Chapter 1

¹ Paul, an Apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, ² to the holy and faithful brothers in the Anointed One at Colossae: May you have care and peace from our Father, God.

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we’ve heard of your faith in the Anointed Jesus and of the love you have for all the Holy Ones, ⁵ through the hope that has been reserved for you in the heavens. This is the same hope you learned of when the truth of the good news ⁶ was first brought to you. [And today] it’s producing fruit and increasing throughout the entire world, just as it has been doing among you since the day you first heard of it and came to an accurate understanding about the truth of the caring of God. ⁷ That’s what you’ve learned from EpaPhras our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of the Anointed One on our behalf. ⁸ And he’s the one who told us of the love you have, by the Breath [of God].

⁹ It’s because of this, that from the day we heard [of it] we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with an accurate knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding through the Breath [of God]. ¹⁰ We want you to walk in a way that’s worthy of the Lord and to be completely pleasing as you keep on producing the fruit of all sorts of good work and growing in an accurate knowledge of God, ¹¹ getting stronger in the power of His Glorious Might, so you can endure everything in joy and patience, ¹² while you thank the Father who qualified you to receive part of the inheritance of the Holy Ones of light.

¹³ He drew us to Himself from out of the power of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. ¹⁴ And the ransom price that frees us from our sins has been paid through him. ¹⁵ For, he’s the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ Through him everything in heaven and on the earth was created, both the things that are visible and those that are invisible. Everything has been created through him and for him, regardless of whether they are thrones, or rulerships, or governments, or powers. ¹⁷ He was before everything and everything came into existence through him. ¹⁸ He’s the head of the body of the congregation. He’s the earliest and the first one to be born from the dead, so that he would be first in everything.

¹⁹ [God] saw that it was good for him to be complete in everything, ²⁰ and used him to bring everything back into a good relationship with Himself, by making peace through his blood [that was shed] on the pole, regardless of whether these things are heavenly or earthly.

²¹ Why at one time, you were aliens and enemies, because, all you thought about was doing bad things. ²² But he has restored your relationship with Him by means of the death of [his] fleshly body. [This was done so that] you could be presented to Him as holy, without blemishes, and free from any accusations… ²³ that is, as long as you stay firmly founded and deeply rooted in the faith and aren’t diverted from the hope of the good news that you heard, which is being preached in all creation under heaven, and of which I (Paul) am a servant.

²⁴ Even as I suffer, I’m rejoicing over you. Right now, my flesh is finishing whatever may have been lacking during the difficult time that the Anointed One endured. I’m doing this in behalf of his body, the congregation ²⁵ (which is what I’m serving). It’s a responsibility that God assigned to me for your sakes, to fulfill God’s word ²⁶ about the mystery that was hidden from past ages and generations, but has now been made clear to His Holy Ones.

²⁷ It was God’s Will to make those of the nations understand the glorious richness of this mystery, so that the Anointed One would become one with you, [giving you] the hope of glory. ²⁸ So, he’s the one we’re advertising. We are wisely teaching and putting his mind in every man, so we can present every man as being complete in the Anointed One. ²⁹ This is why I’m working hard and struggling; so he can show his power and his way of doing things through me.

Chapter 2

¹ I want you to realize what a great struggle I’m undergoing on your behalf, as well as for those in Laodicea and for all those who haven’t met me face to face yet. ² I want your hearts to be comforted over this, so you can be brought together in love; and for you to be provided a rich and sure understanding, as well as an accurate knowledge of the mystery of God… the Anointed One. ³ For, hidden in him are the treasures of all wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ I want to explain this to you so that no one can mislead you with strong arguments. ⁵ For, although I’m not there in the flesh, I’m with you in spirit.

I’m rejoicing, because I’ve noticed the way that you’ve come into line with and become firm in the Anointed One. ⁶ So, since you’ve accepted the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, [you must] keep on walking with him. ⁷ Become rooted and built up in him; and become firm when it comes to faith in the things you were taught. Overflow with it whenever you’re giving thanks!

