Colossians 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have had for you, for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.

For I would that all of you knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 I work so that their hearts may be encouraged by being brought together in love and into all the riches of full assurance of understanding, into the knowledge of the secret truth of God, that is, Christ.

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in (agape) love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I say this so that no one may trick you with persuasive speech.

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

5 Although I am not with you in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit. I rejoice to see your good order and the strength of your faith in Christ.

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the (pneuma) spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As you received Christ the Lord, walk in him.

As all of you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk all of you in him:

7 Be rooted in him, be built on him, be established in faith just as you were taught, and abound in thanksgiving.

Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as all of you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 See that no one captures you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, conforming to the elements of the world, and not conforming to Christ.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9 For in him all the fullness of God lives in bodily form.

For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

10 You have been filled in him, who is the head over every power and authority.

And all of you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not done by humans in the removal of the body of flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ.

In whom also all of you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 You were buried with him in baptism, and in him you were raised up through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also all of you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him and forgave us all of our trespasses.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 He canceled the written record of debts that stood against us with its regulations. He took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 He disarmed the powers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them, by being victorious over them by the cross.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16 So then, let no one judge you in eating or in drinking, or about a feast day or a new moon, or about Sabbath days.

Let no man therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

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

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

18 Let no one who wants humility and the worship of angels judge you out of your prize. Such a person enters into the things he has seen and becomes puffed up by his fleshly thinking.

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 He does not hold on to the head. It is from the head that the whole body throughout its joints and ligaments is supplied and held together; it grows with the growth given by God.

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

20 If you died together with Christ to the elements of the world, why do you live as obligated to the world:

Wherefore if all of you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are all of you subject to ordinances,

21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”?

(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22 All these things will perish with use, according to the instructions and teachings of men.

Which all are to perish with the using; ) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

23 These rules have the wisdom of self-made religion and humility and severity of the body. But they have no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Which things have indeed a (logos) show of wisdom religious outlook, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.