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 would have you know what a great conflict I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen me in person:

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, being knit together in love, and to all the riches of a full assurance of understanding in these things, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of our God and Father, and of Christ:

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

in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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

And this I say, least any one should deceive you with fine speeches.

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 be absent in body, yet am I with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your regularity, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

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

Therefore as ye have received Christ Jesus 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, as ye have been taught it, abounding therein 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.

Take heed least any one make a prey of you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ:

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

for all the fulness of the deity dwelleth personally in Him.

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

And ye are complete in Him, 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 also ye are circumcised with the circumcision not performed by hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision which is of Christ:

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.

being buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are raised together with Him, through faith in the power 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

And when ye were dead in trespasses, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven you all 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.

and cancelled the obligation we were under by ritual decrees, which was grievous to us, and hath taken it quite away, even nailing it to his 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.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made them an open spectacle, triumphing over them by 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.

Let no one therefore judge you on account of meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast, or a new-moon, or sabbaths;

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

which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ.

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 deprive you of your reward by an affected humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into what he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal 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 adhering to the head, from which all the body, being supplied and held together as by joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

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 therefore ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the world; why, as if living in the world, are ye subject to ceremonial ordinances,

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

(such as "touch not, taste not,

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

handle not," which all tend to corruption in the using, ) according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

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 have a pretence to wisdom in voluntary worship, and humiliation, and bodily penance, as having no regard to the satisfying of the flesh.