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.

Love for God and One Another

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but ^(A)test the spirits, whether they are of God; because ^(B)many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: ^(C)Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess ^[a]that Jesus ^[b]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than ^(D)he who is in the world.

The Test of Knowing Him

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a ^(A)liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But ^(B)whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God ^[a]is perfected ^(C)in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ^6 (D)He who says he abides in Him ^(E)ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

²³ for ^(A)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Christ Crucified

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ^[a]testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you ^(A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^3 (B)I was with you ^(C)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching ^(D)were not with persuasive words of ^[b]human wisdom, ^(E)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the ^(F)power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

⁶ However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ^[c]ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for ^(G)had they known, they would not have ^(H)crucified the Lord of glory.

⁹ But as it is written:

Glorify God in Body and Spirit

^12 (A)All things are lawful for me, but all things are not ^[a]helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of ^[b]any. ^13 (B)Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for ^(C)sexual immorality but ^(D)for the Lord, ^(E)and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ And ^(F)God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up ^(G)by His power.

¹⁵ Do you not know that ^(H)your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ^(I)“the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” ^17 (J)But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

^18 (K)Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins ^(L)against his own body. ¹⁹ Or ^(M)do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, ^(N)and you are not your own? ²⁰ For ^(O)you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body ^[c]and in your spirit, which are God’s.

⁵ For ^[a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any ^(A)inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(B)partakers with them.

⁷ For ^(A)the ^[a]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only ^[b]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, ^(B)whom the Lord will consume ^(C)with the breath of His mouth and destroy ^(D)with the brightness of His coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is ^(E)according to the working of Satan, with all power, ^(F)signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among ^(G)those who perish, because they did not receive ^(H)the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And ^(I)for this reason God will send them strong delusion, ^(J)that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but ^(K)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

⁵ For ^[a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any ^(A)inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(B)partakers with them.