Colossians 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face.

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 I want their hearts to be comforted and knit together in love, so that they may have all the riches of being fully assured in their understanding, and so that they may know the mystery of our God and Father and of 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, Messiah,

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

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

4 I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive speech.

Now I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive words.

5 For though I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in 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 Messiah.

6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him,

As therefore you received Messiah Yeshua, the Lord, walk in him,

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

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

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men and the elements 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 Messiah.

9 For all the fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ,

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

10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

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

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not done by hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of 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 Messiah;

12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you have also been raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having been buried with him in immersion, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 And although you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Christ. He forgave us all our 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 by blotting out the certificate of debt that stood against us with its legal demands; he took it away by nailing 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 He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public display of them, leading a triumphal procession over them by the cross.

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

16 Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day.

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 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is Christ.

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

18 Let no one who delights in false humility and angelic religion disqualify you. Such a person takes his stand on things he has not seen, being puffed up without reason 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 while not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supported and knit together by its joints and tendons, grows with a growth that is from 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 you have died with Christ to the elements of the world, why, as though you were living in the world, do you submit to regulations such as,

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

21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”?

"Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch"

22 Such regulations are based on the commandments and doctrines of men, and apply to things that will all decay with use.

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

23 Although these regulations have a semblance of wisdom in self-imposed piety, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are of no value in restraining fleshly indulgence.

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.