Colossians 2:8-21

English Standard Version

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(A)philosophy and ^(B)empty deceit, according to ^(C)human tradition, according to the ^(D)elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For ^(E)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(F)bodily, ¹⁰and ^(G)you have been filled in him, who is ^(H)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹In him also ^(I)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(J)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²^(K)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(L)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(M)the powerful working of God, ^(N)who raised him from the dead. ¹³^(O)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(P)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by ^(Q)canceling ^(R)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵^(S)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and ^(T)put them to open shame, by ^(U)triumphing over them in him.^[c]

Let No One Disqualify You

¹⁶Therefore let no one ^(V)pass judgment on you ^(W)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ^(X)a festival or ^(Y)a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷^(Z)These are a shadow of the things to come, but ^(AA)the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸Let no one ^(AB)disqualify you, ^(AC)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ^(AD)going on in detail about visions,^[d] ^(AE)puffed up without reason by ^(AF)his sensuous mind, ¹⁹and ^(AG)not ^(AH)holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

²⁰If with Christ ^(AI)you died to the ^(AJ)elemental spirits of the world, ^(AK)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ²¹^(AL)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”