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 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;

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,

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, namely, Christ,

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

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

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

Now I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive 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 am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

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

As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, 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.

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

Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty and deceptive philosophy, according to human tradition, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

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

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

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

and in him you are made full, who 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 whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in 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.

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.

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,

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,

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;

wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing 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.

having disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

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 do not let anyone judge you about food and drink, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

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

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

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 rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

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 firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth.

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—

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

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

"Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch"

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

(all of which perish with use), according to human commandments and teachings?

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.

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