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But I will that ye know, what busyness I have for you, and for them that be at Laodicea, and whichever saw not my face in flesh,

that their hearts be comforted, and they be taught in charity, into all the riches of the plenty of understanding [that the hearts of them be comforted, taught in charity, and into all riches of plenty of understanding], into the knowing of [the] mystery of God, the Father of Jesus Christ,

in whom all the treasures of wisdom and of science be hid. [in whom be all the treasures of wisdom and knowing hid.]

For this thing I say, that no man deceive you in height of words.

For though I be absent in body, [but] by spirit I am with you, joying and seeing your order and the firmness of your belief that is in Christ.

Therefore as ye have taken Jesus Christ our Lord, walk ye in him,

and be ye rooted and builded above in him [rooted and built above in Christ], and confirmed in the belief, as ye have learned, abounding in him in doing of thankings.

See ye that no man deceive you by philosophy and vain fallacy, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth body-like all the fullness of the Godhead.

10 And ye be filled in him [And ye be fulfilled in him], that is head of all principat and power.

11 In whom also ye be circumcised in circumcision not made with hand, in despoiling of the body of flesh [in nakedness of the body of flesh], but in circumcision of Christ;

12 and ye be buried together with him in baptism, in whom also ye have risen again by faith of the working of God, that raised him from death.[a]

13 And when ye were dead in your guilts, and in the prepuce of your flesh, he quickened together you with him; forgiving to you all guilts [all guilts, or trespasses],

14 doing away that writing of decree that was against us, that was contrary to us; and he took away that from the middle, pitching it on the cross [pitching it to the cross];

15 and he spoiled principats and powers, and led out trustily, openly overcoming them in himself.

16 Therefore no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in part of feast day, or of new moon, or of sabbaths,

17 which be shadow of things to coming [which be shadow of things to come]; for the body is of Christ.

18 No man deceive you, willing to teach in meekness, and [the] religion of angels, those things which he hath not seen, walking vainly, swollen with wit of his flesh [in-blown with wit of his flesh],

19 and not holding the head, of which all the body, by bands and joinings together [by bonds and joinings together] under-ministered and made, waxeth into [the] increasing of God.

20 For if ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the world, what yet as men living to the world deem ye?

21 That ye touch not, neither taste, neither treat with hands those things, [Neither ye shall touch, neither taste, neither treat with hands,]

22 which all be into death by that use, after the commandments and teachings of men;

23 which have a reason of wisdom in vain religion and meekness [which be soothly having reason of wisdom in superstition, or vain religion, and meekness], and not to spare the body, not in any honour to the fulfilling of the flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:12 together buried with him in baptism, in whom and ye have risen again by faith of the working of God, that raised him from dead.

Not Philosophy but Christ

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, 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, (B)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Now this I say (C)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 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.

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

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. 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