⁸ Watch out so that no one carries you off as a captive with the philosophies and empty hopes of human traditions, because these base things of the world don’t come from the Anointed One; ⁹ for in him lives all the fullness of the divine body ¹⁰ (and you’re also one with him in this fullness), so he’s the head of all governments and powers.

¹¹ You were circumcised into him with a circumcision that was done without hands, when you stripped away your fleshly bodies. This is the circumcision of the Anointed One. ¹² You were all buried with him when [you were] baptized, and you were all raised together by faith in what God (who raised him from the dead) has done in you. ¹³ For, that’s when you died to your errors and to the uncircumcised state of your flesh, and when you became alive with him. Then he kindly forgave all our errors ¹⁴ and wiped away the handwritten Law that held us down and oppressed us… he lifted it out of the way and nailed it on the pole! ¹⁵ Then he stripped away the governments and powers, and openly displayed that this is how he conquered them.

¹⁶ So, don’t let anyone judge you when it comes to [what you] eat or drink, or over your views of the festivals, such as the New Moon or Sabbath, ¹⁷ for these are just shadows of things to come. The reality belongs to the Anointed One.

¹⁸ And don’t allow anyone to take the prize away from you by suggesting some lowly form of worship of the messengers [of God], or by making strong claims for things he has seen. [This man has become] overly impressed with something he imagined in the flesh, ¹⁹ and he’s not hanging onto the head… the one who holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and which keeps growing with the [type of] growth that comes from God.

²⁰ So, if you’ve already died to the base things of this world along with the Anointed One, then why do you (as though you’re still living in this world) put yourself under such laws as, ²¹ ‘don’t feel it,’ ‘don’t taste it,’ or ‘don’t touch it’ … ²² especially when it comes to things that are just going to be consumed? These are the commands and teachings of men! ²³ Choosing such a form of worship may sound wise, with all its humility and mistreatment of the body, but it has no value when it comes to satisfying fleshly needs.

Chapter 3

¹ So, if you’ve been raised with the Anointed One, search for the things that are above… at the right hand of God, where the Anointed One is sitting. ² Also, think about the things that are above (not on the earth), ³ because you died and your life has been hidden away in the Anointed One and in God. ⁴ And then, when the Anointed One (who is our life) shows himself, you will also be seen with him in glory.

⁵ So, while you’re on the earth, deaden your body parts to sexual immorality, uncleanness, passions, desires for bad things, and greediness (which is idolatry). ⁶ It’s due to such things that the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ That’s the way you acted when you used to live for such things. ⁸ But now, get all of that out of your mouths (the wrath, anger, badness, slander, and obscenities) ⁹ and don’t lie to each other! Take off the old person and the things that he did, ¹⁰ and put on the new man who has been renewed by coming to an accurate knowledge… become the image of the One who created [this new man] ¹¹ in [a body] where there are no Greeks or Jews, circumcised or uncircumcised, foreigners, Scythians, slaves, or freemen; just the Anointed One, who is everything and in everything!

¹² So, as God’s chosen people who are holy and loved, put on the caring traits of empathy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. ¹³ Keep putting up with each other and forgiving each other kindly (whenever anyone has a reason to complain)… as the Lord kindly forgave you, you do the same! ¹⁴ And add love to all of that, because it’s the perfect unifying force.

¹⁵ Let the peace of the Anointed One serve as the referee in your hearts, because it called [all of] you into one body. So, be thankful and ¹⁶ allow the words of the Anointed One to live in you richly, and in all wisdom, as you kindly teach and remind each other through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Breath [of God].

Sing to God from your hearts! ¹⁷ And no matter what you say or do, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through him.

¹⁸ Wives; Always obey your husbands, since this is proper [for those who are] one in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands; Love your wives and don’t be bitterly angry with them.

²⁰ Children; Obey everything your parents [tell you to do], because this pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers; Don’t frustrate your children, so they don’t become discouraged.

²² Slaves; Obey those who are your fleshly masters in everything. Don’t just put on a good show to please men, but [do everything] sincerely and from the heart, in the fear of the Lord.

