Colossians 2
1 to will/desire for you to know how great? fight to have/be (above/for *N(k)O*) you and the/this/who in/on/among Laodicea and just as/how much no to see: see the/this/who face me in/on/among flesh
In particular, I want you to realize that I am (exerting myself very greatly/working very hard) on your behalf, on behalf of those who are in Laodicea [city], and on behalf of all those others who have not seen me personally.
2 in order that/to to plead/comfort the/this/who heart it/s/he (to join with *N(k)O*) in/on/among love and toward (all *N(k)O*) (the/this/who *o*) (riches *N(k)O*) the/this/who assurance the/this/who understanding toward knowledge the/this/who mystery the/this/who God (and *K*) (father *KO*) (and *K*) (the/this/who *KO*) Christ
I am doing this in order that they and you [SYN] might be strengthened [spiritually] as you are united in loving [one another]. And I am doing this in order that they and you might fully and thoroughly [DOU] understand the message that God has now revealed; that is, in order that they and you might truly know the message from God our Father and about Christ,
3 in/on/among which to be all the/this/who treasure the/this/who wisdom and (the/this/who *k*) knowledge concealed
who alone is able to cause them and you to understand thoroughly [DOU] [this very important message].
4 this/he/she/it (then *ko*) to say in order that/to (nothing *N(k)O*) you to deceive in/on/among persuasive speech
I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you by persuasive arguments;
5 if: even though for and the/this/who flesh be away but the/this/who spirit/breath: spirit with you to be to rejoice and to see you the/this/who order and the/this/who firmness the/this/who toward Christ faith you
because, even though I am absent from you physically, I am very concerned about you. At the same time, I am rejoicing because I know that you are united [with each other] and that you believe firmly in Christ.
6 as/when therefore/then to take the/this/who Christ Jesus the/this/who lord: God in/on/among it/s/he to walk
In a way that is (consistent/in harmony) with [the message that] you received about Christ Jesus, who is our Lord, conduct yourselves as you should, since you have a close relationship with him.
7 to root and to build up/upon in/on/among it/s/he and to confirm (in/on/among *ko*) the/this/who faith as/just as to teach to exceed (in/on/among it/s/he *ko*) in/on/among thankfulness
Specifically, continue believing and practicing [MET, DOU] what you were first taught about Christ. Continue to do this more and more; continue to fIrmly believe all the true teaching, just like [Epaphras] taught it to you. And continue thanking [God, our Father], very much [for all that he has done for you].
8 to see not one you to be the/this/who to capture through/because of the/this/who philosophy and empty deceit according to the/this/who tradition the/this/who a human according to the/this/who principle the/this/who world and no according to Christ
Make sure that no one forces you [(pl)] to become his disciples [MET] by his teaching you a religious philosophy/doctrine that is worthless and false. Such a philosophy is false because it teaches what mere human beings think, because it teaches people elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical], and because it teaches what is contrary to [the true teaching about] Christ.
9 that/since: since in/on/among it/s/he to dwell all the/this/who fulfillment the/this/who deity bodily
It is in Christ’s body that God lives completely.
10 and to be in/on/among it/s/he to fulfill which to be the/this/who head all beginning and authority
And you are spiritually complete because you have a close relationship with Christ, who rules over every other ruler.
11 in/on/among which and to circumcise circumcision not man-made in/on/among the/this/who removal the/this/who body (the/this/who sin *K*) the/this/who flesh in/on/among the/this/who circumcision the/this/who Christ
Specifically, because of your close relationship with Christ, it is as though [MET] you were circumcised {Christ circumcised you} [spiritually]. This does not mean that someone circumcised you physically [MTY], but it means that Christ completely removed your self-directed nature.
12 be buried with it/s/he in/on/among the/this/who (baptism *N(k)O*) in/on/among which and to raise up with through/because of the/this/who faith the/this/who active energy the/this/who God the/this/who to arise it/s/he out from (the/this/who *k*) dead
And specifically, when you were baptized, [it was as though] [MET] you [had died and] were buried with Christ, and [it was as though] [MET] God caused you to live again with Christ as a result of your believing that God acted powerfully; specifically, by your believing that God caused Christ to become alive again.
