Not Philosophy but Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great ^(A)conflict^[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, ^[b]both of the Father and of Christ, ^3 (B)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ Now this I say ^(C)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. ⁵ For ^(D)though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing ^[c]to see ^(E)your good order and the ^(F)steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

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

⁸ Beware lest anyone ^[e]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to ^(I)the tradition of men, according to the ^(J)basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(K)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ^[f]bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the ^(L)head of all ^[g]principality and power.

Not Legalism but Christ

¹¹ In Him you were also ^(M)circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by ^(N)putting off the body ^[h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (O)buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through ^(P)faith in the working of God, ^(Q)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 (R)having wiped out the ^[i]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 (S)Having disarmed ^(T)principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶ So let no one ^(U)judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a ^[j]festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ^17 (V)which are a shadow of things to come, but the ^[k]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 ^[l]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to ^(W)the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, ^(X)grows with the increase that is from God.

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

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

Reconciled in Christ

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

²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord ^(A)struck him, because ^(B)he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and ^[a]died.

^31 (A)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, ^(A)and their sins ^[a]and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

²² by so much more Jesus has become a ^[a]surety of a ^(A)better covenant.