Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(A) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(B) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^{(C) 25} I have become its servant^(D) by the commission God gave me^(E) to present to you the word of God^(F) in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery^(G) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(H) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(I) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(J) the hope of glory.

¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(A) over every power and authority.^{(B) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(C) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[a](D) was put off when you were circumcised by^[b] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(E) in which you were also raised with him^(F) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(G)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(H) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[c] alive^(I) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(J) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(K) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(L) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(M) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(N) by the cross.^[d]

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(O) by what you eat or drink,^(P) or with regard to a religious festival,^(Q) a New Moon celebration^(R) or a Sabbath day.^{(S) 17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(T) the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(U) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(V) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹ They have lost connection with the head,^(W) from whom the whole body,^(X) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.^(Y)

⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(A) appears,^(B) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(C)

¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew,^(A) circumcised or uncircumcised,^(B) barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,^(C) but Christ is all,^(D) and is in all.