Second Letter From Small Man To He Gives Honor 2 Timothy

²⁰In a great lodge there are not only vessels made of gold and silver but also pots made of wood and clay. Some are for special use and others for ordinary use. This is true in the lodge that is Creator’s sacred family. ²¹Those who wash themselves clean from these worthless ways will be vessels of honor, made holy for the Headman’s use and ready to do many good deeds.

²²So flee from youthful desires and pursue right living, trusting, love, and peace, along with all who call out to our Honored Chief from a pure heart. ²³Have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they stir up further arguments. ²⁴For Creator’s sacred servant must not be eager to argue but kind to all. He must also be a good and patient teacher, ²⁵humbly instructing those who stand against him. For it could be that Creator will return them to the right way of thinking and lead them back to the path of truth. ²⁶Then they will come to their senses and escape the trap of the evil trickster, who held them captive to serve his purposes.

¹I want you to remember that the last days will be violent and dangerous times. ²People will love only themselves and possessions. They will be puffed up, big-headed, troublemakers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, and unspiritual. ³People will be cold-hearted, merciless, full of accusations, without self-control, savage, and haters of what is good. ⁴They will be traitors, reckless and arrogant people who love pleasure more than they love the Great Spirit. ⁵Stay clear of people like this, for they make a big show of being spiritual but deny its true power.

⁶Some of these are men who trick their way into people’s families to manipulate vulnerable women who have given themselves over to broken ways to be burdened down with all kinds of evil desires. ⁷They are always looking to learn new things but never able to find and understand the truth. ⁸In the same way that Greedy Man (Jannes) and Hostile Man (Jambres) stood against Drawn from the Water (Moses),2 these men also stand against the truth. They are men of bent and twisted minds, whose understanding of our spiritual ways3 is worthless. ⁹But they will not fool many, for their trickery will be easy to see, just as it was for Greedy Man (Jannes) and Hostile Man (Jambres).

¹⁰But you, He Gives Honor (Timothy), have followed my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, and what I believe. You know how patient I am, how much I love others, and how I have never given up. ¹¹You also know how much I suffered when I was at Stands Against (Antioch), Spirit Village (Iconium), and Set Free (Lystra), how they hunted me down to bring harm to me. But our Honored Chief rescued me in each of those places. ¹²It is a true saying that all who want to live their lives in harmony with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One will suffer harm at the hands of those who stand against him.

¹³Bad-hearted people will go from bad to worse. These are humans behaving like tricksters who lead people down the same kind of path they have been tricked into walking. ¹⁴But you should keep following the ways you have been taught, the teachings you are sure of, for you know who it was who taught you. ¹⁵From the time you were a young boy you have known the Sacred Teachings that are able to make you wise as you trust in the one who has set you free and made you whole, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One.

¹⁶All the Sacred Teachings come from the breath of the Great Spirit and help us to teach others about Creator’s ways. They help us correct wrong thinking and bring lives into balance. They show the good and right way to walk the road of life. ¹⁷In this way, those who walk with the Great Spirit will have everything that is needed to do good things for others.

¹When the Chosen One appears, he will decide the fate of the living and the dead and bring his good road to us in all its fullness. In light of these things and in the sight of the Great Spirit and Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, I call on you to complete the sacred task ²of making his message known! Be ready whether the time seems right or not. Patiently instruct others. Give strong counsel, warnings, and firm words to strengthen their hearts. ³For a day will come when people will not listen to good teaching. They will gather around themselves teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and believe made-up stories.

⁵But you must remain clear-minded in every way, stand strong in hard times, and do the work of a good storyteller. Keep doing what Creator has called on you to do. ⁶For my life is already being poured out like a ceremonial drink offering, and the time for me to walk on has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight. I have walked the good road to its end and stayed true to our spiritual ways.4 ⁸There is a chief’s headdress for doing what is right waiting for me in the spirit-world above. Our Honored Chief, whose decisions are always right, will honor me with a headdress on that day, and not only me but also all who have loved his appearing.

⁹Try to come and see me soon. ¹⁰For Leader of the People (Demas), because he loved this present world, has run away to village of False Victory (Thessalonica) and left me alone. He Grows More (Crescens) has gone to Land of Pale Skins (Galatia), and Big Man (Titus) to Land of Holy Robes (Dalmatia). ¹¹Only Shining Light (Luke) is with me. When you come, bring War Club (Mark) with you, for he is a good help to me as I serve our Creator. ¹²I sent He Is at Ease (Tychicus) to Village of Desire (Ephesus). ¹³And I left my coat at Cut Through (Troas) with He Grows Good Fruit (Carpus). So when you come, bring it to me along with the books, and above all bring the animal-skin scrolls.

¹⁴Man Fighter (Alexander), who works with copper, did much harm to me. Our Honored Chief will do to him what he has done to hurt others. ¹⁵Be on the lookout for him, for he stands strongly against all we teach.

¹⁶At my first council hearing, no one spoke up for me and everyone left me alone. May this not be counted against them. ¹⁷But Our Honored Chief stood with me and gave me strength, so that through me the Outside Nations would hear the whole good story. I was set free from the mouth of the lion.5 ¹⁸Our Honored Chief will rescue me from every evil scheme and carry me safely onto his good road from above. All honor belongs to him to all the ages. Aho! May it be so!

¹⁹I send greetings to Lives Long (Priscilla)6 and Strong Eagle (Aquila) and to the family of Bringer of Good Things (Onesiphorus). ²⁰Much Desired (Erastus) remained behind at Village of Pleasure (Corinth), and He Eats Well (Trophimus) was sick so I left him at White Sheep Wool (Miletus). ²¹Try to come to me before winter. Wise Counselor (Eubulus) sends greetings to you, along with Hides His Face (Pudens), Sweet Grass (Linus), Limping Woman (Claudia), and all the members of the sacred family.

²²May our Honored Chief be with your spirit, and may the gift of his great kindness rest on you.

Aho! May it be so!