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.
θελω γαρ υμασ ειδεναι ηλικον αγωνα εχω περι υμων και των εν λαοδικεια και οσοι ουχ εωρακασιν το προσωπον μου εν σαρκι
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,
ινα παρακληθωσιν αι καρδιαι αυτων συμβιβασθεντων εν αγαπη και εισ παντα πλουτον τησ πληροφοριασ τησ συνεσεωσ εισ επιγνωσιν του μυστηριου του θεου και πατροσ και του χριστου
3 who alone is able to cause them and you to understand thoroughly [DOU] [this very important message].
εν ω εισιν παντεσ οι θησαυροι τησ σοφιασ και τησ γνωσεωσ αποκρυφοι
4 I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you by persuasive arguments;
τουτο δε λεγω ινα μη τισ υμασ παραλογιζηται εν πιθανολογια
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.
ει γαρ και τη σαρκι απειμι αλλα τω πνευματι συν υμιν ειμι χαιρων και βλεπων υμων την ταξιν και το στερεωμα τησ εισ χριστον πιστεωσ υμων
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.
ωσ ουν παρελαβετε τον χριστον ιησουν τον κυριον εν αυτω περιπατειτε
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].
ερριζωμενοι και εποικοδομουμενοι εν αυτω και βεβαιουμενοι εν τη πιστει καθωσ εδιδαχθητε περισσευοντεσ εν αυτη εν ευχαριστια
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.
βλεπετε μη τισ υμασ εσται ο συλαγωγων δια τησ φιλοσοφιασ και κενησ απατησ κατα την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων κατα τα στοιχεια του κοσμου και ου κατα χριστον
9 It is in Christ’s body that God lives completely.
οτι εν αυτω κατοικει παν το πληρωμα τησ θεοτητοσ σωματικωσ
10 And you are spiritually complete because you have a close relationship with Christ, who rules over every other ruler.
και εστε εν αυτω πεπληρωμενοι οσ εστιν η κεφαλη πασησ αρχησ και εξουσιασ
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.
εν ω και περιετμηθητε περιτομη αχειροποιητω εν τη απεκδυσει του σωματοσ των αμαρτιων τησ σαρκοσ εν τη περιτομη του χριστου
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.
συνταφεντεσ αυτω εν τω βαπτισματι εν ω και συνηγερθητε δια τησ πιστεωσ τησ ενεργειασ του θεου του εγειραντοσ αυτον εκ των νεκρων
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.
και υμασ νεκρουσ οντασ εν τοισ παραπτωμασιν και τη ακροβυστια τησ σαρκοσ υμων συνεζωοποιησεν υμασ συν αυτω χαρισαμενοσ ημιν παντα τα παραπτωματα
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].
εξαλειψασ το καθ ημων χειρογραφον τοισ δογμασιν ο ην υπεναντιον ημιν και αυτο ηρκεν εκ του μεσου προσηλωσασ αυτο τω σταυρω
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].
απεκδυσαμενοσ τασ αρχασ και τασ εξουσιασ εδειγματισεν εν παρρησια θριαμβευσασ αυτουσ εν αυτω
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).
μη ουν τισ υμασ κρινετω εν βρωσει η εν ποσει η εν μερει εορτησ η νουμηνιασ η σαββατων
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].
α εστιν σκια των μελλοντων το δε σωμα χριστου
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,
μηδεισ υμασ καταβραβευετω θελων εν ταπεινοφροσυνη και θρησκεια των αγγελων α μη εωρακεν εμβατευων εικη φυσιουμενοσ υπο του νοοσ τησ σαρκοσ αυτου
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.
και ου κρατων την κεφαλην εξ ου παν το σωμα δια των αφων και συνδεσμων επιχορηγουμενον και συμβιβαζομενον αυξει την αυξησιν του θεου
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
ει απεθανετε συν χριστω απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου τι ωσ ζωντεσ εν κοσμω δογματιζεσθε
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.
μη αψη μηδε γευση μηδε θιγησ
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.
α εστιν παντα εισ φθοραν τη αποχρησει κατα τα ενταλματα και διδασκαλιασ των ανθρωπων
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.
ατινα εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιασ εν εθελοθρησκεια και ταπεινοφροσυνη και αφειδια σωματοσ ουκ εν τιμη τινι προσ πλησμονην τησ σαρκοσ
