Colossians 2

1 For I wish you to know how great a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

For I want you to know the kind of solicitude that I have for you, and for those who are at Laodicea, as well as for those who have not seen my face in the flesh.

2 that their hearts may be comforted, being united in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the secret of the God and Father, and of the Christ,

May their hearts be consoled and instructed in charity, with all the riches of a plenitude of understanding, with knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus.

3 in whom are all the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge hid,

For in him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 and this I say, that no one may deceive you with enticing words,

Now I say this, so that no one may deceive you with grandiose words.

5 for if even in the flesh I am absent—yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in regard to Christ;

For though I may be absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit. And I rejoice as I gaze upon your order and its foundation, which is in Christ, your faith.

6 as, then, you received Christ Jesus the LORD, walk in Him,

Therefore, just as you have received the Lord Jesus Christ, walk in him.

7 being rooted and built up in Him, and confirmed in the faith, as you were taught—abounding in it in thanksgiving.

Be rooted and continually built up in Christ. And be confirmed in the faith, just as you have also learned it, increasing in him with acts of thanksgiving.

8 See that no one will be carrying you away as spoil through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ,

See to it that no one deceives you through philosophy and empty falsehoods, as found in the traditions of men, in accord with the influences of the world, and not in accord with Christ.

9 because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,

For in him, all the fullness of the Divine Nature dwells bodily.

10 and you are made full in Him, who is the head of all principality and authority,

And in him, you have been filled; for he is the head of all principality and power.

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

In him also, you have been circumcised with a circumcision not made by hand, not by the despoiling of the body of flesh, but by the circumcision of Christ.

12 being buried with Him in the immersion, in which you also rose with [Him] through the faith of the working of God, who raised Him out of the dead.

You have been buried with him in baptism. In him also, you have risen again through faith, by the work of God, who raised him up from the dead.

13 And you—being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh—He made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all the trespasses,

And when you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he enlivened you, together with him, forgiving you of all transgressions,

14 having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the Cross;

and wiping away the handwriting of the decree which was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken this away from your midst, affixing it to the Cross.

15 having stripped the principalities and the authorities, He made a show of them openly—having triumphed over them by it.

And so, despoiling principalities and powers, he has led them away confidently and openly, triumphing over them in himself.

16 Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a celebration, or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths,

Therefore, let no one judge you as concerns food or drink, or a particular feast day, or feast days of new moons, or of Sabbaths.

17 which are a shadow of the coming things, but the body [is] of the Christ;

For these are a shadow of the future, but the body is of Christ.

18 let no one deceive you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he has not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

Let no one seduce you, preferring base things and a religion of Angels, walking according to what he has not seen, being vainly inflated by the sensations of his flesh,

19 and not holding the Head, from which all the body—gathering supply through the joints and bands, and being knit together—may increase with the increase of God.

and not holding up the head, with which the whole body, by its underlying joints and ligaments, is joined together and grows with an increase that is of God.

20 If, then, you died with the Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, are you subject to ordinances—

So then, if you have died with Christ to the influences of this world, why do you still make decisions as if you were living in the world?

21 you may not touch, nor taste, nor handle—

Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle these things,

22 which are all for destruction with the using, after the commands and teachings of men,

which all lead to destruction by their very use, in accord with the precepts and doctrines of men.

23 which are, indeed, having a matter of wisdom in self-willed religion, and humble-mindedness, and neglecting of body—not of any value to satisfying the flesh.

Such ideas have at least an intention to attain to wisdom, but through superstition and debasement, not sparing the body, and they are without any honor in satiating the flesh.