Colossians 2
Legacy Standard Bible
Alive with Christ
2 For I want you to understand how great a (A)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 so that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)held together in love, even unto all (E)the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, unto the (F)full knowledge of (G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 (I)I say this so that no one will delude you with (J)persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am (K)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [a]to see your (L)good order and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore as you received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [b](O)walk in Him, 7 having been firmly (P)rooted and being (Q)built up in Him, and having been (R)established [c]in your faith—just as you (S)were instructed—and abounding [d]with thanksgiving.
8 (T)See to it that no one takes you captive through (U)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the (V)elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the (W)fullness of Deity dwells bodily, 10 and in Him you have been (X)filled, (Y)who is the head [e]over all (Z)rule and authority; 11 in whom (AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of (AB)the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been (AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also (AD)raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who (AE)raised Him from the dead. 13 And you being (AF)dead [f]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (AG)made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. 14 Having canceled out (AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, (AI)He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having [g](AJ)disarmed the (AK)rulers and authorities, He (AL)made a public display of them, having (AM)triumphed over them in [h]Him.
16 Therefore, no one is to (AN)judge you in (AO)food and (AP)drink, or in respect to a (AQ)festival or a (AR)new moon or a (AS)Sabbath [i]day— 17 things which are only a (AT)shadow of what is to come; but the [j]substance [k]belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep [l](AU)defrauding you of your prize by (AV)delighting in [m]self-abasement and the worship of the angels, going into detail about visions he has seen, (AW)being puffed up for nothing by his (AX)fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to (AY)the head, from whom (AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [n]ligaments, grows with a growth [o]that is from God.
20 (BA)If you have died with Christ [p]to the (BB)elementary principles of the world, (BC)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to (BD)decrees: 21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”? 22 Which [q]deal with everything (BE)destined to perish [r]with use, which are in accordance with the (BF)commands and teachings of men; 23 which are matters having, to be sure, a [s]word of wisdom in [t](BG)self-made religion and self-abasement and (BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against (BI)fleshly indulgence.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
- Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
- Colossians 2:7 Or by
- Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
- Colossians 2:10 Lit of
- Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
- Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
- Colossians 2:15 Or it; the cross
- Colossians 2:16 Or days
- Colossians 2:17 Lit body
- Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
- Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
- Colossians 2:18 Or humility
- Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
- Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
- Colossians 2:20 Lit from
- Colossians 2:22 Lit are
- Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
- Colossians 2:23 Or message
- Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion
Colossians 2
Christian Standard Bible
2 For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling(A) for you, for those in Laodicea,(B) and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged(C) and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery(D)—Christ.[a](E) 3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom(F) and knowledge.(G)
Christ versus the Colossian Heresy
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit,(H) rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.
6 So then, just as you have received(I) Christ Jesus as Lord,(J) continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him(K) and established in the faith, just as you were taught,(L) and overflowing with gratitude.
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition,(M) based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.(N) 9 For the entire fullness(O) of God’s nature dwells bodily[b] in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head(P) over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh,(Q) in the circumcision of Christ,(R) 12 when you were buried with him(S) in baptism, in which you were also raised with him(T) through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.(U) 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.(V) 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.[c](W)
16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge(X) you in regard to food and drink(Y) or in the matter of a festival or a new moon(Z) or a Sabbath day.[d] 17 These are a shadow(AA) of what was to come;(AB) the substance is[e] Christ.(AC) 18 Let no one condemn[f] you(AD) by delighting in ascetic practices(AE) and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated(AF) by empty notions of their unspiritual[g] mind. 19 They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body,(AG) nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.
20 If you died with Christ(AH) to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation for wisdom(AI) by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.[h](AJ)
Footnotes
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