Colosians Chapter 1

Introduction 

The Church in Colosse was likely founded by Epaphras (Col. 1:7), and from 1:21 we assume that the church was composed mainly of Gentiles. The church was likely to be meeting in the home of Philemon. Epaphras likely got converted under the Apostle Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus and returned to his home region to share the gospel, planting churches in Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. (Col 4:9,12-13)

Colossians letter was written by Paul from prison in Rome around A.D 60-62, despite having never visited the city personally.

Paul had to counter some strange teachings about philosophy of men who never want to leave Moses law and its serial arrangement of basic ordinances. This lead to rehearsing the basic understanding (synesis) in Christ, Col 2:9-11 "for in Him (christ),everyone dwells physically in fulness of knowledge of the divine (God) Fatherhood (the Great Grand Father or Uncle), and we are made complete in Him (christ) who is the Head over all authority of ancient times rules (Judaism). The theme of this book could be the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His sufficiency in meeting our needs in every area of our life.

Col 1

Paul is grateful to God for the salvation of our souls (from going into hades). 

1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the determination of God and a Brother Timothy:

2 to the holy and faithful brethren at Colosse (in asia minor). Peace with God our FATHER and Grace from Christ (and the Lord Jesus Christ be unto you.

3 We always make prayer for you, being grateful to God, the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

4 having heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus, and your SELFLESS-LOVE unto all the holy ones:

5 through the (pleasurable) hope for things reserved up for you in heaven, even the Truth which you have heard before, in the words of the gospel:

6 presented unto you, just as even to everybody in the world; to grow and bear fruits, even just as it is, among you, from the day you heard and knew the grace of God in the Truth. 

Three Prayer points of Paul to the Colossians Christians 

7. Just as you have learnt from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is faithful over you as a minister of Christ:

8 who even declare your SELFLESS-LOVE in the SPIRIT to us.

9 Because of this, even we, from the day we heard, did not cease to make prayer and asked, at least - for your sake; a desire for full-discernment (epignosis), mentally putting together (sunesis) of everything of spiritual wisdom (Sophia) and to be fulfilled in Him.

10 - to walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing unto everyone; bearing fruits by good works to all and growing by full-discernment of God.

11 - to be enabled in miraculous power unto everybody, according to the glory of HIS dominion(Kratos) amid joy and hopeful-endurance.

Pre-eminence of Christ who is in the likeness of the first Adam in the garden of Eden and a perfect replacement

12 We are grateful to the FATHER, WHO has qualified/make you competent (hikanoo) unto a portion/a lot in the Light, in a section/province of holy saints.

13 and His Beloved Son, who rescues us out of the authority of darkness and transfer us into a kingdom.

14 in Whom we have redemption [through His blood] and freedom from offences.

15 Who is the likeness/statue/image of originally formed creature (Adam), the FIRST-BEGOTTEN of the INVISIBLE God. 

16 For, in him (adam), all things were originally founded/created; whether thrones or lordship or Authorities of the ancient times (in Judaism), whether things in the sky and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, all were founded/created originally because of him and unto him

17 and he has been, prior to everybody and in him, all things were recommended/constituted.

18 and to take the lead/have pre-eminence over the FIRST-BEGOTTEN of the ancient time (Adam), is the Head/chief Leader to the Body, even of His Church, at least, Who among all, at least, He has happened to be out of the dead.

19 For, at the completion (of things), all (the people) shall be well-pleased to permanently dwell in Him. (Jh1:16).

All the nations are Reconciled to God in Christ 

20 And through Him (Jesus), all are compensated for/fully reconciled unto the SAME (GOD), WHO has been pacified through Him, whether upon those on the earth or in the heaven, even through His blood on the pole/stake.

21 and you, who were once alienated by evil works and hostile in your imaginations/deep-thoughts, [for emphasy, you have also been reconciled] 

22 but for emphasy, you are now reconciled in the flesh through His death, to present your body holy, and unblemished and unaccused/irreproachable in the presence of the SAME (GOD):

23 if indeed you stay upon the laid foundation of Faith and be steadfast/sedentary and by pleasurable hope, you never move away from the gospel which you have heard and proclaimed to everybody under the sky, to become Original Creations, in which I, Paul, am a minister/deacon.

Selfless service in Christ 

24 Now, my suffering is for your sake, and I rejoice in supplementing the deficit of the tribulations of Christ, in the flesh, for the sake of His Body, which is the Church.

25 of which I become a minister according to the stewardship given to me by God, to complete/fulfill the words of God unto you.

GOSPLE and the WEALTH therein was once a MYSTERY.

26 the MYSTERY (secrets shut up), which is hidden from ages, even away from generations - but for emphasy, is now made manifest to His holy saints.

