note -- For our final in Colossians we had to do a paraphrase of the book.   What is a paraphrase you ask?  It is a translation from the Greek which seeks to be more faithful to the idea of the words than the literal meaning.  We had to translate in a free and clear way so that Paul's words could be best understood. This involved more than simple language studies, for we had to get at the heart of Paul's words, which are indeed as Peter said... difficult at times.  Here ya' go... The POT version of Colossians.  

Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae

                    (Patrick Oden Translation)

1   Paul, a messenger of Jesus, the one who saves us, and commissioned by God, along with Timothy, who is also commissioned by God for his work.

Dear holy ones in Colossae and all who are faithful followers of Christ,

May God, who is now our father, give grace and peace to all of you!

When we pray to God, who is the father of Jesus, the one who has saved us and is leading us to a new life,  we always give thanks for each one of you.  We have been told of your great faith in Jesus, the one who was promised to us and who has given you new life as well.  We have also heard about the love which is so evident in your community.  This love comes from the strong hope which we are assured is leading us to a fuller life in eternity, a hope which you all first heard about when the good news about who Jesus is and what he did was first proclaimed to you.  It wasn’t only proclaimed to you, though, for I assure you throughout the world this message of Truth is causing people to grow and blossom.  You too are doing wonderful things now that you know about Jesus and believe who he really is, and feel his presence in your life.  Epaphras, who is our dearly loved friend and is so very faithful in communicating the love and hope of Jesus to all of you, told us about the love within your community.  This is a true sign of the Spirit of God working in you!

            Because of this, from the moment Epaphras told us, we have not stopped praying for you and asking that you would be filled with a new wisdom and understanding which comes from the Spirit of God, indeed that you would know God’s perspective and guidance in all areas of your life and what is going on in this world.  We also have continued to pray that you would live in such a way that truly reflects the presence of the Spirit in your lives, a way that is completely pleasing to God, doing wonderful things for him, and being yourselves brought to a more complete understanding of who God really is.  We pray that you will be given all the strength and power which can come from the Ultimate Power, in order to endure the present time with patience and joy, being genuinely grateful to our Father no matter what happens. 

            It is he who has made you all capable of receiving your part in the great bounty that he promised to those who faithfully serve him.  He rescued us all from the corruption and evil influences which we  simply could not escape from before.  But he broke those chains and brought us to a place where his Son rules, a place where love dominates.  We have been set free!  Our mistakes and errors of the past are now behind us!  Those things which were tearing us down and making us into something less than what we should be are no longer holding us back!  We have been given a new life by Jesus!

            He truly is the God we can see, the very image of the God who was never before seen.  He is in charge of all of creation, and indeed all of creation is dependent on him for its very existence.  Whatever is natural or supernatural is under his command, no matter how lofty they appear to us, he is above all.  He is the source of life and being for everything!  And this Jesus is also the head of the community of those who follow him, he is the beginning of all and he was the first to conquer death in order that he might always be above everything else in all things.  In him the very fullness of the Divine could be found, and through his life God brought all that had been created back to the original relationship which was intended at the moment of creation. It was his blood which he shed while on a Roman cross which brought about this peace between God and all that exists. 

            You all used to be strangers to this God and his enemy because of all the evil stuff you did, or wanted to do. But now you have a great relationship with him because of the sacrifice Jesus made.  Because of what he did you can now be brought before God as ones who have not done evil and who are truly all that God intended you to be.  When he sees you he won’t have anything to hold against you and will only see your goodness and purity.  Of course this is true only if you continue to persist in your belief in who Jesus is, reflecting this in your words and your actions.  This is possible only if you have a strong foundation and cannot be budged from your trust in Jesus, nor be dissuaded from truly believing in the wonderful hope that we all have in and through him.  This wonderful news has been proclaimed throughout all the world, and I Paul proclaim it myself and work constantly for its continued influence in people’s lives!

            Now I actually rejoice for being able to do so many things on your behalf, even though I have had to sacrifice and struggle to do these things.  It is an honor to be able to continue the work which Jesus began while he was on the earth.  What he started, I can carry on, bringing the message of his salvation to all those who are willing to hear and accept it.  I have dedicated my body for his body, that is for those who are gathered together as his followers.  I became a servant to him, helping to manage this new community of people which God has called together and who God has called me to lead and teach.  I am called to teach about Jesus, who revealed the full nature of God, even though it had been hidden for countless generations.  

            This secret has now been told!  We can now truly know God, at least those who trust and believe in him. But it is to the ones who do trust and believe that God wanted to reveal himself, sharing with us the wonderful hope and glory which is found in this new revelation.  For the Jesus who is the true image of God, and in every way filled with all that is Divine is now in us!  It is this Jesus whom we announce to all that will listen, warning everyone about their future without God, and teaching everyone the full truth about life.  We do this so that everyone we talk to will meet God in a new way, will be people who are living as they were intended to live.  This isn’t just talk, but I also am working toward this goal myself, doing all that I can to allow him to transform me into a true reflection of Jesus, finding myself being filled with a new wisdom and power as he works within me.

