Colossians 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have about you, and those at Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face.

2 So that their hearts may be encouraged, having been united together in love, and for all wealth of the full assurance of understanding, to knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father of the Christ.

I want their hearts to be comforted and knit together in love, so that they may have all the riches of being fully assured in their understanding, and so that they may know the mystery of our God and Father and of Christ,

3 In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

4 And I say this so that not any man may delude you with persuasive speech.

I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive speech.

5 For even though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your orderliness, and the steadfastness of your faith for Christ.

For though I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him,

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as ye were taught, abounding in it with thankfulness.

being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

8 Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men and the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

9 Because in him all the fullness of the divinity dwells bodily.

For all the fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ,

10 And ye are men who have been made full in him, who is the head of every principal office and position of authority.

and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

11 In whom also ye were circumcised a circumcision not made with hands, in the removal of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of the Christ.

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not done by hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ.

12 Having been buried with him in immersion, in which also ye were raised together through faith of the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Having been buried with him in baptism, you have also been raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you he made alive together with him, having forgiven us all the transgressions,

And although you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses

14 having erased the handwriting against us in the regulations that were hostile to us, and he has taken it up from the midst, having nailed it to the cross.

by blotting out the certificate of debt that stood against us with its legal demands; he took it away by nailing it to the cross.

15 Having stripped the principal offices and the positions of authority, he exposed them openly, having triumphed over them by it.

He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public display of them, leading a triumphal procession over them by the cross.

16 Let not any man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day.

17 which are a shadow of the things coming, but the body is Christ's.

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is Christ.

18 Let no man umpire against you insisting on self-mortification, and worship of the agents, intruding in things that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

Let no one who delights in false humility and angelic religion disqualify you. Such a person takes his stand on things he has not seen, being puffed up without reason by the mind of his flesh,

19 and not holding to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and held together through the connections and bonds, develops its growth from God.

while not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supported and knit together by its joints and tendons, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why do ye submit to rules, as though living in the world?

If you have died with Christ to the elements of the world, why, as though you were living in the world, do you submit to regulations such as,

21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch

“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”?

22 (which are all things for consumption by use), according to the commandments and teachings of men?

Such regulations are based on the commandments and doctrines of men, and apply to things that will all decay with use.

23 Which having, are indeed a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and self-mortification, and austerity of the body-not in any value against indulgence of the flesh.

Although these regulations have a semblance of wisdom in self-imposed piety, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are of no value in restraining fleshly indulgence.