Listen to the Hebrew rendering narrated by Christian. We include parenthetical English definitions for each Hebrew term, so you can understand it in modern English.
The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians – Continuous Narrative in Ancient Hebrew Concrete Thought (With English Glosses)
Sha’ul, a sent one of Yeshua ha Mashiach (the Anointed One), walking under the ratzon (delight and purposeful will) of Yahweh, and Timotheos, our brother of the same ohel (tent, dwelling), to those qedoshim (set-apart ones) and steadfast companions walking the derekh ha-brit (path of covenant) in Colossae:
May chen (gracious favor) and shalom (wholeness, harmony, complete peace) flow to you from Yahweh our Abba and from Adon Yeshua ha Mashiach.
We lift our hands in todah (thankful praise) to Yahweh, Father of Yeshua, our voices rising like incense, because we heard of your emunah (steadfast trust) in the Anointed One and your ahavah (covenant devotion) toward all who are His.
You hold the tikvah (cord of hope and expectation) stored in the shamayim (heavens, the unseen realm of Yahweh’s order), first heard through the devar ha-emet (word of truth), the besorah tova (good news) that has spread like seed to every field of the earth, bearing peri (fruit) wherever it is sown.
From the day you tasted the chen (favor) of Yahweh in emet (firm, faithful truth), you have been growing like a living vine, tended by Epaphras — our beloved eved (servant, house-worker) — who told us of your ahavah (covenant love) flowing from the Ruach (breath-wind of Yahweh that joins and animates the tent of His people).
From the day we heard, we have not ceased to breathe prayers for you:
that you might be filled with da’at (experiential knowledge) of His ratzon (delightful purpose) in all chokmah (skillful wisdom) and binah ruachit (understanding born of the Spirit-breath),
walking in a way that brings the Master joy, bearing peri tov (good fruit) in every deed, deepening in da’at Yahweh (knowing Yahweh through shared life).
May you be chazaq (made strong and firm) with the zeroa (outstretched arm) of His splendor, enduring with erekh ruach (long breath, patience) and simchah (rejoicing heart),
giving todah (thanksgiving) to the Father who made you fit to share the nachalah (inherited portion, allotment of land) of the qedoshim (holy ones) dwelling in His or (light, radiant presence).
He has delivered us from the yad ha-choshekh (hand of darkness) and carried us into the malkhut (kingdom, reign) of His beloved Son,
in whom we have ge’ulah (redemption, kinsman-rescue) through His blood — the kaphar (covering and cleansing) of our pesha’im (transgressions, rebellions).
He is the tselem (visible form and imprint) of the unseen Elohim, the bekor (firstborn heir) over all creation;
for in Him all things were bara (shaped and formed) — things in the shamayim (heavens) and on the adamah (earth), seen and unseen, thrones and rulers, powers and authorities — all through Him and for Him.
He is before all things (qedem, the source and beginning), and in Him all things qayam (stand firm, hold together).
He is rosh (head, chief) of the qahal (gathered assembly), the reshit (first sprout) from among the dead, so that in all things He might stand supreme.
For in Him the melo (fullness, complete measure) of Yahweh was pleased to shakan (dwell, tabernacle),
and through His blood upon the wooden etz (tree, stake) He carved a derekh shalom (path of peace and wholeness), restoring all things in heaven and on earth into harmony again.
You once stood outside the machaneh (camp, community), strangers in your thinking and deeds, but now He has karav (brought near) you through His flesh, presenting you qadosh (set apart), tamim (whole, unblemished), and naki (clean, free from stain) before Him.
So remain ne’eman (steadfast, firm-footed) in emunah (trust), rooted (shorashim, planted roots) and built up (banah, established) like a dwelling upon rock, holding fast the tikvah (cord of expectation) woven through the besorah tova (good message) that has reached the world.
For this I labor (amal, toil), rejoicing in the weight I bear for you, adding my share to the sufferings of Yeshua for the sake of His qahal (assembly, gathered body).
I am a pekid ha-bayit (steward of the household), entrusted by Yahweh to bring His devar (living word) to its fullness —
the sod (hidden mystery, inner counsel) once veiled through ages, now galah (unveiled) to His qedoshim:
Yeshua dwelling within you — the tikvah ha-kavod (cord of hope that draws you into glory).
Him we proclaim, teaching all with chokmah (wisdom-skill), that every one may be shalem (whole, complete) in Yeshua.
For this I toil, His koach (vital strength) burning like fire within my bones.
I want you to know the ma’avak (struggle of heart) I carry for you and for the brothers in Laodicea — that your hearts may be chazaq (strengthened) and k’shurim b’ahavah (knit together in love), filled with the osher (riches) of emunah shlemah (complete steadiness) born of binah (discernment).
In Yeshua are hidden all the otsarot (treasures, storehouses) of chokmah and da’at.
Though my flesh is far, my ruach (spirit-breath) is with you, rejoicing in your seder (order, alignment) and the ometz (firmness) of your emunah in the Anointed One.
As you have received Yeshua ha Mashiach, so halakh bo (walk in Him) — rooted like the olive tree, built like a tent firmly pegged, established in emunah (steadfast trust), overflowing with todah (thanksgiving).
Beware lest anyone shadal (plunder) your tent through empty reasoning and human tradition rather than the life of Mashiach.
For in Him the whole melo ha-Elohut (full measure of divine life) shakan (tabernacles) bodily, and you are shalem (complete, nothing lacking) in Him, the rosh (head) over all sarim (rulers) and powers.
In Him you were marked with a brit lev (covenant of the heart), not cut by human hands; the fleshly covering was removed.
