Add parallel Print Page Options

For gar I want thelō you hymeis to know oida how great hēlikos a struggle agōn I have echō for hyper you hymeis and kai for those ho in en Laodicea Laodikeia and kai for all hosos who have not ou seen horaō · ho my egō face prosōpon in en the flesh sarx. My goal is that hina their autos hearts kardia may be encouraged parakaleō · ho and knit symbibazō together in en love agapē, · kai so eis that they may have all pas the wealth ploutos of ho full assurance plērophoria of ho understanding synesis, for eis knowledge epignōsis of ho God’ s theos mystery mystērion, · ho which is Christ Christos, in en whom hos are eimi hidden apokryphos all pas the ho treasures thēsauros of ho wisdom sophia and kai knowledge gnōsis. I am telling legō you this houtos so hina that no mēdeis one may deceive paralogizomai you hymeis with en specious arguments pithanologia. Even ei though · kai I am absent apeimi in ho body sarx, I am eimi with syn you hymeis in ho spirit pneuma, and I rejoice chairō · kai to see blepō your hymeis · ho orderly taxis conduct and kai the ho stability stereōma of ho your hymeis faith pistis in eis Christ Christos.

So then oun, just as hōs you received paralambanō · ho Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous as ho Lord kyrios, continue to live peripateō in en him autos, rooted rhizoō and kai built epoikodomeō up in en him autos, · kai established bebaioō in the ho faith pistis just kathōs as you were taught didaskō, and abounding perisseuō in en thanksgiving eucharistia. See blepō to it that no one tis takes eimi you hymeis · ho captive sylagōgeō by dia means of · ho philosophy philosophia and kai empty kenos deceit apatē, according kata to the ho tradition paradosis of ho men anthrōpos, according kata to the ho elemental stoicheion spirits of ho the world kosmos, and kai not ou according kata to Christ Christos. For hoti in en him autos the ho whole pas fullness plērōma of ho deity theotēs dwells katoikeō in bodily sōmatikōs form , 10 and kai you have eimi come to fullness plēroō in en him autos, who hos is eimi the ho head kephalē of every pas principality archē and kai power exousia. 11 In en him hos you also kai were circumcised peritemnō with a circumcision peritomē not acheiropoiētos made with hands , by en the ho putting apekdysis off of ho the body sōma of ho flesh sarx, by en the ho circumcision peritomē of ho Christ Christos. 12 Having been buried synthaptō with him autos in en · ho baptism baptismos, you have also kai been raised synegeirō with him through dia · ho faith pistis in the ho powerful working energeia of ho God theos, who ho raised egeirō him autos from ek the dead nekros. 13 And kai although eimi you hymeis were eimi dead nekros in en your ho trespasses paraptōma and kai the ho uncircumcision akrobystia of ho your hymeis flesh sarx, God made you hymeis alive syzōopoieō with syn Christ autos. He forgave charizomai us hēmeis all pas our ho transgressions paraptōma, 14 having canceled exaleiphō the ho certificate cheirographon of debt with its ho legal demands dogma against kata us hēmeis, which hos was eimi hostile hypenantios to us hēmeis. · kai He has taken airō it autos away ek ho · ho by nailing prosēloō it autos to the ho cross stauros. 15 He stripped apekdyomai the ho principalities archē and kai · ho powers exousia of their authority and disgraced deigmatizō them in en public parrēsia by triumphing thriambeuō over them autos in en Christ autos.

16 Therefore oun do krinō not let krinō anyone tis judge krinō you hymeis with en respect to food brōsis and kai drink posis, or ē in en regard to a religious meros festival heortē, a new neomēnia moon , or ē a Sabbath sabbaton day. 17 These hos are eimi but a shadow skia of what ho was to come mellō, but de the ho reality sōma is found in ho Christ Christos. 18 Let katabrabeuō no mēdeis one rob katabrabeuō you hymeis of your prize, insisting thelō on en self-abasement tapeinophrosynē and kai the worship thrēskeia of ho angels angelos, taking his stand on hos visions horaō, puffed embateuō up with empty eikē notions physioō by hypo · ho his autos earthly sarx way of thinking nous. · ho 19 · kai That person is not ou holding krateō fast to the ho head kephalē, from ek whom hos the ho whole pas body sōma, nourished epichorēgeō and kai held together symbibazō by dia its ho joints haphē and kai ligaments syndesmos, grows auxō with a ho growth auxēsis that is from ho God theos. 20 Since ei you died apothnēskō with syn Christ Christos to apo the ho elemental stoicheion spirits of the ho world kosmos, why tis, as hōs though you were still living zaō in en the world kosmos, do you submit dogmatizō to regulations such as, 21  Do not handle haptō! Do not mēde taste geuomai! Do not mēde touch thinganō!”? 22 These hos are eimi all pas destined eis to perish phthora with ho use apochrēsis, based kata as they are on · ho human anthrōpos commands entalma and kai teachings didaskalia. · ho 23 Such hostis regulations logos indeed men have echō the appearance of wisdom sophia with en their self-imposed religious piety ethelothrēskia, · kai false humility tapeinophrosynē, and kai harsh apheidia control over the body sōma, but they are of no ou value en timē against pros the gratification plēsmonē of the ho flesh sarx.

Christ, the Mystery of God

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face in person[a], so that their hearts may be encouraged, united in love and into all the wealth of the full assurance of insight into the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. I say this in order that no one will deceive you with persuasive speech, for even if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Made Alive in Christ

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, live in him, firmly rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding with thankfulness. Beware lest anyone take you captive[b] through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition[c], according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ, because in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority, 11 in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands, by the removal of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And although you were dead[d][e] in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by[f] nailing it to the cross. 15 When he[g] had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.[h]

Do Not Be Judged by Human Religious Rules

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with reference to eating or[i] drinking or participation in a feast or a new moon or a Sabbath, 17 which are a shadow of what is to come, but the reality is Christ. 18 Let no one condemn you, taking pleasure in humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about the things which he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by the ligaments and sinews, grows with the growth of God.

20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world? 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,” 22 which things are all meant for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings, 23 which things although they have[j],[k] to be sure, an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and unsparing treatment of the body, do not have any value[l] against the indulgence of the flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:1 Literally “in the flesh”
  2. Colossians 2:8 Literally “anyone be the one who takes captive you”
  3. Colossians 2:8 Literally “the tradition of men”
  4. Colossians 2:13 Literally “and you being dead”
  5. Colossians 2:13 Here the participle (“being”) is understood as concessive
  6. Colossians 2:14 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“nailing”) which is understood as means
  7. Colossians 2:15 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had disarmed”) which is understood as temporal
  8. Colossians 2:15 Or “in him”
  9. Colossians 2:16 Some manuscripts have “and”
  10. Colossians 2:23 Literally “having”
  11. Colossians 2:23 *Here the participle (“having”) is understood as concessive
  12. Colossians 2:23 Literally “are not with any value”