2  I really want you to know how much I am fighting on your behalf, and for those in Laodicea, and for everyone, even the ones I have not met personally.  I am fighting so that hearts and souls might be encouraged with a better understanding of who Jesus truly is, as the true revelation of God for us, and that all of you would be united together in love and with a true confidence in what we believe.   All that is true is found in Jesus. You don’t need to look elsewhere for “supplements”.   I want you to know this so that no one comes along with fancy, “spiritual” sounding words and leads you away from what is really true.  For even though I am not with you in person, I am struggling with and for you as if I was there.  We are united with the Spirit of God, and I am rejoicing to see how wonderful your faith is being lived out in your community.

            Because of all this, just as you heard and responded to the message of Jesus, continue to live your lives in a way that reflects that he actually is with you.  You have been planted in new soil, and have been nourished with faith, are now growing as you should, filled with true joy and being thankful no matter what happens. 

            But watch out.  There are a lot of smooth talkers out there, gurus who really sound like they know something.  Their words sound sweet and wise, but will lead you back into the chains which Christ broke.  This “religious” talk and philosophy will be a trap, because it comes from the mind of people, not God, from the “folk” wisdom of this world, not from Jesus, the creator of this world.  It is in Jesus that God truly is found in bodily form, and we are now part of who he is, having been restored to who we were meant to be from the beginning.  He is the one who establishes all the order and rules in this world. 

            We do not have any “religious” markers which tell those around us who we follow, but rather than depending on some sign or mark to distinguish us, it is our hearts and souls which mark us as true followers of Jesus.  We let our renewed souls reveal who we are, not some symbol which doesn’t really do anything.  When we were baptized we acted out being buried, just as he was buried for us.  But we were also raised in faith, just as he was raised from the dead, united and powerful in our new found way of life.  

            We were as good as dead in the past, trapped in a cycle of corruption and decay which was continually making us less than what we should be, but through his work we were brought back to life, able to be restored and renewed so that we could not only no longer avoid becoming less, but we could indeed now be something more!  He erased our pasts and restored our credit, all the points against us have been removed, and our permanent record is now only filled with commendations.  All the stuff that could have been used against us was taken out and nailed to the cross.  He took all those who love misery and decay, those who use power for evil ends, and exposed them for what they are and marched them down the street with their heads bowed and their arms bound. 

            So don’t let anyone look down on you for what you do or do not do.  Don’t let them boss you around telling you what is good to eat and what is bad, or what you can drink and what you can’t.  Don’t let these folks tell you which are “holy” days and which are not, because all of these are shadows of the Real, echoes of that which is to come.  But the reality, the Truth, is found in Jesus.  Don’t let anyone bring you down because they delight in demonstrations of humility and “spiritual” behavior. They don’t know what they are talking about, their so-called wisdom and visions give them pride without substance, with their confidence being in their own “spirituality” rather than in the true Spirit.  They act like they are working for the body, but they have forgotten about the Head.  It is the head that gives true life to the rest of the body, allowing all the joints and ligaments to do their part, revitalizing and maturing the whole body with the growth that God brings.

            Since you “died” with Christ and no longer depend on the folk wisdom of this world, why do you still subject yourselves to these “spiritual” sounding rules  and customs.  “Don’t touch that!”  “You can’t taste this!”  “I wouldn’t handle that if I were you.”  These rules all deal with things that simply don’t matter, and come from human ingenuity.  Though they sound “spiritual”, with a look of holiness coming from apparent piety and  humility, with a negative and harsh view of the body, they really don’t do anything in solving the underlying issues of our tendency towards evil and corruption.  They are like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. 

3    So, since you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are part of this new life, the things which will make you whole rather than less, the things that are of Christ and that come from God himself, where Jesus now is.  Keep your mind on his ways and teachings, and don’t think about those things which bring corruption and decay.  For you already have “died” in regards to that former way of life, and now you can have confidence and security in knowing that your salvation is assured and God is truly working on your behalf, no matter how things may appear to others.  

            When Jesus is finally revealed to everyone you also will be revealed with him, shown for who you are because of him and shown as recipients of his great grace and bounty.  Those who doubt Jesus and your way of life will be shown the light.  So kill off completely those parts of you which lead you towards corruption, amputate such things as sexual immorality, impurity, lustful passions, foul desires, all those things you do which are corrupt and all those things you want which are corrupting.  This is putting something before God.  Serve God, not yourself.  Put him first, not your own desires.  It is because of all this stuff that God is angry at those who continue to ignore him.  This is not what he intended his creation to be, but this is how all of you used to act when you hung around the sorts of people who did these things.