²³ Whatever you’re doing, work at it with your whole strength as though [you were doing it] for the Lord, and not for men. ²⁴ You know that you’ll get the reward of the inheritance from the Lord, so slave for the Lord, the Anointed One, ²⁵ because those who are unrighteous only receive the unrighteousness that they do, and they won’t be recognized.

Chapter 4

¹ Masters; Be righteous and fair with your slaves, because you know that you also have a Master (in heaven).

² Keep on praying, staying alert, and giving thanks. ³ And at the same time, also pray for us… that God may open a door [of opportunity] for us to speak and tell the mystery of the Anointed One. In fact, that’s why I’m [here] in prison; ⁴ to show whatever it is that I’m supposed to say.

⁵ Keep on walking wisely when it comes to those on the outside, and keep looking for opportunities. ⁶ Be respectful in everything you say… season it with salt and know how to answer each person.

⁷ Tychicus (my dear brother, faithful servant, and fellow slave in the Lord) will tell you everything that’s happening with me. ⁸ That’s why I’m sending him to you… to keep you abreast of what’s going on and to comfort your hearts. ⁹ [I’m also sending] Onesimus, my faithful and loved brother who came from you. They will tell you all the rest.

¹⁰ AristArchus (my fellow prisoner) sends you his greetings, as does Mark (BarNabas’ cousin). He’s the one you were told to welcome if he ever comes to [visit] you. ¹¹ So does Jesus (who’s also called Justus). All these are circumcised, but they are also my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, and they’ve done so much to console me.

¹² EpaPhras (who came from you), a slave of the Anointed Jesus, sends his greetings. He always puts a lot of effort into his prayers for you, asking that you might become perfect in the stand that you’re taking and [that you’ll] completely carry out the Will of God. ¹³ I can testify to the fact that he goes to a lot of effort on your behalf, and for those at Laodicea and at HierApolis.

¹⁴ Luke (the beloved physician) sends you his greetings, and so does Demas. ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, as well as to Nympha and the congregation in her home.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read among you, also arrange for it to be read in the Laodicea congregation… and you read the one from Laodicea. ¹⁷ Also, tell ArcHippus to keep an eye on the service assignment that he accepted in the Lord and to make sure he fulfills it.’

¹⁸ Here is my greeting (Paul’s) in my own hand. Remember me in prison. May [God’s] care be with you.

Notes

The Ransom

Throughout the Bible, we read of ‘the ransom’ (gr. lytron) that Jesus paid. Exactly what does this term refer to?

At Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, ‘This is how the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve and to give his living body as a ransom for many.’

Romans 5:12, 14 says, ‘Sin entered this world through one man and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men because everyone has sinned. However, death reigned from [the time of] Adam down to Moses, even over those who didn’t sin in the same way that Adam did. And [Adam] was a prototype of the one who would come.

1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 says, ‘Since death came through a man, resurrection from the dead also comes through a man. And as all are dying because of Adam, all will be made alive in the Anointed One.’

So, from the above, we must conclude that Adam lost the hope of ‘life’ for himself and all his descendents, because of his sin in Eden. However, Jesus came and paid the ‘ransom price’ to God, to redeem us from the sin of Adam, so that we could once again have the hope of ‘life in the age’ and a resurrection of the living.

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Cross or Pole?

The Greek word stauros simply means pole. So, regardless of popular tradition and doctrine, there is no mention of a pole with a cross piece (cross) in the original Bible. Also, the Greek word staurotheto (which is translated crucified or hung on a cross) is translated impaled (put on a pole or stake) here, because that’s what it means.

Does any of this really make any difference? No, for whether the Romans used just an upright pole or one with a cross beam as a means of torture and execution is unimportant. However, if one views such a thing as an object of worship, then this is condemned in the Bible as idolatry. And they are also missing the point. For what should be held as sacred to us is the one who gave his life on our behalf, not the disgusting object of his execution.

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What does In Mean?

The Greek word εν (en) simply means in. However, it is translated as in, one, in union with, and as other words, depending on the context, in most Bibles.

Especially in the book of John do we find the question raised, ‘Was Jesus really the same person as the God?’ This question is raised because the text at John 10:38 literally says, ‘… in order that you should know and you may be knowing that in (en) me the Father and I in (en) the Father.’

