Προς Κολοσσαεις 2
1 θελω γαρ υμασ ειδεναι ηλικον αγωνα εχω περι υμων και των εν λαοδικεια και οσοι ουχ εωρακασιν το προσωπον μου εν σαρκι
I want you to know in how great a struggle I am engaged for you and for Christ’s people at Laodicea, and for all who have not yet seen me;
2 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
in the hope that they, being bound to one another by love, and keeping in view the full blessedness of a firm conviction, may be encouraged to strive for a perfect knowledge of God’s hidden truth,
3 εν ω εισιν παντεσ οι θησαυροι τησ σοφιασ και τησ γνωσεωσ αποκρυφοι
even Christ himself, in whom all treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hidden.
4 τουτο δε λεγω ινα μη τισ υμασ παραλογιζηται εν πιθανολογια
I say this to prevent anyone from deceiving you by plausible arguments.
5 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
It is true that I am not with you in person, but I am with you in spirit, and am glad to see the good order and the unbroken front resulting from your faith in Christ.
6 ωσ ουν παρελαβετε τον χριστον ιησουν τον κυριον εν αυτω περιπατειτε
Since, therefore, you have received Jesus, the Christ, as your Lord, live your lives in union with him –
7 ερριζωμενοι και εποικοδομουμενοι εν αυτω και βεβαιουμενοι εν τη πιστει καθωσ εδιδαχθητε περισσευοντεσ εν αυτη εν ευχαριστια
rooted in him, building up your characters through union with him, growing stronger through your faith, as you were taught, overflowing with faith and thanksgiving.
8 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
Take care that there is not someone who will carry you away by his ‘philosophy’ – a hollow sham! – following, as it does, mere human traditions, and dealing with puerile questions of this world, and not with Christ.
9 οτι εν αυτω κατοικει παν το πληρωμα τησ θεοτητοσ σωματικωσ
For in Christ the Godhead in all its fulness dwells incarnate;
10 και εστε εν αυτω πεπληρωμενοι οσ εστιν η κεφαλη πασησ αρχησ και εξουσιασ
and, by your union with him, you also are filled with it. He is the head of all archangels and powers of heaven.
11 εν ω και περιετμηθητε περιτομη αχειροποιητω εν τη απεκδυσει του σωματοσ των αμαρτιων τησ σαρκοσ εν τη περιτομη του χριστου
By your union with him you received a circumcision that was not performed by human hands, when you threw off the tyranny of the earthly body, and received the circumcision of the Christ.
12 συνταφεντεσ αυτω εν τω βαπτισματι εν ω και συνηγερθητε δια τησ πιστεωσ τησ ενεργειασ του θεου του εγειραντοσ αυτον εκ των νεκρων
For in baptism you were buried with Christ; and in baptism you were also raised to life with him, through your faith in the omnipotence of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 και υμασ νεκρουσ οντασ εν τοισ παραπτωμασιν και τη ακροβυστια τησ σαρκοσ υμων συνεζωοποιησεν υμασ συν αυτω χαρισαμενοσ ημιν παντα τα παραπτωματα
And to you, who once were dead, by reason of your sins and your uncircumcised nature – to you God gave life in giving life to Christ! He pardoned all our sins!
14 εξαλειψασ το καθ ημων χειρογραφον τοισ δογμασιν ο ην υπεναντιον ημιν και αυτο ηρκεν εκ του μεσου προσηλωσασ αυτο τω σταυρω
He canceled the bond which stood against us – the bond that consisted of ordinances – and which was directly hostile to us! He has taken it out of our way by nailing it to the cross!
15 απεκδυσαμενοσ τασ αρχασ και τασ εξουσιασ εδειγματισεν εν παρρησια θριαμβευσασ αυτουσ εν αυτω
He rid himself of all the powers of evil, and held them up to open contempt, when he celebrated his triumph over them on the cross!
16 μη ουν τισ υμασ κρινετω εν βρωσει η εν ποσει η εν μερει εορτησ η νουμηνιασ η σαββατων
Do not, then, allow anyone to take you to task on questions of eating or drinking, or in the matter of annual or monthly or weekly festivals.
17 α εστιν σκια των μελλοντων το δε σωμα χριστου
These things are only the shadow of what is to come; the substance is in the Christ.
18 μηδεισ υμασ καταβραβευετω θελων εν ταπεινοφροσυνη και θρησκεια των αγγελων α μη εωρακεν εμβατευων εικη φυσιουμενοσ υπο του νοοσ τησ σαρκοσ αυτου
Do not let anyone defraud you of the reality by affecting delight in so-called ‘humility’ and angel-worship. Such a person busies themselves with their visions, and without reason are rendered conceited by their merely human intellect.
19 και ου κρατων την κεφαλην εξ ου παν το σωμα δια των αφων και συνδεσμων επιχορηγουμενον και συμβιβαζομενον αυξει την αυξησιν του θεου
They fail to maintain union with the head, to whom it is due that the whole body, nourished and knit together by the contact and connexion of every part, grows with a divine growth.
20 ει απεθανετε συν χριστω απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου τι ωσ ζωντεσ εν κοσμω δογματιζεσθε
Since, with Christ, you became dead to the puerile teaching of this world, why do you submit, as if you still belonged to the world,
21 μη αψη μηδε γευση μηδε θιγησ
to such ordinances as ‘Do not handle, or taste, or touch’?
22 α εστιν παντα εισ φθοραν τη αποχρησει κατα τα ενταλματα και διδασκαλιασ των ανθρωπων
For all the things referred to in them cease to exist when used. You are following mere human directions and instructions.
23 ατινα εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιασ εν εθελοθρησκεια και ταπεινοφροσυνη και αφειδια σωματοσ ουκ εν τιμη τινι προσ πλησμονην τησ σαρκοσ
Such prohibitions appear reasonable where there is a desire for self-imposed service, and so-called ‘humility,’ and harsh treatment of the body, but are of no real value against the indulgence of our earthly nature.
