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Colossians 2
Disciples’ Literal New Testament

I Am Struggling Greatly For an Increase In Your Assurance And Knowledge of Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for your sake and the ones in Laodicea, and all-who have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 in order that their hearts might be encouraged— they having been brought-together[a] in love and for[b] all the riches of the full-assurance of understanding, for[c] the full-knowledge of the mystery of God— Christ, 3 in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hidden-away[d]. 4 I am saying this[e] in order that no one may be deluding you with persuasive-argument. 5 For even though I am absent in the flesh, nevertheless I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

So Be Walking In Christ And Established In The Faith You Were Taught

6 As then you received Christ Jesus the[f] Lord, be walking in Him— 7 having been rooted, and being built-up in Him, and being established in the[g] faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Don’t Be Taken Captive By Human Thinking, Because All God’s Fullness Is In Christ

8 Be watching-out that there will not be anyone taking you captive through philosophy and empty deception according-to[h] the tradition of humans, according to the elemental things[i] of the world, and not according to Christ, 9 because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Deity[j] bodily[k].

You Are Complete In Christ, With Whom You Have Been Buried And Raised Up

10 And in Him you are complete[l], Who is the head of all rule[m] and authority, 11 in Whom you also were circumcised with a circumcision not-done-by-human-hands, in[n] the taking-off [o] of the body[p] of the flesh in the circumcision of [q] Christ— 12 having been buried-with Him in baptism, in which[r] you also were raised-with Him through faith in the working of God, the One having raised Him from the dead.

Indeed, God Made Us Alive With Christ, Having Forgiven All Our Trespasses

13 Indeed, you being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh— He made you alive-together with Him, having forgiven us all the trespasses, 14 having wiped-out[s] the written-document[t] against us with[u] its decrees, which was opposed to us. Indeed, He has taken it out of the middle, having nailed it to the cross! 15 Having stripped[v] the rulers and the authorities, He exposed them in public, having celebrated-a-triumph-over[w] them in Him[x]!

Let No One Judge Your Behavior By False Standards

16 Therefore let no one judge you in eating and in drinking, or in respect to a feast or new-moon or Sabbath, 17 which are a shadow of the coming things, but the body[y] is Christ’s. 18 Let no one decide-against you while delighting[z] in humility[aa] and worship of [ab] angels, dwelling-upon[ac] things which he has seen, being puffed-up in-vain by the mind of [ad] his flesh, 19 and not holding-on-to[ae] the head— from Whom the whole body, being supplied[af] and held-together by the joints and ligaments, is growing the growth of [ag] God.