However, the text above is often translated as, ‘I and my father are one.’ Is this the true sense of what John wrote? Is Jesus ‘one with’ (the same as) the Father?

That could be a correct translation, but not in the context of the way the book of John was written. For example, notice how John 14:20 reads: ‘εν εκεινη τη ημερα υμεις γνωσεσθε οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν,’ or, ‘In that the day you will know that I in (εν) the Father of me, and you in (εν) me, and I in (εν) you.’

So, if John 10:38 means that Jesus is the same person as his Father, then John 14:20 means that all of Jesus’ followers are the same person and that they are also the same persons as Jesus and his Father. Is this a logical conclusion? No, because it doesn’t harmonize with numerous other scriptures that show his followers to be individuals, but one with (or in unity with) Jesus and God.

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Fornication or Sexual Immorality?

The Greek word porneia means much more than copulation between individuals who aren’t married to each other. The term literally means that which is sold (by prostitutes). So it includes all the types of services that might be sold by a prostitute, not just copulation.

It also just refers to acts between unmarried persons (which is what happens in prostitution). This includes such actions between unmarried ‘consenting adults,’ although there may be no exchange of money, because, where porneia is found in the Greek Septuagint, the Hebrew Law shows that it involves intimate relations between unmarried persons.

Because the English word fornication carries the nuance of just copulation between unmarried persons, we have used the broader term sexual immorality here to indicate the full range of the term.

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Undeserved Kindness or Caring?

The Greek word caris is where we derive the English word care or caring. However, the Greek word carries a slightly different meaning. Old English Bible translations have rendered caris as grace. However, the nuance that grace implies (smooth and flowing) totally distorts the meaning of this term in contemporary American English.

Most Bible dictionaries prefer to see caris translated as undeserved kindness. However, this phrase, which may or may not make some minor technical difference in the meaning, adds wordiness, and that distracts from the ease of reading. So you will find it translated as care, caring, or kindness herein, depending on the setting.

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The Anointed

Notice that in this Bible translation, 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 (for example) says, ‘The One who guarantees that we all belong to the Anointed One, and He who anointed us, is God.’

So, why didn’t these translators just go ahead and render the word (Anointed) as Christ – as countless other translators have done? For two reasons:

1. Because Christ has almost totally lost its meaning to most Bible readers today, and most have come to believe that ‘Christ’ was part of Jesus’ name. It wasn’t.

2. Because Christ is word that was made up by early Bible translators and is only used in that form when they think that the Bible was speaking of Jesus. In other places it is correctly translated as anointed.

If you look at the above verse in Greek, you’ll see that it reads, ‘Ho de bebaion hemas syn hymin eis Christon kai chrisas hemas Theos,’ or, ‘The of stabilizing us with you into Anointed and anointing us God.’

You will notice here that Christon (Christ or Anointed) and chrisas (anointed) are both derived from the same root word, which by the way, is Greek for olive oil. Why olive oil? Because, that substance was traditionally poured over the heads of those who God chose to be kings over Israel. For example, David and Solomon were both anointed (oil was poured over their heads) in proof of the fact that they had been chosen by God to be kings over Israel.

So, the word means anointed. But if you prefer the word Christ, then David and Solomon were Christs, for you can’t have it both ways.

Such a physical anointing with oil appeared to picture receiving God’s Holy Breath, which happened to Jesus at his baptism, to 120 of Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost of 33-C.E., and to other First-century Christians. So Jesus didn’t really become the Christon (Christ, Anointed, or Chosen One) until he was anointed with Holy Breath at his baptism (when the ‘dove’ came down on him).

If you understand this nuance, you get the true meaning of the word Christ (Anointed) as it applies to Jesus; it means that he was the one who God chose to be king over His people. Also, Paul was telling the Christians in Corinth that they too would be anointed… become ‘christs.’ For when they were ‘anointed’ and sealed in their hearts by God’s Holy Breath, they were selected to be ‘kings over the earth’ (Revelation 5:10).