You were buried with Him in the mayim (waters) and raised with Him through emunah (trust) in the gevurah (strength) of Yahweh who awakened Him from death.
You who were met (dead, breathless) He made chayah (alive again), forgiving every avon (crookedness), wiping clean the record of debt (machah, erased like clay washed), fastening it to the etz (tree, stake).
He stripped the sarim (rulers) and reshuyot (authorities) bare, leading them in His triumph.
Let no one shaphat (judge) you concerning food, drink, feast, new moon, or Sabbath — these are tzelim (shadows cast ahead) of what is to come, but the guf (substance, body) belongs to Mashiach.
Do not let any rob you through false humility or the worship of messengers (malakhim), boasting of visions while severed from the Rosh (Head), from whom the whole body receives nourishment and growth from Yahweh.
Since you have died with Mashiach to the yesodot ha-olam (elemental powers of the world), why submit again to its decrees — “touch not, taste not, handle not”?
These are mishmeret adam (rules of men) that perish with use — outward forms that seem wise but hold no power against the basar (fleshly impulse).
If you have been raised with Mashiach, seek what is ma’alah (above, higher), where Yeshua sits at the zeroa yemino (right arm of Yahweh’s power).
Set your heart (sim lev) on what is above, not on the adamah (soil-earth), for you have died, and your chayim (life-breath) is hidden like seed in Mashiach, within the covering of Yahweh.
When Mashiach, your chayim (life-breath), is galah (revealed, uncovered), you also will be revealed with Him in kavod (radiant weight of glory).
Put to death (hamet) the earthly impulses — lust, impurity, craving, greed — for such is avodah zarah (idol-service).
You once walked that crooked path, but now shalach (cast away) anger, rage, bitterness, slander, and defiling speech.
Do not twist truth; you have removed the adam yashan (old man) and clothed yourself with the adam chadash (new man), renewed (chadash, made fresh) in da’at (experiential knowing) after the tselem (image) of the One who formed you.
In this new creation there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free — Mashiach is all, and in all.
As bechir Yahweh (chosen ones of Yahweh), qedoshim (set apart) and ahuvim (beloved), clothe yourselves with rachamim (compassion from the womb), chesed (kindness), anavah (humility), meekness, and erekh ruach (long breath, patience).
Bear with one another, nasa avon (lifting away wrongs), as Mashiach lifted yours; and above all, bind on ahavah (covenant love) — the kesher shalem (bond of completeness).
Let the shalom Yahweh (peace and wholeness of Yahweh) shaphat (rule, act as judge) in your hearts, to which you were called as one body, and walk in todah (thankfulness).
Let the devar Mashiach (word of the Anointed) shakan be’osher (dwell richly) within you, teaching and reminding one another through mizmorim (psalms), tehillot (songs of praise), and shir ha’ruach (songs breathed by the Spirit), singing with chen (graceful delight) to Yahweh.
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all b’shem Adon Yeshua (in the name and authority of Master Yeshua), giving todah (thanks) to the Father through Him.
Wives, kavashu (align yourselves under) your husbands in the Master’s order.
Husbands, ahavu (love with covenant care) your wives; do not let marah (bitterness) take root.
Children, shama’u (listen and obey) your parents, for this pleases the Master.
Fathers, do not break your children’s ruach (spirit-breath).
Servants, shama’u your earthly masters in all things with lev echad (single-hearted devotion), fearing Yahweh, working as for Him and not for men, knowing that from Adon Mashiach you will receive the sachar ha-nachalah (reward of inheritance).
Whoever does avel (wrong) will reap what he has done, for Yahweh lo nasa panim (shows no partial face).
Masters, act with mishpat (justice) and yashar (uprightness) toward your servants, remembering your Master in the shamayim (heavens).
Continue in tefillah (prayer), shomerim laylah (keeping night-watch) with todah (thankful hearts).
Pray for us also, that Yahweh open a petach devarim (door of words) to declare the sod ha-Mashiach (hidden mystery of Messiah) for which I am bound, that I may galah (unveil) it as I should.
Walk in chokmah (wisdom) toward those outside, padim et ha-zman (redeeming the moments).
Let your words be with chen (favor), meluchim b’melach (seasoned with salt), so you may know how to answer each one.
Tychicus, our beloved brother and eved ne’eman (faithful servant), will tell you all that concerns me, and with him Onesimus, your ach ahuv (beloved brother).
Aristarchus, my chaver ba-asiruth (companion in chains), greets you, and Mark, cousin of Barnabas; if he comes, receive him.
And Yeshua, called Justus; these are my po’alim ba-malkhut Elohim (workers in the kingdom of God) and have been a nechamah (comfort, strengthening) to me.
Epaphras, one of you, a eved Mashiach Yeshua (servant of Messiah Yeshua), wrestles for you in tefillah (prayer) that you may stand shalem (complete) and maleh (filled) in all ratzon Yahweh (purpose of Yahweh).
I testify to his qinah (zeal, burning devotion) for you and for the brothers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Luke, the rofe ahuv (beloved healer), and Demas send their shalom (peace).
Greet the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and Nymphas with the qahal (assembly) in his bayit (house-tent).
When this letter is read among you, send it also to the qahal Laodicea and read theirs as well.
Say to Archippus: “Shamar (watch and guard) the avodah (service) entrusted to you in the Master, that you may fulfill it.”
This greeting I, Sha’ul, write with my own hand.
Remember my asiruth (chains, bonds).
May the chen Yahweh (gracious favor of Yahweh) rest upon you all.
Amen (so let it be established).
Following Yeshua's Way 