27 to make known among the heathen nations, what is the glory of this MYSTERY, which God desire (and) the WEALTH/riches in Christ, which is for your glory by (pleasurable) hope.

28 which we proclaim, admonishing all men and teaching all men in all wisdom, at least, to present all men perfect/mature in Christ.

29 unto which I work hard and contend according to His energy/ability, working/activated in me in miraculous power.

Colosians Chapter 2

Col 2

Preach Christ, not philosophy 

1 For, I want you to be aware of how old is the struggles I have, over you and those in Laodicea and as many that have not seen my face in the flesh.

2 At least, it is to encourage your hearts by the wealth/riches in Christ unto everybody, to the intent of harmonizing/accommodating/knitting you together in SELFLESS-LOVE, by understanding (synesis) and full-discernment of the information of the MYSTERY of God (the FATHER); 

3 in Whom, treasures of mental-knowledge (gnosis) and wisdom are hidden for everybody.

4 I say this, at least, nobody should be misled/be unreasonable by speculation/persuasive speech.

5 because, even if I am absent in flesh, on the contrary, cheer up, I am together with you in the SPIRIT. Take heed, to your orderliness/tidiness and to the firmness of your Faith unto Christ.

6 As you have accepted the Lord Christ Jesus, walk in Him.

7 be rooted and be built up in Him, to establish your Faith, just as you were taught in Him, super-abound in thanksgiving/worship.

Preach Christ's kind of circumcision and injunction, not legalism of Moses law. 

8 take-heed, never should anyone of you be taken captive, through philosophy of men and empty scam/deceit according to the handed-down traditional law and according to fundamental principles of the world, which are not according to Christ.

9 because, in His completion of things, all people will physically/bodily dwell permanently (together) in the nature of God (theotes). (Jh1:16) 

10 and in Him, you shall be fulfilled, Who is the Head (chief-leader) over, all the authorities of the ancient times (rules);... 

11.....in which you would have been circumcised with circumcision by the removal of the flesh on the body. But, in Christ, the circumcision is NOT made with hand, 

12 and through faith in the operation/working of baptism of God, WHO has raised Him out of the dead, you will be raised together with Him among those you would have been buried together with.

13 and you, who would have been among the dead person for the transgression, have been made to live together with Him, even with the foreskin (uncircumcised state) of your flesh, by granting us all forgiveness from transgressions by favour;

14 having nailed Him to the stake/cross, He blotted out/eliminated the handwritings of dogmas/ordinances against us, which has been adverse to us, and He removed them, out of the middle (like a partition wall - Eph 2:14)

15 He has removed/despoiled the Authorities even of the ancient times rules (of Judaism), and in out-spokenness/frankness, He made them a public example, and in Him, we are given a significant victory/making acclamatory procession among everybody.

16 therefore, someone in your SECTION should not judge/decide for you on act of eating (allowed/forbidden), and on drinking or on holy-days-feast or new-moons or sabbath days;

17 however, they were by the shadow of things whose the Body is intended to be of Christ.

18 none of you should be awarded/honored with prize, even in desiring the modesty/humbled-mind in the religion under a Messenger (Moses), who was seen to have interfered/stepped in, randomly/in vain, by making their mind and flesh brag.

19 and they did not hold fast to the Head, out from whom the body, through joints/ligaments/bonds should be knitted together/harmonized for everybody by a sense of touch to be fully supplied/nourished, and grow with the growth from God. (Eph4:16)

20 if you submit to dogmas of the world, even from the serial principles of the world, and you died off, how will you live on as those who are together with Christ?

21 - Touch not! Taste not! Never handle/have nothing to do with (others)! 

22 the usage of which are against everybody, and the doctrines and the commands/precepts are unto decay/ruins of men.

23 some of which hold on indeed to words of wisdom in self-imposed worship/religion of modesty/mind-humbling, with non-lenient treatment of their flesh, and not in the honor of their body but towards abundance/plenitude of some people

Colossians Chapter 3

Col 3

Preach Christ, not carnality

1 Therefore, if you shall be raised up together with Christ, seek after things from above, where Christ settle down in the Right Hand of God.

2 Exercise your mind on the things from above, not things upon the earth.

3 because, for you who is together with Christ, Zoe-Life of God is in you, but it is hidden to those who will die off.

4 (and) whenever Christ will manifest, at that time, by your Zoe-Life, even you together with Him, shall manifest in glory.

5 Therefore, by (His) PASSION/emotional-suffering/tough experience, upon the earth, parts of your body could be deadened to uncleanness of sexual immorality/harlotry, greediness and lusts, evil things which are of idolatry/paganism.

6 by reason of which, the anger of God is coming (upon the rebellious/unbelieving sons);

7 in which even you at some time past had walked, while you were living in those things.

