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The Testimony of Yeshua
Colossians (The Gabriel Version)
We Pray For You Continually
3 We continually thank Yehovah, the Father of our Master Yeshua Messiah, and pray for you, 4 ever since we heard of your faith in Yeshua Messiah and of your love for all the 'special ones', 5 because of the expectation of good reserved for you in Heaven that you heard before in the true message—the Good News 6 that has come to you, just as it is growing and yielding ‘a harvest’ in the entire world, as it has been doing among you since the day you first heard of it and really understood the compassion of Yehovah. 7 You learned [about the Good News] from Epaphras our fellow servant. He is your faithful servant of the Messiah, 8 and he told us about your love that is inspired by the spirit.
9 This is why from the day we first heard of you, we have never stopped praying for you, asking that you be filled with a precise knowledge of Yehovah’s will, as well as supreme wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that your lives will be worthy of Yehovah, with all of your good works, and produce so that your lives will be worthy of Yehovah, with all of your good works, and produce ‘a harvest’, increasing in the knowledge of Yehovah., increasing in the knowledge of Yehovah. 11 May you be empowered with every kind of ability, by the splendor of His dominion, with much patience and perseverance, 12 joyfully thanking the Father who has qualified you to share in the special one’s inheritance in Light. 13 Yehovah has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, and brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. 14 He has paid our ransom and released us from the bondage of sin [1].
He Created Everything
15 He looks like the Aloha who is never seen, and is the firstborn of all living beings. [2] 16 He created everything [3] in the heavens and on earth, everything seen and everything unseen, including thrones, governments, rulers and authorities—everything was created thru Him and by [4] Him. 17 He existed before anything else, and thru Him everything came together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the assembly, and the first person born from the dead. This way He could be first in everything. 19 Father was pleased to have the entirety of His presence residing in Him, 20 and establish harmony in the universe thru Him, and for Him to make peace by the blood of His cross, whether they are the inhabitants [5] of earth or Heaven.
21 You used to be alienated and have hostile attitudes, because of your evil behavior. 22 But now He has reconciled you by His human body and thru His death, so that He could bring you into His presence, 'special', faultless and above reproach, 23 as long as you continue to firmly hold onto your convictions, and you don’t abandon the assurance of the Good News that has been heard thruout the whole creation under Heaven, that I, Paul, became a “deacon” of.
24 I find joy in the suffering that I endure for you. In my body I am filling in whatever is lacking in the Messiah’s afflictions, on behalf of His body, that is, the assembly. 25 I am a “deacon” commissioned to overseeing the household of Yehovah, entrusted for your benefit to make the Word of Aloha fully known, 26 specifically, the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations, but is now revealed to His 'special ones'. 27 Yehovah wanted to reveal the vast wealth and splendor of this mystery thruout the nations, namely, that the Messiah who is in you is the anticipation of our splendor.
28 We publicly proclaim the complete knowledge, warning and teaching everyone, so that we can present everyone to Father in their finished state, thru Yeshua Messiah. 29 This is why I work so hard, striving with the aid of the supernatural power given to me.
[1] Some versions add: “thru His blood”, based on a few relatively late Greek manuscripts. [2] No one was “born again” before Him. [3] This describes the universe. [4] The Greek to English translations say “for” here rather than “by”, in a way that may imply the elimination of Yeshua’s role as Creator—making the verse self contradictory. [5] The Greek translations interpret this to apply to “things” rather than to “inhabitants” or “beings”. Would Yeshua have shed His blood for any of the inanimate objects that He created? Not to imply that there are humans in Heaven now (John 3:13).
Avoid the Religious Training of the World
6 So since you have accepted Yeshua Messiah our Master, ‘live your lives for’ Him 7 with your roots firmly planted and growing in Him and establishing yourselves in the convictions instilled in you, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 Be careful not to let anyone make you naked slaves [1] by philosophy [Gr. philosophia] and by empty deceptions and humanly devised rituals—the religious training of the world, rather than conforming with Messiah.
9 The fullness of Aloha’s transcendence is living in bodily form. 10 Belonging to Him makes you complete, because He is the head of every magistrate and authority. 11 And in Him you have been circumcised with the circumcision not done by hand, when you threw off your sinful nature by the Messiah’s circumcision. 12 You’ve been buried with Him by immersion. As a result you’ve been raised up together from physical death [2] since you believed in the power of Yehovah, who raised Him from the dead.
13 You were spiritually dead and in an uncircumcised physical state, yet He’ll cause us all to live together again with Him, because He has forgiven all of our sins [3]. 14 By His mandate He blotted out the RECORD-BOOK OF SINS [4] that was against us, and removed it from among us and nailed it to His cross. 15 By yielding His body [5] He showed contempt for the rulers and the authorities, and put them to shame.
Ignore the World’s Judgments
16 So don’t allow anyone to pronounce judgments against you about eating and drinking, or about various aspects of the Feast days, new moons and Sabbaths 17 that foreshadow things in the future, except for the body of Messiah [6]. 18 Don’t let anyone’s desire to degrade your mind subject you to bondage, so that you subject yourselves to the religious practices of “angels”, while they elaborate about gods that they haven’t really seen, being arrogantly inflated in their carnal thoughts, 19 rather than holding onto the Head, the One who frames and constructs the whole body with joints and ligaments, and grows as Yehovah causes it to grow.
20 If you’ve died with the Messiah to the predominant false teachings of the world, then why are you submitting to its rules as if you were still living in the world? 21 “Don’t handle this! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” 22 All of these abusive ‘notions’ will perish. They are the commandments and doctrines of men. 23 These bogus ‘notions’ appear to reflect humility and deep respect for Yehovah, but it is ascetic severity, and nothing of any real value against carnal indulgences.
