Colossians 2

1 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.

But I wish you to know what an agony I have for you and for those who are in Laodikia, and for the rest who have not seen my person in the flesh;

2 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,

that their hearts may be comforted, and that they may approach in love to all the riches of assurance, and to the understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of Aloha the Father and of the Meshiha,

3 who alone is able to cause them and you to understand thoroughly [DOU] [this very important message].

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

4 I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you by persuasive arguments;

But this I say, Let no man deceive you with the persuasion of words.

5 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.

For though in the flesh I am far from you, yet in the spirit I am with you; and I rejoice to behold your order, and the firmness of your faith in the Meshiha.

6 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.

As, then, you have received Jeshu Meshiha our Lord, (so) in him walk,

7 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].

your roots strengthened, and you builded in him, and established in that faith which you have learned, that you may abound therein with thanksgiving.

8 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.

Beware lest any man strip you by philosophy and by vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, and according to the principles of the world, and not according to the Meshiha,

9 It is in Christ’s body that God lives completely.

in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

10 And you are spiritually complete because you have a close relationship with Christ, who rules over every other ruler.

And in him also you are complete; for he is the head of all principalities and powers.

11 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.

And in him you have been circumcised with the circumcision which is not with hands, by the putting away of the flesh of sins, (even) by the circumcision of the Meshiha.

12 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.

And you have been buried with him by baptism, and in him have risen with him, who have believed in the power of Aloha who raised him from among the dead.

13 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.

And you who were dead in your sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath made alive with him, and forgiven us all our sins;

14 [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].

and hath blotted out in his mandates the writing of our debts that was against us, and hath taken it from the midst, and affixed it to his cross;

15 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].

and by the yielding up of his body he hath prostrated principalities and powers, and hath shamed them openly by himself.

16 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).

LET no man therefore judge you in meat and in drink, or in the distinctions of festivals, and of new moons, and of shabeths,

17 [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].

which are shadows of those to come, but the body is the Meshiha.

18 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,

And lest any man wish by abasement of mind to fetter you to be subject to the worship of angels, intruding upon that which he hath not seen, and vainly inflated in his fleshly mind;

19 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.

and not holding the Head, from whom all the body is composed and constituted in joints and limbs, and increaseth (with) the increase of Aloha.

20 [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

For if you are dead with the Meshiha from the principles of the world, why as if you lived in the world are you judged? as that

21 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.

you are not to touch, nor to taste, nor to handle?

22 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.

For these are of perishable use, and are ordinances and doctrines of men;

23 [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.

and appear to have in them a reason of wisdom, with the look of humility and the fear of Aloha, (as) not sparing the body, (yet) not in that which is (really) of value, but in those (things) whose use pertains to the flesh.