8 however now, for emphasy, you should have put all (those things) away: anger, fierceness, wicked-intentions, slander/blasphemy, foul/filthy-words, even out of your mouth.

9 Do not lie unto one another, having put-off things of the old man, together with his habitual practices.

10 and put-on the new things, according the likeness/icon of the one originally formed, who has been renewed (as of new-age), unto Him by full-discernment/additional-knowledge.

11 where there is no Greek of uncircumcised foreskin and Jews of circumcision, Barbarian (non-greek), Scythian (Iranian stock, now Crimea), Slaves, and Free-born/citizens. On the contrary, Christ is everything in everybody.

Characters of a New-age Man 

12 Therefore, as a Chosen, holy ones and Beloved of God; put-on a bowel/yearning of compassion, kindness, humbled-mind, meekness, and long-patience;

13 put-up/bear with one another and grant pardon as favor to yourselves, in case anyone has a complaint against another, just as (Christ) the Lord granted you pardon by favour, likewise even you (should do).

14 however, upon all these things, is SELFLESS-LOVE (Agape), which is the joint/ligaments/bond of perfectness/completeness.

15 and the Peace (with God), will govern/arbitrates your heart, by which you are called-forth unto one body in Christ, even to become well favored.

16 and the words of grace in Christ, shall coupiously dwell in you, having taught you in spiritual wisdom, admonish yourselves in Psalms, sing songs and hymns by all your hearts to God.

17 and what everybody have done, which in case may be, in words or actions: be grateful to God the FATHER for everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, because of them.

Characters of Christian wives, Husbands, Children, Servants

18 Wives (women), should be submissive to the husbands (fellow-men) as it is proper in the Lord:

19 husbands (fellow-men), should selflessly-love the wives (women) and never be embittered towards them.

20 Children, listen attentively to the Parents with respect to all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

21 Fathers/Parents, should not provoke/irritate children, lest they should be discouraged.

22 Servants should listen attentively to masters in the flesh, with respect to all things, not by sycophancy/by eyes service and men-pleasers, but as those who revere the Supreme Lord in sincerity/simplicity of heart.

23 what peradventure should be done, labour/operate out from soul, as unto the SUPREME Lord, and not to men.

24 be aware that, you will fully receive your reward of heirship from the Supreme Lord for serving Christ the Lord. (Eph 6:6)

25 for, those who do wrong will receive back from doing wrongs and there will be no partiality.

Colosians Chapter 4

Col 4

Words of advice to masters

1 Masters should be fair/righteous and administer equity/equality to servants; knowing that you also have Supreme Lord in heaven.

Words of Advice to Christians 

2 Get used to oratory prayers, be vigilant in it by grateful language of worship:

3 and make prayer concerning us, at least, that gates will be open to us, to preach the words of God, even the mystery of Christ, on account of which at the same time, I am bound.

4 at least to manifestly declare it as I ought to preach -

5 walk in wisdom towards those outside; it is hightime to ransom/buy-back the loss.

6 know how you ought to answer every person; your words should be the ones seasoned in salt, always with Grace.

Greetings 

7. Tychicus (fortunate), a Beloved brother and a Faithful minister and co-servant in the Lord will make all things concerning me known to you.

8 whom I dispatch toward you unto these things, even to know things concerning me and at least, to encourage your heart.

9 together with Onesimus (profitable), a Faithful and Beloved brother, who is OUT FROM you (colosee), he will make all things here known to you.

Special announcements from Paul himself: no body should reject John Mark 

10 Greetings to you from Aristarcus (best-ruling; a Macedonian) my co-prisoner. And Marcus (John Mark) the nephew (sister's son) of BarNabas (concerning whom you will receive instruction to welcome him, if he comes towards you.) (ref: Act 15:36-39)

11 and a Jesus, called Justus, this is the only fellow-worker unto the kingdom of God, who is out from the circumcision, and who become consolation to me.

12 Greetings to you from EPAPHRAS who is OUT FROM you (colosee), a servant of Christ Jesus, always contending in oratory prayer at least for you to be fully informed/assured, stand firm and be matured in all desires of God.

13 for, I testify of him, that he has much mental anguish for you and those in Laodicea (in Asia minor) and those in Hiera-polis (sacred-city).

14 Greetings to you from Luke, a Beloved physicians, and Demas.

15 Greet the Brethren in Laodicea and Nympha (given bride), even the church in her house.

Special message to harmonized Laodiceans and Colosians Church

16 and whenever the letter is to be read to you, make at least a Laodicean out from Laodicea church to read alongside, at least in reading to you.

17 and say to Archippus (horse-ruler), take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, at least to fulfill it.

18 the salutation is by my hand, Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. (Amen) 

(Written from Rome (strength, the capital of Italy), through Thychicus and Onesimus)