²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(A) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(A) holding promise for both the present life^(B) and the life to come.^(C)

¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(A) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(B) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

⁸ 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.

³ They forbid people to marry^(A) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(B) which God created^(C) to be received with thanksgiving^(D) by those who believe and who know the truth.

²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish^(A) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.^(B)

²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—

¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(A) deceitful^(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(C) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(E)

²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,^(A) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,^(A) knowing good and evil.”