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Crouton Version

I had an idea about translating the Scriptures– The Bible is like the Bread of Life.  It is filling and enlivening.  To eat it we read it piece by piece, but sometimes we read a verse and it’s like pulling a chunk of bread from the loaf– it’s messy and unclear.  What if there was a Crouton version?  Each verse or sentence is independent and self-explaining.  You can read it piece by piece or as a whole– but if you read it by pieces, it’s a little more clear.

Colossians 3- Crouton Version

I am Paul.

I am an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God-

With me is Timothy our brother,

This is to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.

For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.

We have heard of the love you have for all the saints.

We have heard of the faith and love that spring from your hope—

The hope that is stored up for you in heaven.

You heard about this hope in the word of truth.

You heard it in the gospel that has come to you.

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing.

It grows just as it has been doing among you since that day you heard the gospel.

That day you understood God’s grace in all its truth

You heard it from Epaphras.

He is our dear fellow servant.

He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.

He also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Thus, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.

We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will–

We ask that He fill you through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord

We pray that you may please him in every way

We pray that you may bear fruit in every good work.

We pray that you may grow in the knowledge of God.

We pray that you are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might.

His glorious might is for your endurance and patience.

We pray this so you might joyfully give thanks to the Father.

He has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints—

This inheritance is within the kingdom of light.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.

He has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

In the Son we have redemption.

In the Son we have the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God.

He is the firstborn over all creation.

For by him all things were created.

Things in heaven and things on earth were all created by him.

Things visible and things invisible all were created by him.

Thrones and powers were created by him.

Rulers and authorities were created by him.

All things were created by him.

All things were created for him.

He is before all things.

In him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body.

He is head of the church.

He is the beginning.

He is the firstborn from among the dead.

This is so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.

God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things through the Son.

He reconciled things on earth.

He reconciled things in heaven.

He did this by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God.

Once you were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death.

This is to present you holy in his sight, without blemish.

This is to present you free from accusation.

And it will happen if you continue in your faith, if you are established and firm.

This will happen if you are not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel that you heard.

This is the gospel that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.

This is the gospel of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

 

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you.

I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions.

I do this for the sake of his body.

I do this for the sake of the church.

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me.

This commission is to present to you the word of God in its fullness.

It is the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations.

But it is now disclosed to the saints.

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery.

This is Christ in you.

That is the hope of glory.

We proclaim him.

We admonish everyone.

We teach everyone with all wisdom.

This is so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

To this end I labor.

I struggle with all his energy that works so powerfully in me.

 

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