Add parallel Print Page Options

Alive with Christ

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, 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, in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (I)I say this so that no one will delude you with (J)persuasive argument. 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.

Therefore as you received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [b](O)walk in Him, 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.

(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. 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

  1. Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
  2. Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
  3. Colossians 2:7 Or by
  4. Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
  5. Colossians 2:10 Lit of
  6. Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
  7. Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
  8. Colossians 2:15 Or it; the cross
  9. Colossians 2:16 Or days
  10. Colossians 2:17 Lit body
  11. Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
  12. Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
  13. Colossians 2:18 Or humility
  14. Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
  15. Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
  16. Colossians 2:20 Lit from
  17. Colossians 2:22 Lit are
  18. Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
  19. Colossians 2:23 Or message
  20. Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion

For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face. I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ,[a](A) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.(B) I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your orderly conduct and the firmness of your faith in Christ.(C)

Fullness of Life in Christ

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.(D)

Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles[b] of the world, and not according to Christ.(E) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.(F) 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision,[c] by the removal of the body[d] of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;(G) 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.(H) 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God[e] made you[f] alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses,(I) 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed[g] the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.(J)

16 Therefore, do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food or[h] drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths.(K) 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the body belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, initiatory visions,[i] puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,[j] 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with a growth that is from God.(L)

Warnings against False Teachers

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental principles[k] of the world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations,(M) 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings.(N) 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.[l]

Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Other ancient authorities read of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ
  2. 2.8 Or spirits
  3. 2.11 Gk a circumcision made without hands
  4. 2.11 Other ancient authorities add of the sins
  5. 2.13 Gk he
  6. 2.13 Other ancient authorities read made us or made
  7. 2.15 Or divested himself of
  8. 2.16 Other ancient authorities read and
  9. 2.18 Meaning of Gk uncertain
  10. 2.18 Gk by the mind of his flesh
  11. 2.20 Or spirits
  12. 2.23 Or are of no value, serving only to indulge the flesh