13 and you dead to be in/on/among the/this/who trespass and the/this/who uncircumcision the/this/who flesh you to make alive with (you *NO*) with it/s/he to give grace me all the/this/who trespass
And specifically, you [who are non-Jews], because of your sins, you were [spiritually] dead [before you trusted in Christ]. You were uncircumcised [spiritually]; that is, your self-directed nature controlled you. Nevertheless, it was you whom God caused to become alive [spiritually because of their close relationship] [MET] with Christ. And specifically, God forgave us all our sins.
14 to blot out the/this/who according to me writen record the/this/who decree which to be opposed me and it/s/he to take up out from the/this/who midst to nail it/s/he the/this/who cross
[It is just] as [though] he canceled ([the charges] against us/the sins [that we had committed]) for which [God] will punish us. And [it was just] as [though] [MET] it was [the charges on] that document/paper that he canceled by nailing them to the cross [when they nailed Christ on the cross].
15 to take off the/this/who beginning and the/this/who authority to disgrace in/on/among boldness to triumph it/s/he in/on/among it/s/he
And specifically, God defeated the [evil] spirit beings that rule, and he demonstrated/showed that publicly; that is, he triumphed over them as a result of what [Christ did].
16 not therefore/then one you to judge in/on/among eating (and *N(k)O*) in/on/among drink or in/on/among part festival or New Moon or Sabbath
So disregard anyone who says that God will punish you because you eat [certain foods] and because you drink [certain drinks] or because [you do not celebrate] special [yearly] festivals or celebrate the time when the new moon [appears] or weekly (Sabbaths/Jewish days of rest).
17 which to be shadow the/this/who to ensue the/this/who then body the/this/who Christ
[Disregard such people] because those [regulations/rules about food and drink and festivals] are [only] like a shadow [MET] [that is cast by something that is approaching; that is, they merely represent] the real spiritual blessings that Christ [has given to you].
18 nothing you to disqualify to will/desire in/on/among humility and religion the/this/who angel which (not *K*) to see: see to investigate in vain to inflate by/under: by the/this/who mind the/this/who flesh it/s/he
Disregard those who say that God will punish you because [you do not worship God in the way that] they say [that you should]; that is, they insist that you should humiliate yourselves and that you should worship the angels. [Disregard such people] since they base their authority on things that they have never seen, and since they are proud without reason because their self-directed nature [controls] what they think,
19 and no to grasp/seize the/this/who head out from which all the/this/who body through/because of the/this/who joint and bond(age) to supply and to join with to grow the/this/who growth the/this/who God
and since they do not teach the true teaching about Christ [MET]. [Christ is the one who causes all of his people to develop/grow spiritually as God plans that they should develop/grow, just like] [MET] a person’s head directs how his body grows, as it is held together by its joints and ligaments.
20 if (therefore/then *K*) to die with (the/this/who *k*) Christ away from the/this/who principle the/this/who world which? as/when to live in/on/among world to decree
[It is as though] [MET] you died with Christ. So [you no longer have to obey] elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical, just like a dead person no longer has to do anything]. So, do not submit to regulations/rules
21 not to touch nor to taste nor to touch
such as ‘Do not handle [certain things]’, ‘Do not taste [certain things]’, ‘Do not touch [certain things]’, as if you still had to obey such regulations/rules.
22 which to be all toward corruption the/this/who using up according to the/this/who precept and teaching the/this/who a human
All those things are intended to cease to exist when we use them. [And do not obey such regulations/rules], because they are what mere human teachers command and teach.
23 who/which to be word on the other hand to have/be wisdom in/on/among self-made religion and humility and unsparing body no in/on/among honor one to/with gratification the/this/who flesh
[Do not obey such] regulations/rules; they only cause people to do what their self-directed nature wants to do. [Those regulations] seem to be wise because they [urge people to] worship as mere human teachers have decided. [They urge] that [people] should humiliate themselves, and that [people] should treat their bodies harshly. But those regulations/rules do not help [people] at all to not do the sinful things that their self-directed nature wants to do.