Also, notice what can be learned from a proper understanding of the Greek words by looking at Matthew 24:24. For what he actually said was, ‘Because false Anointed ones and false prophets (gr. pseudo christon kai pseudo prophetai) will arise and they will perform great signs and omens to mislead (if possible) even the elected.’

So, Jesus wasn't necessarily saying that people would come claiming to be him, but people would come falsely claiming to be the anointed and prophets.

At Exodus 29:29 we find that Aaron and his sons were to be ‘anointed’ as Priests to Jehovah, and that this action would make them ‘holy,’ or clean. It also signified that had been ‘chosen’ to this office by God. And in Leviticus, when we read of the ‘anointed’ Priest, the reference seems to be to the one who had been chosen for the special office of what later became known as the High Priest, which gives credence to our translating Christos as Anointed One, rather than Christ, in the Christian Era Scripture (NT) portion of this Bible. However, at least in the case of Aaron and his sons, fragrant herbs were added to the oil to give it a pleasing odor. This is implied at Exodus 25:7 where the Israelites were asked to donate ‘fragrances for anointing oil.’ And we find the exact formula for the anointing oil at Exodus 30:34, where we read that it was to be made of ‘sixteen pounds of choice myrrh flowers, eight pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, eight pounds of sweet-smelling calamus, sixteen pounds of cassia (for the Holy Place), and a gallon of olive oil.’

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Who Wrote the Epistles?

We find the entire flap about who wrote Paul’s letters – by both scholars and critics alike – funny. Much has been made of the fact that the writing styles of Paul’s letters vary so much that it is improbable that he wrote them all, and he obviously didn’t, as the words of Romans 16:22 testify, ‘I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in [the] Lord.’

Paul, as several of his letters indicate, had very poor eyesight (see Galatians 4:13-15). Why? Was this caused by the brightness of his vision of Jesus, as some say? Well, it could have been, but we doubt it. Remember that there were no eyeglasses at the time when Paul wrote, he was likely over forty, and many of us who are beyond that age couldn’t see to write letters today if it weren’t for our eyeglasses. And there are several other natural causes for poor eyesight – other than miraculous visions.

A further indication of Paul’s poor eyesight is found at Galatians 6:11, where he wrote, ‘Look at these large letters that I wrote with my own hand!’ This can indicate that either Paul wrote the book of Galatians by himself, or that he had written just those few words of the letter. However, the mentioning of ‘large letters’ shows that he could barely see his own handwriting. That he could have written this letter himself is seen by the relatively short and less ‘flowery’ introductory words (Galatians 1:1-5).

Obviously, a man named Tertius wrote the book of Romans for Paul. Then, if you look at the headings or conclusions of other letters, you will find references to those who likely did the writing. For example, First Corinthians starts with the words, ‘Paul … and Sosthenes our brother.’ Then Second Corinthians starts out the same way, ‘Paul … and our brother Timothy.’

So, there are obviously different writing styles in Paul’s letters, because (as the letters themselves indicate), different people did the writing. This may be quite a revelation to critics and college professors, but they obviously haven’t actually read the letters.

For more information, see the attached link, The Bible’s Internal Proofs of Its Authentic History.

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Breath or Spirit

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost – as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

The most common use of the word pneuma in the Bible is to imply an unseen force (such as breath or wind). And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost is that many people have started believing that the unseen force that is called [God’s] Holy Breath herein, is another God-like person and part of a Divine ‘Trinity.’ This can’t be true, because the only scripture that can be used to support this theory (that is, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Breath are supposed to be ‘one’) is found at Matthew 28:19, which simply says that baptism should be done ‘in the name of’ (or, in recognition of) these three. All other scriptures that are used to prove the Trinity theory fail to mention the Holy Breath as part of that group. And the King James wording of 1 John 5:7 (which was used for years to attempt to prove the Trinity) is spurious (something that was added to the Bible). In fact, the reference to the Holy Breath at Matthew 28:19 may also be spurious, and if so, then there are no actual Bible references that mention God’s Holy Breath along with the Father and the Son.

