Alive with Christ

2 For I want you to understand how great a ^(A)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at ^(B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen my face in the flesh, ² so that their ^(C)hearts may be encouraged, having been ^(D)held together in love, even unto all ^(E)the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, unto the ^(F)full 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 delude you with ^(J)persuasive argument. ⁵ For even though I am ^(K)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing ^[a]to see your ^(L)good order and the ^(M)stability of your faith in Christ.

⁶ Therefore as you received ^(N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so ^[b](O)walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly ^(P)rooted and being ^(Q)built up in Him, and having been ^(R)established ^[c]in your faith—just as you ^(S)were instructed—and abounding ^[d]with thanksgiving.

^8 (T)See to it that no one takes you captive through ^(U)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the ^(V)elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the ^(W)fullness of Deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been ^(X)filled, ^(Y)who is the head ^[e]over all ^(Z)rule and authority; ¹¹ in whom ^(AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of ^(AB)the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been ^(AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^(AD)raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^(AE)raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And you being ^(AF)dead ^[f]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^(AG)made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. ¹⁴ Having canceled out ^(AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, ^(AI)He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ Having ^[g](AJ)disarmed the ^(AK)rulers and authorities, He ^(AL)made a public display of them, having ^(AM)triumphed over them in ^[h]Him.

¹⁶ Therefore, no one is to ^(AN)judge you in ^(AO)food and ^(AP)drink, or in respect to a ^(AQ)festival or a ^(AR)new moon or a ^(AS)Sabbath ^[i]day— ¹⁷ things which are only a ^(AT)shadow of what is to come; but the ^[j]substance ^[k]belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one keep ^[l](AU)defrauding you of your prize by ^(AV)delighting in ^[m]self-abasement and the worship of the angels, going into detail about visions he has seen, ^(AW)being puffed up for nothing by his ^(AX)fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to ^(AY)the head, from whom ^(AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^[n]ligaments, grows with a growth ^[o]that is from God.

^20 (BA)If you have died with Christ ^[p]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: ²¹ “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”? ²² Which ^[q]deal with everything ^(BE)destined to perish ^[r]with use, which are in accordance with the ^(BF)commands and teachings of men; ²³ which are matters having, to be sure, a ^[s]word of wisdom in ^[t](BG)self-made religion and self-abasement and ^(BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^(BI)fleshly indulgence.