I now call on you to join me in representing him in a good way as you follow the path he has chosen for you. ²Walk with a humble and gentle spirit, patiently showing love and respect to each other. ³Let his Spirit weave you together in peace as you dance in step with one another in the great circle of life.

⁴In this circle we are joined together in one body, by one Spirit, chosen to follow one purpose. ⁵There is only one Honored Chief, one common faith, and one purification ceremony.5 ⁶There is one Great Spirit and Father of us all, who is above all, and who works in and through all.

⁷His great kindness has gifted each of us from the headdress6 of the Chosen One. ⁸That is why it is said, “When he was lifted up on high, he captured many warriors, took their spoils of war, and gave them back to the people.”7

⁹What does “he was lifted up” mean? It could only mean that he had to first come down, into the lowest parts of the earth, ¹⁰so he could be lifted up, to the highest place, and be the one who would restore all things.

¹¹He gifted us with message bearers, prophets, tellers of the good story, and wisdomkeepers, who watch over us like a shepherd watches over his sheep. ¹²These gifts were given to prepare Creator’s holy people for the work of helping others and to make the body of the Chosen One strong ¹³until we all follow the good road8 in harmony with each other because we know and understand who Creator’s Son is.

We will then be like the Chosen One—mature human beings, living and walking in his ways, and fully reflecting who he is. ¹⁴No longer will we be like children who are tossed about by the waves and follow every voice they hear in the wind. We will no longer listen to the ones who behave like tricksters with their forked tongues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!”

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.

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.

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.

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 remember, 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.

^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!