²⁰ Since you died with Christ and were made free from the ruling spirits of the world, why do you act as if you still belong to this world by following rules like these: ²¹ “Don’t handle this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t even touch that thing”? ²² These rules refer to earthly things that are gone as soon as they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. ²³ They seem to be wise, but they are only part of a human religion. They make people pretend not to be proud and make them punish their bodies, but they do not really control the evil desires of the sinful self.