So to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as ‘spirits.’ Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word Spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as Spirit in several places, when referring to God’s Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God’s] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, ‘Breath of Life.’ This phrase means more than just breathing; it refers to the entire mechanics of life itself. It’s the unseen force of life for all creatures… it’s what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the ‘pneuma’ as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) ‘return to God’ at death,’ because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God’s Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, ‘Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?’ As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God’s Breath in this case, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and caused him to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3 God says, ‘I won’t allow My Breath to stay with these men through the the age, for they are fleshly.’ In Greek that reads, ‘Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,’ or, ‘Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.’

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God’s Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that he gave Adam. So it appears as though what He was saying here is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as ‘My Breath,’ there may be a link implied between God’s Holy Breath and the breath of life. For more information, see the attached link ‘The Powers of God’s Holy Spirit.’

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), ‘he hung his head and quit breathing’ (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath).

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Mystery

The Greek word that is translated as mystery here (Sacred Secret in other Bibles) is mysterion, which is the root word of the English word mystery.

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The Dead

Revelation 20:12 speaks of the ‘dead’ ‘standing before the throne’ and ‘being judged.’ Since they are able to stand for judgment, in what sense are they dead?

Note that at Matthew 9:60 Jesus said, ‘Let the dead bury their dead.’ And at Romans 8:10, Paul speaks of the body being ‘dead’ because of sin. Then at 1 Corinthians 15:22 he explains that, ‘Because of Adam, all men are dying.’

So the conclusion we must reach is that all men are considered as dead and dying in front of God, due to inherited (and their own) sins. Thus the scriptures in the Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of living people (who will already have been resurrected) that will stand before God and be judged either to life for the ages, or to the permanent destruction of the ‘lake of fire.’

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear that people can be considered no longer dead even before the resurrection. For, notice what is recorded that he said at John 5:24, ‘I tell you the truth: He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, has life for the ages. He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

And Paul wrote at Romans 5:17, ‘And if (because of that one error) death started its reign through [Adam]; then those who receive His caring and the gift of righteousness during this life will even be more sure to rule as kings through Jesus the Anointed One.’

So, it appears as though a person is considered no longer ‘dead’ as of the time when his/her name is written in ‘the book of life.’ This doesn’t mean that they won’t die, but that they are considered as ‘alive’ in God’s eyes, and they will not be counted among the dead who are raised in the resurrection (for more information, see the linked document, The Resurrection).

This appears to be the meaning of Jesus’ words at Matthew 22:32, which say, ‘Haven’t you read what God told you about the resurrection of the dead, [when he said], I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He isn’t the God of the dead, but of the living.’

Also, this appears to be the meaning of his words as found at John 6:54-56, where he said, ‘For if you chew my flesh and drink my blood, you’ll have life within yourselves, and then I’ll resurrect you on the Last Day, because my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Those who chew on my flesh and drink my blood will stay in me and I [will stay] in them.’

And then consider Jesus’ words to the unrighteous Judeans, found at John 8:23, 24, where he told them, ‘You come from the things below and I come out of things from above. You are from this world, but I’m not from this world. So as I told you before; you will die in your sins… if you don’t believe that I’m [the One], you will die in your sins.’

So from those words, we must assume that the unrighteous Judeans would be considered the dead, while those who accepted him were counted as the living.

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Kingdom

The word Kingdom is translated from the Greek word basileia, which refers to the realm of a king (basil).

A common misconception about this Kingdom is that it isn’t real… that it’s just a state of mind. This conclusion is based on Jesus’ words found at Luke 17:21 which say (in Greek), he basileia tou Theou entos hymon estin (the Kingdom of the God in you is). These words are then translated as, ‘for God’s Kingdom is within you.’ However, this couldn’t be the correct meaning, because, notice that (at Luke 17:20) Jesus said these words in reply to a question that was raised by the Pharisees, and he certainly didn’t believe that the Kingdom was in their hearts.

So, what did Jesus mean? He was saying that he, the king of that Kingdom, was there in their midst, and that the hope of becoming kings in that Kingdom was being offered to them. And while it’s true that real Christians ever since that time have in fact been members of that Kingdom in their hearts, the word Kingdom (an area of rule) implies that there will be an actual time of rule and a realm for Jesus and his faithful servants. And, since it appears as though some of these kings will rule from heaven, the place where they rule from is called ‘the Kingdom of Heaven.’

