Colossians 2
New King James Version
Not Philosophy but Christ
2 For I want you to know what a great (A)conflict[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, [b]both of the Father and of Christ, 3 (B)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say (C)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For (D)though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see (E)your good order and the (F)steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 (G)As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 (H)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [d]in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone [e]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to (I)the tradition of men, according to the (J)basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For (K)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [f]bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the (L)head of all [g]principality and power.
Not Legalism but Christ
11 In Him you were also (M)circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by (N)putting off the body [h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 (O)buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through (P)faith in the working of God, (Q)who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 (R)having wiped out the [i]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 (S)Having disarmed (T)principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one (U)judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a [j]festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 (V)which are a shadow of things to come, but the [k]substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has [l]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to (W)the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, (X)grows with the increase that is from God.
20 [m]Therefore, if you (Y)died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, (Z)why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 (AA)“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—(AB)according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 (AC)These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and [n]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:1 struggle
- Colossians 2:2 NU omits both of the Father and
- Colossians 2:5 Lit. and seeing
- Colossians 2:7 NU omits in it
- Colossians 2:8 Lit. plunder you or take you captive
- Colossians 2:9 in bodily form
- Colossians 2:10 rule and authority
- Colossians 2:11 NU omits of the sins
- Colossians 2:14 certificate of debt with its
- Colossians 2:16 feast day
- Colossians 2:17 Lit. body
- Colossians 2:18 NU omits not
- Colossians 2:20 NU, M omit Therefore
- Colossians 2:23 severe treatment, asceticism
Colossians 2
New American Standard Bible
You Are Built Up in Christ
2 For I want you to know how great a (A)struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not [a]personally seen my face, 2 that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)knit together in love, and that they would attain to all (E)the wealth [b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a (F)true knowledge of (G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 (I)I say this so that no one will deceive you with (J)persuasive arguments. 5 For even though I am (K)absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see [d]your (L)orderly manner and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you have received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [e](O)walk in Him, 7 having been firmly (P)rooted and now being (Q)built up in Him and (R)established [f]in [g]your faith, just as you (S)were instructed, and overflowing [h]with gratitude.
8 (T)See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through (U)philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the (V)elementary principles of the world, [i]rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the (W)fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been (X)made [j]complete, and (Y)He is the head [k]over every (Z)ruler and authority; 11 and in Him (AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of (AB)the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been (AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also (AD)raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who (AE)raised Him from the dead. 13 And [l]when you were (AF)dead [m]in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (AG)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled (AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and (AI)He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had [n](AJ)disarmed the (AK)rulers and authorities, He (AL)made a public display of them, having (AM)triumphed over them through [o]Him.
16 Therefore, no one is to [p](AN)act as your judge in regard to (AO)food and (AP)drink, or in respect to a (AQ)festival or a (AR)new moon, or a (AS)Sabbath [q]day— 17 things which are only a (AT)shadow of what is to come; but the [r]substance [s]belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps [t](AU)defrauding you of your prize by (AV)delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, [u]taking his stand on visions he has seen, [v](AW)inflated without cause by his (AX)fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to (AY)the head, from whom (AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [w]ligaments, grows with a growth [x]which is from God.
20 (BA)If you have died with Christ [y]to the (BB)elementary principles of the world, (BC)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to (BD)decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer (BE)to things destined to perish [z]with use)—in accordance with the (BF)commandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the [aa]appearance of wisdom in [ab](BG)self-made religion and humility and (BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against (BI)fleshly indulgence.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:1 Lit in the flesh
- Colossians 2:2 Lit of the full assurance
- Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
- Colossians 2:5 Or your good order
- Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
- Colossians 2:7 Or by
- Colossians 2:7 Or the faith
- Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
- Colossians 2:8 Lit and not
- Colossians 2:10 Lit full
- Colossians 2:10 Lit of
- Colossians 2:13 Or although
- Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
- Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
- Colossians 2:15 Or it; i.e., the cross
- Colossians 2:16 Lit judge you
- Colossians 2:16 Or days
- Colossians 2:17 Lit body
- Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
- Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
- Colossians 2:18 Or going into detail about
- Colossians 2:18 Or conceited
- Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
- Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
- Colossians 2:20 Lit from
- Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
- Colossians 2:23 Lit report; Gr logos
- Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion
Colossians 2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 For I want you to know how great a struggle(A) I have for you, for those in Laodicea,(B) and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged(C) and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery(D)—Christ.[a](E) 3 All the treasures of wisdom(F) and knowledge(G) are hidden in Him.
