Colossians 2

1 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

For I would have you know what a great struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

that their hearts may be encouraged, they being knit together in love, and that they may attain to all the riches of a full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God;

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

in which are stored up all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

And this I say, that no one may impose on you by specious discourses.

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

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

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

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

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Be careful that you do not let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.

Beware lest there be some one who shall make a prey of you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.

9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,

10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.

and ye are made full in him, who is the head of all principality and power;

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

in whom also ye have been circumcised with a circumcision not performed by hand, in putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ,

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having been buried with him in your baptism; in which also ye were raised to life with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead;

13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

and to you also who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he given life together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

blotting out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was opposed to us, he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

and having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public show of them, and led them captive in triumph in him.

16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

Let no one then call you to account about food or drink, or a feast-day, or a new moon, or sabbaths;

17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.

which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is Christ's.

18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Let no one defraud you of the prize, desiring to do it in humiliation and worshipping of the angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, puffed up without reason by the mind of his own flesh,

19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

and not holding fast the Head, from which the whole body, supported and compacted by means of the joints and ligaments, groweth with an increase wrought by God.

20 If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

If ye died with Christ to the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances, such as,

21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”

Handle not, Taste not, Touch not,

22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

(which all are to perish with the using, ) after the commandments and teachings of men;

23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship and humiliation and severity to the body, not in any honor for the satisfying of the flesh.