However, Kingdom of Heaven appears to refer to the rule from heaven and not to the place where those who are ruled will live. We draw this conclusion from Jesus’ words as found at Matthew 8:11, which reads: ‘Many from the sunrise and sunset will come and recline [at the table] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.’

That such faithful individuals as Abraham weren’t really in heaven at the time Jesus spoke these words (but they were alive in God’s memory), is confirmed by what Jesus said at John 3:13, ‘Nobody has gone to heaven other than he who came from heaven, the Son of Man.’

So, Matthew 8:10-12 must be referring to Abraham and his descendants living under the rule of a heavenly Kingdom government. These faithful ones don’t appear to qualify to be rulers in heaven themselves, because they weren’t ‘born again’ to receive the value of a spiritual life, nor were they part of the ‘Sacred Agreement for a Kingdom’ (Luke 22:29) that Jesus made with his Apostles just prior to his arrest and execution.

Notice how Jesus showed that the Kingdom of God hadn’t already arrived at the time he was speaking, for we are told at Luke 19:11, ‘While they were listening to these things, he told them another illustration, because he was getting close to Jerusalem, and they all thought that the Kingdom of God was about to happen instantly.’ Then Jesus told about a man who made a long trip to a distant land to receive kingship. So, a long period of time was obviously involved between when Jesus would leave on his journey (to receive kingship in heaven), and the time when he would return to reward his faithful slaves.

There is a definite time for this Kingdom to start its rule, which is made clear by the words of Revelation 12:10. For there we read, ‘Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, This is the moment when the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the authorization of His Anointed began. Because the one who has been accusing our brothers has been thrown down… the one who has been complaining about them day and night in front of our God!’

So, when the Opposer and his messengers are/were expelled from heaven, God’s Kingdom begins there. However, it must await the end of the ‘short period of time’ before God’s opposers are destroyed at ‘Armageddon’ and any of its effects will be seen on earth.

Then, what IS the Kingdom? The term appears to refer to a coming rulership of the earth by God, Jesus, and a spiritual Israel that originates in the heavens but extends to those in charge on the earth, for John wrote at Revelation 1:6, ‘[Jesus] made us to be a Kingdom of Priests to his God and Father.’ And he wrote that a heavenly group sang this song to him about Jesus (at Revelation 5:9, 10):

‘You bought people for God with your blood,
From every tribe, language, ethnicity, and country.
Then you made them rulers and Priests to our God,
And they’ll rule as kings on the earth.’

Then at Revelation 2:26 it’s recorded that Jesus promised: ‘I’ll give he who conquers and obeys whatever I tell him to do down to the end, power over the nations.’

And again at Revelation 3:21, Jesus promised: ‘Then I’ll allow the one who conquers to sit down with me on my throne, just as my Father has allowed me to sit on His throne, because I have conquered.’

For more information, see the linked document, The ‘Seed’ – God’s Kingdom.

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Messengers

Most Bible translations render the Greek word aggelos (pronounced ahn-gel-ose – with a hard g) as angel wherever it is found. However, aggelos is just the Greek word for messenger. True, in most cases where the Bible speaks of angels, it is referring to spirit messengers from God. However, this may not be the meaning in every instance, and always translating it as angel may distort what was said in certain instances.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and had appeared at the door of some faithful Christians. In Greek, the latter part of this verse reads, ‘oi de elegon Ho aggelos estin autou,’ and is often translated as, ‘They began to say, It is his angel.’

This rendering doesn’t sound reasonable, for it would have been bizarre for Christians to assume that an angel from God (who looked like Peter) was standing and knocking at their door. Rather, the rendering we have used herein makes more sense, ‘So they said, It’s his messenger.’

Another good example of why aggelos shouldn’t always be translated as angel can be found at Genesis 32:3, which reads in Greek, ‘Apasteile de Iakob aggelous emprosthen autou pros Hesau ton adelphon autou,’ or, ‘Sent of Jacob angels ahead of him toward Esau the brother of him.’ Here Jacob was obviously sending human messengers to his brother, not heavenly ones.

