Colossians 2

1 Wherefore, I wish you to know how great a combat I have for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

I want you to know how great is my concern for you and those in Laodicea, even all who have not met me personally,

2 that being compacted together in love, their hearts may be comforted, even by all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the secret of God,

that their hearts may be encouraged, being united in love and into a great wealth of confident understanding, into a real knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father and of the Christ,

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

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

4 Now this I say, that no one may deceive you with plausible speech.

Now I say this so that no one may deceive you with specious arguments.

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

For although in fact I am physically absent, yet my spirit is with you, rejoicing as I observe your orderliness and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 Now as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him;

So then, keep on walking in the Christ, Jesus the Sovereign, just as you received Him,

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

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

8 Beware lest any one make a prey of you through an empty and deceitful philosophy, --according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

Be careful that no one captures you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.

9 For all the fullness of the Deity resides substantially in him.

Because all the Fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him in bodily form,

10 And you are complete in him, who is the head of all government and power.

and you are complete in Him who is the head over all rule and authority.

11 By whom, also, you have been circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ;

In Him you were also ‘circumcised’ by the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, not with a circumcision done by hands but with the circumcision of the Christ,

12 having been buried with him in immersion, by which also you have been raised with him, through the belief of the strong working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having been buried with Him in the baptism. In Him you were also raised together through your faith in the productive power of the God who raised Him from among the dead.

13 For you, who were dead on account of trespasses, and by the uncircumcision of your flesh, he had made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses: --

Yes you, though being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh—He has made you alive together with Him; having forgiven us all our trespasses;

14 having blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances concerning us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross: --

having wiped out the written record about us that was against us (based on the ordinances), indeed He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;

15 having spoiled governments and powers, he made a show of them openly, having triumphed over them by it.

having stripped the principalities and the authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, having triumphed over them by it [the cross].

16 Let no one, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths;

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

17 which are a shadow of the things which were to come, but the substance is of Christ.

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

18 Let no one beguile you of your reward, --delighting in humility, and the worship of messengers, intruding into things which he has not seen, being without cause, puffed up by his own carnal mind:

Nor let anyone disqualify you, taking pleasure in a subservience and devotion to the angels, ‘taking possession’ of things that he has not seen, being puffed up by his carnal mind to no useful purpose,

19 and not holding firmly the head, by whom the whole body, through the joints and ligaments, being served and compacted, increases with the increase of God.

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, supported and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

20 Now, if you have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, you are subject to ordinances,

Now then, since you died with Christ away from the basic principles of the world, why, as though still living in it, are you subjecting yourselves to regulations

21 Touch not, taste not, handle not;

—Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!—

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

(all of which result in corruption through overuse) according to the commands and teachings of men?

23 which things have, indeed, a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and not sparing the body--without any respect to the gratification of the flesh.

Such things do indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and subservience and asceticism, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.