Christ versus the Colossian Heresy
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit,(H) rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you have received(I) Christ Jesus the Lord,(J) walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him(K) and established in the faith, just as you were taught,(L) overflowing with gratitude.
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition,(M) based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.(N) 9 For the entire fullness(O) of God’s nature[b] dwells bodily[c] in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by Him, who is the head(P) over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in Him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh,(Q) in the circumcision of the Messiah.[d](R) 12 Having been buried with Him(S) in baptism, you were also raised with Him(T) through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.(U) 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross.(V) 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.[e](W)
16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge(X) you in regard to food and drink(Y) or in the matter of a festival or a new moon(Z) or a Sabbath day.[f] 17 These are a shadow(AA) of what was to come;(AB) the substance is[g] the Messiah.(AC) 18 Let no one disqualify you,[h](AD) insisting on ascetic practices(AE) and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated(AF) without cause by his unspiritual[i] mind. 19 He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body,(AG) nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God.
20 If you died with the Messiah(AH) to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men. 23 Although these have a reputation of wisdom(AI) by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.[j](AJ)
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:2 Other mss read mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ; other ms variations exist on this v.
- Colossians 2:9 Or of the deity
- Colossians 2:9 Or nature lives in a human body
- Colossians 2:11 = His death
- Colossians 2:15 Or them through it; = through the cross
- Colossians 2:16 Or or sabbaths
- Colossians 2:17 Or substance belongs to
- Colossians 2:18 Or no one cheat us out of your prize
- Colossians 2:18 Lit fleshly
- Colossians 2:23 Lit value against indulgence of the flesh
Colossians 2
Young's Literal Translation
2 For I wish you to know how great a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,
2 that their hearts may be comforted, being united in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the secret of the God and Father, and of the Christ,
3 in whom are all the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge hid,
4 and this I say, that no one may beguile you in enticing words,
5 for if even in the flesh I am absent -- yet in the spirit I am with you, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in regard to Christ;
6 as, then, ye did receive Christ Jesus the Lord, in him walk ye,
7 being rooted and built up in him, and confirmed in the faith, as ye were taught -- abounding in it in thanksgiving.
8 See that no one shall be carrying you away as spoil through the philosophy and vain deceit, according to the deliverance of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ,
9 because in him doth tabernacle all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
10 and ye are in him made full, who is the head of all principality and authority,
11 in whom also ye were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of the Christ,
12 being buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with [him] through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.
13 And you -- being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh -- He made alive together with him, having forgiven you all the trespasses,
14 having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;
15 having stripped the principalities and the authorities, he made a shew of them openly -- having triumphed over them in it.
16 Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of the coming things, and the body [is] of the Christ;
18 let no one beguile you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he hath not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
19 and not holding the head, from which all the body -- through the joints and bands gathering supply, and being knit together -- may increase with the increase of God.
20 If, then, ye did die with the Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?
21 -- thou mayest not touch, nor taste, nor handle --
22 which are all for destruction with the using, after the commands and teachings of men,
23 which are, indeed, having a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and humble-mindedness, and neglecting of body -- not in any honour, unto a satisfying of the flesh.
Colossians 2
English Standard Version
2 For I want you to know (A)how great a (B)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that (C)their hearts may be encouraged, being (D)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of (E)God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 (F)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order (G)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For (H)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your (I)good order and (J)the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Alive in Christ
6 (K)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 (L)rooted and (M)built up in him and (N)established in the faith, just (O)as you were taught, abounding (P)in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by (Q)philosophy and (R)empty deceit, according to (S)human tradition, according to the (T)elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For (U)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells (V)bodily, 10 and (W)you have been filled in him, who is (X)the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also (Y)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by (Z)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 (AA)having been buried with him in baptism, in which (AB)you were also raised with him through faith in (AC)the powerful working of God, (AD)who raised him from the dead. 13 (AE)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God (AF)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by (AG)canceling (AH)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 (AI)He disarmed the rulers and authorities[b] and (AJ)put them to open shame, by (AK)triumphing over them in him.[c]
Let No One Disqualify You
16 Therefore let no one (AL)pass judgment on you (AM)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to (AN)a festival or (AO)a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 (AP)These are a shadow of the things to come, but (AQ)the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one (AR)disqualify you, (AS)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, (AT)going on in detail about visions,[d] (AU)puffed up without reason by (AV)his sensuous mind, 19 and (AW)not (AX)holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20 If with Christ (AY)you died to the (AZ)elemental spirits of the world, (BA)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 (BB)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 ((BC)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to (BD)human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in (BE)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are (BF)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:8 Or elementary principles; also verse 20
- Colossians 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities
- Colossians 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross)
- Colossians 2:18 Or about the things he has seen
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
