歌罗西书 2
1 我愿意你们晓得，我为你们和老底嘉人，并一切没有与我亲自见面的人，是何等地尽心竭力；
In particular, I want you to realize that I am (exerting myself very greatly/working very hard) on your behalf, on behalf of those who are in Laodicea [city], and on behalf of all those others who have not seen me personally.
2 要叫他们的心得安慰，因爱心互相联络，以致丰丰足足在悟性中有充足的信心，使他们真知 神的奥秘，就是基督；
I am doing this in order that they and you [SYN] might be strengthened [spiritually] as you are united in loving [one another]. And I am doing this in order that they and you might fully and thoroughly [DOU] understand the message that God has now revealed; that is, in order that they and you might truly know the message from God our Father and about Christ,
3 所积蓄的一切智慧知识，都在他里面藏着。
who alone is able to cause them and you to understand thoroughly [DOU] [this very important message].
4 我说这话，免得有人用花言巧语迷惑你们。
I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you by persuasive arguments;
5 我身子虽与你们相离，心却与你们同在，见你们循规蹈矩，信基督的心也坚固，我就欢喜了。
because, even though I am absent from you physically, I am very concerned about you. At the same time, I am rejoicing because I know that you are united [with each other] and that you believe firmly in Christ.
6 你们既然接受了主基督耶稣，就当遵他而行，
In a way that is (consistent/in harmony) with [the message that] you received about Christ Jesus, who is our Lord, conduct yourselves as you should, since you have a close relationship with him.
7 在他里面生根建造，信心坚固，正如你们所领的教训，感谢的心也更增长了。
Specifically, continue believing and practicing [MET, DOU] what you were first taught about Christ. Continue to do this more and more; continue to fIrmly believe all the true teaching, just like [Epaphras] taught it to you. And continue thanking [God, our Father], very much [for all that he has done for you].
8 你们要谨慎，恐怕有人用他的理学和虚空的妄言，不照着基督，乃照人间的遗传和世上的小学就把你们掳去。
Make sure that no one forces you [(pl)] to become his disciples [MET] by his teaching you a religious philosophy/doctrine that is worthless and false. Such a philosophy is false because it teaches what mere human beings think, because it teaches people elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical], and because it teaches what is contrary to [the true teaching about] Christ.
9 因为 神本性一切的丰盛都有形有体地居住在基督里面，
It is in Christ’s body that God lives completely.
10 你们在他里面也得了丰盛。他是各样执政掌权者的元首。
And you are spiritually complete because you have a close relationship with Christ, who rules over every other ruler.
11 你们在他里面也受了不是人手所行的割礼，乃是基督使你们脱去肉体情欲的割礼。
Specifically, because of your close relationship with Christ, it is as though [MET] you were circumcised {Christ circumcised you} [spiritually]. This does not mean that someone circumcised you physically [MTY], but it means that Christ completely removed your self-directed nature.
12 你们既受洗与他一同埋葬，也就在此与他一同复活，都因信那叫他从死里复活 神的功用。
And specifically, when you were baptized, [it was as though] [MET] you [had died and] were buried with Christ, and [it was as though] [MET] God caused you to live again with Christ as a result of your believing that God acted powerfully; specifically, by your believing that God caused Christ to become alive again.
13 你们从前在过犯和未受割礼的肉体中死了， 神赦免了你们一切过犯，便叫你们与基督一同活过来；
And specifically, you [who are non-Jews], because of your sins, you were [spiritually] dead [before you trusted in Christ]. You were uncircumcised [spiritually]; that is, your self-directed nature controlled you. Nevertheless, it was you whom God caused to become alive [spiritually because of their close relationship] [MET] with Christ. And specifically, God forgave us all our sins.
14 又涂抹了在律例上所写、攻击我们、有碍于我们的字据，把它撤去，钉在十字架上。
[It is just] as [though] he canceled ([the charges] against us/the sins [that we had committed]) for which [God] will punish us. And [it was just] as [though] [MET] it was [the charges on] that document/paper that he canceled by nailing them to the cross [when they nailed Christ on the cross].
15 既将一切执政的、掌权的掳来，明显给众人看，就仗着十字架夸胜。
And specifically, God defeated the [evil] spirit beings that rule, and he demonstrated/showed that publicly; that is, he triumphed over them as a result of what [Christ did].
16 所以，不拘在饮食上，或节期、月朔、安息日都不可让人论断你们。
So disregard anyone who says that God will punish you because you eat [certain foods] and because you drink [certain drinks] or because [you do not celebrate] special [yearly] festivals or celebrate the time when the new moon [appears] or weekly (Sabbaths/Jewish days of rest).
17 这些原是后事的影儿；那形体却是基督。
[Disregard such people] because those [regulations/rules about food and drink and festivals] are [only] like a shadow [MET] [that is cast by something that is approaching; that is, they merely represent] the real spiritual blessings that Christ [has given to you].
18 不可让人因着故意谦虚和敬拜天使，就夺去你们的奖赏。这等人拘泥在所见过的，随着自己的欲心，无故地自高自大，
Disregard those who say that God will punish you because [you do not worship God in the way that] they say [that you should]; that is, they insist that you should humiliate yourselves and that you should worship the angels. [Disregard such people] since they base their authority on things that they have never seen, and since they are proud without reason because their self-directed nature [controls] what they think,
19 不持定元首。全身既然靠着他，筋节得以相助联络，就因 神大得长进。
and since they do not teach the true teaching about Christ [MET]. [Christ is the one who causes all of his people to develop/grow spiritually as God plans that they should develop/grow, just like] [MET] a person’s head directs how his body grows, as it is held together by its joints and ligaments.
20 你们若是与基督同死，脱离了世上的小学，为什么仍像在世俗中活着、服从那“不可拿、不可尝、不可摸”等类的规条呢？
[It is as though] [MET] you died with Christ. So [you no longer have to obey] elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical, just like a dead person no longer has to do anything]. So, do not submit to regulations/rules
such as ‘Do not handle [certain things]’, ‘Do not taste [certain things]’, ‘Do not touch [certain things]’, as if you still had to obey such regulations/rules.
22 这都是照人所吩咐、所教导的。说到这一切，正用的时候就都败坏了。
All those things are intended to cease to exist when we use them. [And do not obey such regulations/rules], because they are what mere human teachers command and teach.
23 这些规条使人徒有智慧之名，用私意崇拜，自表谦卑，苦待己身，其实在克制肉体的情欲上是毫无功效。
[Do not obey such] regulations/rules; they only cause people to do what their self-directed nature wants to do. [Those regulations] seem to be wise because they [urge people to] worship as mere human teachers have decided. [They urge] that [people] should humiliate themselves, and that [people] should treat their bodies harshly. But those regulations/rules do not help [people] at all to not do the sinful things that their self-directed nature wants to do.
