20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

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20 Since you died with Christ(A) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,(B) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:(C)

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Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

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See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(A) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(B) rather than on Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

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Freedom From Human Rules

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you(A) by what you eat or drink,(B) or with regard to a religious festival,(C) a New Moon celebration(D) or a Sabbath day.(E)

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Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

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So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery(A) under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:3 Or under the basic principles

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

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14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,(A) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.(B)

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Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

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So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law(A) through the body of Christ,(B) that you might belong to another,(C) to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a](D) the sinful passions aroused by the law(E) were at work in us,(F) so that we bore fruit for death.(G) But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law(H) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

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19 We know that we are children of God,(A) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(B)

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Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

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Living for God

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,(A) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.(B) As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(C) but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past(D) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(E)

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Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

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Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.(A) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened(B) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,(C) which is of no benefit to those who do so.(D)

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19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

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19 “For through the law I died to the law(A) so that I might live for God.(B) 20 I have been crucified with Christ(C) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(D) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(E) who loved me(F) and gave himself for me.(G)

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Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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You adulterous(A) people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world(B) means enmity against God?(C) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:4 An allusion to covenant unfaithfulness; see Hosea 3:1.

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

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14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 6:14 Or whom

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

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But now that you know God—or rather are known by God(A)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[a]? Do you wish to be enslaved(B) by them all over again?(C) 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!(D) 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.(E)

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters,(F) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:9 Or principles