            But the new life requires that we put aside those old ways, including all the corruption and decay that comes from letting your anger take a hold of you.  There is no road rage in the Kingdom of heaven, no foul language in the presence of God. We are to live lives of thankfulness not hostility.  Watch what you say and do.  Don’t lie to one another, because that is part of the old life, the person you used to be.  But that person is gone, dead, and you have now been rebuilt into someone new, someone who reflects the very image of God in your lives, an image in which there are no racial distinctions, no upper, middle, or lower classes, no ranking of spiritual quality, no more esteemed positions in life.  Rather Christ is all that matters and he is equally in all of us, he defines who we are, not our position in this life. 

            So, be what you already are.  You have been chosen by God, and have been filled with his Spirit, and are truly holy and loved by him.  Act like it.  Let your hearts and souls be filled with compassion, kindness, true humility.  Let your strength come from Christ without bragging about it, and be patient in enduring all that might try to dislodge you from the course which you are now on.   Don’t get irritated or upset with each other, but rather forgive each other no matter what, just as you all were forgiven by Jesus.  Above all of this, however, make sure that you are continually filled with love.  Love is the glue that holds all of this together and which makes all of you truly who you were meant to be, and unites us all for all of time.  Let the peace that comes from Jesus be always present in your lives, keeping strife at bay, for it is into this peace that we were called together as a community.  And remember, always be thankful.

            Let the truth of Jesus himself fill your lives, encompassing all that you are and do, and shaping you continually into an ever closer reflection of his presence in your life.  With this True wisdom, teach and counsel one another, pointing out the ways to go and the ways not to go.  Do this with Psalms, with music, with all sorts of creative expressions of the Spirit working in your midst, letting your hearts be filled with grace so that God can hear and see your reflection of his presence.  And whatever you do, whether through speech or action, do everything under the command and as representatives of Jesus, giving hearty thanks to God our Father through his life in you.

            Make sure all of you married women truly do serve your husbands as is proper for all those who are servants of Jesus.  And you husbands, really love your wives and don’t become resentful or frustrated with them.  All of you who have children, make sure that you do not do things which cause resentfulness or deep anger, these things can throw them off course and discourage them from pursuing true growth. 

            Those of you who are stuck in a certain work situation, do all that is asked of you, not simply for show or favor, but with a sincerity of heart which comes from understanding your new life as a follower of Jesus.  Don’t do anything simply to please another person, but rather whatever you do offer this up as worship to God.  For it is from Jesus that you will truly receive the great bounty and blessings which have been promised to all those who continue to follow him.  Serve Jesus.  All those who don’t do what is right, will have it all come back to them eventually.  And with Jesus no one gets off easier than another.  They will get their due, but you must do what you have been called to do. 

4    And for those who have authority and power, don’t take advantage of people that depend on you for work, livelihood, or life.  Be just and fair to all, knowing that you yourself are totally dependent on the Lord in heaven. 

            Persevere in prayer, letting thankfulness keep your spirits high and attuned to what is going on.  Please pray for us too, that God will lead and guide us in new ways that we may continue to spread the message of who Jesus truly is to all people. It is because of doing this that I have been now imprisoned.  Pray that I might have the right words to say and take the right actions which are needed to really communicate the reality of this message to all who hear it. 

            Act with wisdom when dealing with those who are not yet part of our redeemed community, making the most of every opportunity.  Do not be harsh with these folks, but be honest, understanding that different people need to hear or see different things in order to really understand the truth of this message. 

            Tychicus will let you know in more detail all that is going on with me.  He is a true friend, who is so faithful in helping me spread the message of Jesus, and working to see that all are continuing to mature in wisdom and understanding.  I sent him to you for this very reason, that he might share with you our stories and that he might bring you great encouragement.  He is bringing Onesimus back to you.  He too is now a dedicated and true friend.  They will fill you in on the what’s happening out here.

            Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, says hi.  As does Mark, Barnabus’ cousin. You know, the one you were given some commands about, if he comes out your way make sure you receive him.  Jesus also, who is more commonly known as Justus, sends you his greetings as well.  These are the only Jews who are working alongside me for the sake of the good news of Jesus.  They have really encouraged my heart in countless ways. 

            Your old buddy Epaphras also wants to say hello.  He truly is dedicated to Jesus with all his mind, strength, and soul.  He is also dedicated to you, always praying for you that you might become fully mature and truly know the will of God in your lives in all things.  Honestly, he has done so much for you already, more than you can know. He also has done so much for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 

            Our dear friend Dr. Luke says hi, as does Demas.

            Share my greetings with those in Laodicea, especially Nymphas and the group of Christians that meet in her home.

            Pass this letter on to those in Laodicea when you have finished with it, and make sure you get the letter that I sent to them. 

            Tell Archippus this message: “Make sure that you give attention to that job which you received from God, so that you might accomplish that which you were called to do.”

This is actually Paul writing now. Remember my chains.

Grace be with you.