Colossians 2

1 For I would have you know what combat I have for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in 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 to the end that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to [the] full knowledge of the mystery of God;

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 which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.

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

4 And I say this to the end that no one may delude you by persuasive speech.

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

5 For if indeed in the flesh I am absent, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness 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 ye have received the 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 assured in the faith, even as ye have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

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

8 See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to 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 dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;

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

10 and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and authority,

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

11 in whom also ye have been circumcised with circumcision not done by hand, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the 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 buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with [him] through faith of the working of God who raised him from among 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 And you, being dead in offences and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven us all the offences;

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 having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which [stood out] against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it also out of the way, having nailed 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 spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it.

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

16 Let none therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in matter of feast, or new moon, or sabbaths,

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 things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

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

18 Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

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 fast the head, from whom all the body, ministered to and united together by the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God.

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 ye have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why as [if] alive in [the] world do ye 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, do not taste, do not touch,

Handle not, Taste not, Touch not,

22 (things which are all for destruction in the using [of them]: ) according to the injunctions and teachings of men,

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

23 (which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour, ) to [the] satisfaction 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.