¹³ He has delivered us from ^(A)the power of darkness ^(B)and ^[a]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ^14 (C)in whom we have redemption ^[b]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁵ He is ^(D)the image of the invisible God, ^(E)the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For ^(F)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or ^(G)dominions or ^[c]principalities or ^[d]powers. All things were created ^(H)through Him and for Him. ^17 (I)And He is before all things, and in Him ^(J)all things consist. ¹⁸ And ^(K)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that ^(M)in Him all the fullness should dwell,

^6 (A)As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ^7 (B)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding ^[a]in it with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest anyone ^[b]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to ^(C)the tradition of men, according to the ^(D)basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(E)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ^[c]bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the ^(F)head of all ^[d]principality and power.

Not Legalism but Christ

¹¹ In Him you were also ^(G)circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by ^(H)putting off the body ^[e]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (I)buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through ^(J)faith in the working of God, ^(K)who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ^14 (L)having wiped out the ^[f]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ^15 (M)Having disarmed ^(N)principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶ So let no one ^(O)judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a ^[g]festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ^17 (P)which are a shadow of things to come, but the ^[h]substance is of Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has ^[i]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to ^(Q)the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, ^(R)grows with the increase that is from God.

^20 [j]Therefore, if you ^(S)died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, ^(T)why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— ^21 (U)“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” ²² which all concern things which perish with the using—^(V)according to the commandments and doctrines of men? ^23 (W)These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and ^[k]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Not Carnality but Christ

3 If then you were ^(X)raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, ^(Y)where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the ^(Z)earth. ^3 (AA)For you died, ^(AB)and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ^4 (AC)When Christ who is ^(AD)our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in ^(AE)glory.

^5 (AF)Therefore put to death ^(AG)your members which are on the earth: ^(AH)fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(AI)which is idolatry.

Character of the New Man

¹² Therefore, ^(A)as the elect of God, holy and beloved, ^(B)put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

10 For the law, having a ^(A)shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, ^(B)can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

Christian Liberty

5 ^(A)Stand^[a] fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a ^(B)yoke of bondage.