Paul's Letter to the Colossians
A Paraphrase by Sis. Kimberly Hartfield ©2008
1[1-17]From Paul, a follower of Yeshua, the Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy our Christian brother, to the Christians and all the faithful ones in Christ which are at Colosse:May God's grace and peace be with you, from Yahweh God and Yeshua the Christ. We give thanks to God, who Yeshua, the Christ is from, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Yeshua, and of the love which you have to all the Christians, because the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, in which you heard in the words of truth of the New Word; which is here to you, as it's in all the world; and makes fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth: As you also learned of Epaphras our dear co-worker, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you; and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. Because of this we also, since the day we heard it, don't stop praying for you, and wanting you to be filled with the knowledge of Christ's will with wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you might please God, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all strength, for the amazing power of Christ, in patience and suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks to God, Who has made us right in order for us to take part of the inheritance of the Christians in light: Who has taken us from the power of darkness, and has brought us into the realm of God's Beloved Child: In whom we've been bought through Christ's blood to save us from our sins: Who is the living example of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: because by Christ everything was created, that is in heaven, and that is in earth, both visible and invisible, whether it is thrones, or areas of control, or spiritual realms, or powers: everything was created by Christ, and for Christ: And Christ was before everything, and by Christ everything exists.
[18-29] And Christ is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first to be raised from the dead; in order to have the most important place in everything. Because it pleased God that all of the godhead would be in Christ; And having made peace through the blood of the cross, by Christ, to bring everything back to God; by Christ, I say, whether it is things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, who were at odds at one time with and enemies in your minds by the evil that you've done, still now has Christ brought back: In the flesh of Christ's body through death, to present you set apart and without blame and unconvictable in God's sight: If you stay in the faith, well grounded and settled, and don't move away from the hope of the New Word, which you've heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; in which I, Paul, am made a minister; Who now gladly accepts my sufferings for you, taking on the troubles of Christ in my body for the body's' sake, which is the church: Which I am a minister, for the privilege of God, who is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God; Even the secret which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made plain to the Christians: To whom God would make known the wealth of the victory of this secret among the other peoples; which is Christ in you, the hope of victory: Whom we preach, warning everyone, and teaching everyone in all wisdom; so that we can present each one complete in Christ Yeshua: Which is why I also work, striving for the work of God, which works greatly in me.
2[1-5] And I wish you knew what great struggles I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for whoever hasn't seen me face to face; that their hearts might be in good spirits now, coming together in love, and to have all the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, to know the secrets of God, both of Yahweh God, and of Yeshua, the Christ; in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, in case anyone tries to fool you with tempting words. Because though I am absent in the body, still I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and watching over you, and seeing the strength of your faith in Christ.