[1] The Aramaic says “naked”, the Greek refers to “slavery”, with nakedness likely being implied. [2] This is explained in Daniel 12:1-3 and John 5:28-29. [3] Various words are translated as “sin”. This one means “deviations from the truth”. [4] “Recent studies have shed light on the meaning of cheirographon which occurs only once in the [Testimony] (Col 2:14). It’s usage in apocalyptic literature indicates the cheirographon is the ‘record-book of sins’ or a ‘certificate of sin-indebtedness’ [Aramaic: record of our debts] BUT NOT THE MORAL OR CEREMONIAL LAWS. This view is supported also by the clause ‘and this he has removed out of the middle’ [and took it out of the way,” KJV] (2:14). ‘The middle’ was the position occupied at the center of the court or assembly by the accusing witness. In the context of Colossians, the accusing witness is the ‘record-book of sins’ which [Yehovah] in [Messiah] has erased and removed out of the court” ... “....the document nailed to the Cross isn’t the [Torah] in general or the Sabbath in particular, but rather the record of our sins. Any attempt to read into it a reference to the Sabbath, or to any other Old Testament ordinance, is unwarranted, gratuitous fantasy.” —From Sabbath to Sunday, p.111 [5] Greek translations lack: “by yielding His body”. [6] Every version I have seen tampers with the simple text here that explains that only the true “body of Messiah” has any business counseling you in regard to these Torah issues! Check an interlinear for the uncorrupted truth. See commentary.
Get Rid of Your Old Habits
5 Put to death your worldly ‘impulses’: illicit sex, impure motives, depraved passion, lust and greed, which itself is idolatry. 6 Because of these things, Yehovah’s anger is coming on the works of disobedience [1]. 7 These are things that you used to do when it was your way of life. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of these things—angry and heated outbreaks, wickedness, blasphemy and obscene speech. 9 Don’t lie to each other. Get rid of the old you with all your wicked practices. 10 Cloth yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in the image of your Creator! 11 Your new self isn’t Jewish or Hellenistic, circumcised or uncircumcised, Aramean or barbarian, slave or free, but the Messiah is everything, and is in all of us.
12 So as Yehovah’s selected and dearly loved 'special ones', clothe yourselves with compassion, tenderness, kindness, humility, composure, and patience. 13 Be tolerant of each other. Pardon and restore each other, and if anyone has a complaint against someone, you must pardon them just like the Messiah pardoned you. 14 In addition to all of these, add love, because it ‘binds everything together’ in perfection.
15 Allow the peace of the Messiah to direct your minds, since this is why you were called by name into one body, and give thanks to the Messiah. 16 Allow His Word to remain in you as a treasure, with great wisdom and intelligence. Teach and admonish each other with psalms, and sing hymns and spiritual songs to Yehovah. 17 And whatever you do, in speech or actions, do it in the name of our Master Yeshua Messiah, and give thanks thru Him to Yehovah the Father.
18 Wives be submissive to your husbands. This is appropriate for Yehovah’s women. 19 Husbands love your wives, and don’t become irritated with them. 20 Children obey your parents in everything, because this pleases Yehovah. 21 Father’s, don’t exasperate your children or they’ll become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do, not only when they are looking, like those who aim to please people, but with the sole purpose of revering Yehovah. 23 Whatever you do, do it with your whole being, as something done for Yehovah rather than for people. 24 You know that you’ll receive compensation from our Master, an inheritance, because you serve Yehovah [2] the Messiah. 25 But those who hurt others will be paid back proportionately, and without any partiality.
[1] See why this has nothing to do with “children”. Keyword children. [2] Yeshua shares the name “Yehovah” with His Father, particularly the pre incarnate “Yeshua”. See: “I and My Father are ONE.”
Keep Praying, Stay Alert
2 Keep praying, and stay alert as you do it, and when giving thanks. 3 Pray for us, so that Yehovah will open a gate for the Word, to tell the mystery of the Messiah, for whose sake I have been imprisoned, 4 so that I can reveal it as clearly as I should. 5 Behave wisely toward those who are outside of the faith, and make the best use of every opportunity. 6 Your speech should always be kind, seasoned with salt as it were, so that you’ll know how to answer everyone.
7 Tychicus, who is a dear Friend, a trusted servant [Gr. diakonos] and a fellow servant of our Master will be telling you about everything that is happening with me. 8 I sent him to you so that you’d know how we’re faring, and for your peace of mind. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dear Friend who is from your region. They’ll tell you what is happening with us.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends his greetings, as does Barnabas’s cousin Mark. You’ve received instructions about him. If he comes, welcome him. 11 Yeshua, called Justus, also sends greeting. They are the only ‘Jewish converts’ who have been working with me for the Kingdom of Yehovah, and they’ve been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is also from your region sends his greetings, a servant of the Messiah who is always laboring for you in prayer, so that you’ll be firmly established and fully confident in the entire will of Yehovah. 13 I can assure you of his zealousness [Gr. zelos] for you, and for everyone in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Our dear Friend Luke the physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to our Friends in Laodicea, Nymphas and the assembly that meets in his house.
16 After you have all read this letter, then have it read by the assembly of the Laodiceans, and you should read the letter I’m sending to Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus, “Be vigilant in the ministry that you received from Yehovah, and complete it.”
18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting in my own handwriting. Remember my imprisonment. May His compassion be with you. Aw-main.
End of the letter to the Colossians, that was written from Rome and sent by Tychicus.
1 THESSALONIANS is next.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua Version of this book with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (New Testament).
