Colossians 1:1-16
First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament
 
From Small Man (Paul), chosen by the Great Spirit to be a message bearer for Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, and from He Gives Honor (Timothy). To the Great Spirit’s holy people and sacred family members 1 who live in Village of Giants (Colossae) and have been faithful to walk the path of the Chosen One. We greet you with the great kindness and peace that comes from our Father, the Great Spirit. When we send up prayers for you, we always give thanks to the Father of our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One. We thank him for the good words we have heard about your trust in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One and your deep love for all his holy family members. This love and trust come from the hope you have in Creator’s promises kept safe for you in the spirit-world above. It is the same hope you heard about when you were told the words of truth found in Creator’s good story. The seeds of this good story have been planted throughout the whole world, and now the message is growing and bearing good fruit. In the same way, it took root and began to grow in you, when you first heard and understood the truth about the gift of Creator’s great kindness. Walks in Beauty (Epaphras) was the seed planter who first taught you these things. He is a faithful servant of the Chosen One, for your sakes, and also a much-loved helper who walks beside us on the road of life. He is the one who told us about the love of the Spirit that is in you. Ever since we heard about you, we have never stopped praying for you. When we send our voices to the Great Spirit, we ask that he will fill your heart and mind with the knowledge you need to walk in his ways with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. That you will walk in a manner that is worthy of our Honored Chief, making his heart glad and bearing good fruit as you walk the path he has chosen for you. In this way, you will grow wise in your understanding of our Great Creator. We pray that you will grow strong with the strength that comes from the honor and shining-greatness of his power. Then you will be able to stand firm in a calm and unhurried manner, as you give thanks with glad hearts to the Great Spirit who is our Father from above. For he is the one who has made you ready to take your place on this road of life, a place he prepared for you among all the holy ones who walk in his light. The Giver of Life has set us free from the dark ruler of this world. He has brought us safely onto his good road to walk it together with Creator’s much-loved Son. He is the one who paid a great price to release us from our bad hearts and broken ways. He is the visible representation of our invisible Creator. All that the Father has belongs to this Son. He existed before creation and is above all created things. For it was in him that all things in the spirit-world above and on the earth below were created, all things seen and unseen. Yes, even governments, rulers, powers, and authorities were all created by him and for him.