Since You Died With Christ, Do Not Submit To Human Decrees

20 If you died with Christ from[ah] the elemental[ai] things of the world, why, as-though living in the world, do you submit-to-decrees (21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”; 22 Things which[aj] are all for[ak] perishing[al] in the use[am]!) according-to the commandments and teachings of humans?— 23 which are indeed having the talk[an] of wisdom in-connection-with will-worship[ao] and humility[ap] and harsh-treatment[aq] of the body, not[ar] in-connection-with any [real] value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:2 Or, instructed.
  2. Colossians 2:2 That is, for the purpose of or toward the goal of having what follows.
  3. Colossians 2:2 Or, leading to, resulting in.
  4. Colossians 2:3 Or, are hidden-away all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; or, are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
  5. Colossians 2:4 Or, the next paragraph may begin with this verse.
  6. Colossians 2:6 Or, as Lord.
  7. Colossians 2:7 Or, in your faith, by faith.
  8. Colossians 2:8 Or, based on, by way of.
  9. Colossians 2:8 That is, the elementary knowledge of God available in the world before Christ, the world’s rudimentary teachings about God; or, the elemental spiritual beings or angels, the spirit powers.
  10. Colossians 2:9 That is, the divine essence or nature. This is an abstract term for ‘God’.
  11. Colossians 2:9 That is, in bodily form, in a bodily manner.
  12. Colossians 2:10 That is, are in a state of completeness.
  13. Colossians 2:10 Or, every ruler.
  14. Colossians 2:11 Or, in connection with.
  15. Colossians 2:11 Or, removal.
  16. Colossians 2:11 the body of the flesh. This corresponds to the foreskin in the literal case.
  17. Colossians 2:11 That is, the spiritual circumcision belonging to Christ (Christian circumcision), or performed on our hearts by Christ.
  18. Colossians 2:12 That is, baptism. Or, in Whom (Christ).
  19. Colossians 2:14 Or, blotted out, erased.
  20. Colossians 2:14 Or, handwriting; or more technically, certificate-of-debt. That is, the Law (God’s requirements); or, the indictment against us; or, our personal certificate of debt to God.
  21. Colossians 2:14 Or, in, with reference to, by reason of, accompanied by. Or, taking this with what follows, ‘which by its decrees was opposed to us’.
  22. Colossians 2:15 Or, disarmed, spoiled. That is, having stripped away their power; or, having stripped these beings away from Himself.
  23. Colossians 2:15 Or, led them as captives in a triumphant procession.
  24. Colossians 2:15 Or, in it, by it (the cross).
  25. Colossians 2:17 That is, the substance or reality casting the shadow belongs to Christ. Or, and the body [of Christ] is Christ’s [to judge].
  26. Colossians 2:18 Or, desiring to do so by-means-of humility.
  27. Colossians 2:18 That is, human lowliness, regarding humans as too insignificant to approach God except through angels; or, ascetic humility, self-abasement.
  28. Colossians 2:18 That is offered to angels. Or, offered by angels (angels’ worship), viewing themselves as mystically joining into the angels’ worship of God.
  29. Colossians 2:18 Or, taking his stand upon, entering in. Paul may be quoting their terms, delighting in ‘humility’ and ‘angels’ worship’, things which he has seen while ‘entering-in’ [a mystical experience].
  30. Colossians 2:18 That is, belonging to, characterized by, controlled by.
  31. Colossians 2:19 Or, holding-tight, keeping-hold-of.
  32. Colossians 2:19 Or, supported.
  33. Colossians 2:19 That is, produced by.
  34. Colossians 2:20 Or, away-from.
  35. Colossians 2:20 See 2:8.
  36. Colossians 2:22 Paul interjects his opinion of such teaching.
  37. Colossians 2:22 That is, intended for, destined for.
  38. Colossians 2:22 Or, destruction, ruin.
  39. Colossians 2:22 Or, using-up, consumption.
  40. Colossians 2:23 Or, report, reputation.
  41. Colossians 2:23 Or, self-made religion, self-chosen religion, would-be religion. It is worship sourced in the will of the worshiper, not the will of the one worshiped.
  42. Colossians 2:23 See v 18.
  43. Colossians 2:23 Or, unsparing-treatment.
  44. Colossians 2:23 not...flesh. Or, not in connection with any honor for the satisfaction of the flesh; or, not in connection with any honor, [but] for the indulgence of their flesh.
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Colossians 2
New King James Version

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.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:1 struggle
  2. Colossians 2:2 NU omits both of the Father and
  3. Colossians 2:5 Lit. and seeing
  4. Colossians 2:7 NU omits in it
  5. Colossians 2:8 Lit. plunder you or take you captive
  6. Colossians 2:9 in bodily form
  7. Colossians 2:10 rule and authority
  8. Colossians 2:11 NU omits of the sins
  9. Colossians 2:14 certificate of debt with its
  10. Colossians 2:16 feast day
  11. Colossians 2:17 Lit. body
  12. Colossians 2:18 NU omits not
  13. Colossians 2:20 NU, M omit Therefore
  14. Colossians 2:23 severe treatment, asceticism
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Colossians 2
Names of God Bible

2 I want you to know how hard I work for you, for the people of Laodicea, and for people I have never met. 2 Because they are united in love, I work so that they may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of Christ. He is the mystery of God. 3 God has hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. 4 I say this so that no one will mislead you with arguments that merely sound good. 5 Although I’m absent from you physically, I’m with you in spirit. I’m happy to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

6 You received Christ Yeshua the Lord, so continue to live as Christ’s people. 7 Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.

Beware of Requirements Invented by Humans

8 Be careful not to let anyone rob you of this faith through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.

9 All of God lives in Christ’s body, 10 and God has made you complete in Christ. Christ is in charge of every ruler and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised. It was not a circumcision performed by human hands. But it was a removal of the corrupt nature in the circumcision performed by Christ. 12 This happened when you were placed in the tomb with Christ through baptism. In baptism you were also brought back to life with Christ through faith in the power of God,[a] who brought him back to life.

13 You were once dead because of your failures and your uncircumcised corrupt nature. But God made you alive with Christ when he forgave all our failures. 14 He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. 15 He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ.

16 Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly worship days. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ.

18 Let no one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen. 19 He doesn’t hold on to Christ, the head. Christ makes the whole body grow as God wants it to, through support and unity given by the joints and ligaments.

20 If you have died with Christ to the world’s way of doing things, why do you let others tell you how to live? It’s as though you were still under the world’s influence. 21 People will tell you, “Don’t handle this! Don’t taste or touch that!” 22 All of these things deal with objects that are only used up anyway. 23 These things look like wisdom with their self-imposed worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body. But they have no value for holding back the constant desires of your corrupt nature.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:12 Or “through faith produced by God.”
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Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing

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