And consider the words at Numbers 20:14, where we read that Moses sent messengers (gr. aggelous – messengers, plural) from Cades to the king of Edom.’ Then in verse 16, it says that ‘Jehovah … heard our voice and sent His messenger (gr. aggelon – messenger, singular) who brought us out of Egypt.’

Also, consider the words of Haggai 1:13, where we read: ‘Then the Messenger (or angel) of Jehovah, Haggai, one of the [many] messengers (or angels) of Jehovah, said to the people, Jehovah says I am with you!’

Yet, Haggai was just a man not a spirit.

Obviously, although the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used to speak of two different types of messengers here… those who are human and those who were sent from heaven by God. As the result, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, and we have rendered the word as messenger or messengers in each instance, because this proper translation of the word provides readers a better look at what position these heavenly sons of God held. For angel isn’t a heavenly rank it’s a duty.

Also, translating aggelos as messenger (when it truly means an ‘angel’) helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such spiritual sons of God play in His dealings with mankind. And it helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels.

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Bodily Divinity

It is very difficult to translate Colossians 2:9, 10 into English, and many different conclusions have been reached about what Paul was writing here. In Greek it reads: ‘οτι εν αυτω κατοικει παν το πληρωμα της θεοτητος σωματικως και εστε εν αυτω πεπληρωμενοι ος εστιν η κεφαλη πασης αρχης και εξουσιας,’ or, ‘because in him is/dwelling/down all the fullness of/the divinity bodily and you/are in him having/filled who is the head of/all government and authority.’

The King James Bible renders these verses as: ‘For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.’

GOD’S WORD® Translation says: ‘All of God lives in Christ’s body, and God has made you complete in Christ. Christ is in charge of every ruler and authority.’

The International Standard Version says: ‘because all the essence of deity inhabits him in bodily form. And you have been filled by him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.’

And the New World Translation reads: ‘because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily. And so you are possessed of a fullness by means of him, who is the head of all government and authority.’

We have rendered these verses as: ‘for in him lives all the fullness of the divine body (and you’re also one with him in this fullness), so he’s the head of all governments and powers.’

As you can see, the wording of different Bible translations is quite varied (as indicated by the different colors), and their choice of words appears to depend on whether the translators believe in the concept of a Holy Trinity or not.

What did Paul actually mean? Well, although we have concluded through independent research that the Trinity concept is poorly supported (see the linked document Who Was Jesus? ), we have no one’s doctrines to support. So, hopefully we can be more objective.

As you can see; whatever the fullness of the divine body may be, it is something that is shared in by the Christian congregation. So the wording of Colossians 2:9, 10 doesn’t appear to support the Trinitarian Godhead concept, or the idea that God lives in Jesus’ body, since many share in the fullness of that body, as the Greek text clearly shows. Rather, the wording seems to closely reflect the words of John as found at John 14:20, which reads: ‘ εν εκεινη τη ημερα υμεις γνωσεσθε οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υ μεις εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν,’ or, ‘In that the day you will/know that I in (εν) the Father of/me, and you in (εν) me, and I in (εν) you.’

Here Jesus was speaking of a special relationship between God, himself, and the congregation, and he used the Greek word (εν) (English: in) to reflect their closeness or unity. So for that reason, we have chosen to render εν as one with at Colossians 2:10 (as we have in several other places throughout the Christian-Era Scriptures). And from this description that was given by Jesus himself, we must conclude that the sharing of the divine body refers to a oneness or unity between Jesus, God, and the congregation, which will lead to all having a headship over governments and powers.

Notice how this conclusion is supported by the words of Colossians 3:1-4, which read: ‘So, if you’ve been raised with the Anointed One, search for the things that are above… at the right hand of God, where the Anointed One is sitting. Also, think about the things that are above (not on the earth), because you died and your life has been hidden away in the Anointed One and in God. And then, when the Anointed One (who is our life) shows himself, you will also be seen with him in glory.’

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