Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Colossians 2
Close NIV

Colossians 2
New International Version

2 I want you to know how hard I am contending(A) for you and for those at Laodicea,(B) and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart(C) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery(D) of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.(E) 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.(F) 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit(G) and delight to see how disciplined(H) you are and how firm(I) your faith in Christ(J) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(K) continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted(L) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(M) and overflowing with thankfulness.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(N) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(O) rather than on Christ.

9 For in Christ all the fullness(P) of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head(Q) over every power and authority.(R) 11 In him you were also circumcised(S) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[b](T) was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism,(U) in which you were also raised with him(V) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.(W)

13 When you were dead in your sins(X) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive(Y) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,(Z) 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,(AA) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.(AB) 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities,(AC) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them(AD) by the cross.[e]

Freedom From Human Rules

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you(AE) by what you eat or drink,(AF) or with regard to a religious festival,(AG) a New Moon celebration(AH) or a Sabbath day.(AI) 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come;(AJ) the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility(AK) and the worship of angels disqualify you.(AL) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head,(AM) from whom the whole body,(AN) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.(AO)

20 Since you died with Christ(AP) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,(AQ) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:(AR) 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish(AS) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.(AT) 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility(AU) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20
  2. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  3. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of
  4. Colossians 2:13 Some manuscripts us
  5. Colossians 2:15 Or them in him
Listen to Colossians 2
Close ESV

Colossians 2
English Standard Version

2 For I want you to know (A)how great a (B)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that (C)their hearts may be encouraged, being (D)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of (E)God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 (F)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order (G)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For (H)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your (I)good order and (J)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

6 (K)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 (L)rooted and (M)built up in him and (N)established in the faith, just (O)as you were taught, abounding (P)in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by (Q)philosophy and (R)empty deceit, according to (S)human tradition, according to the (T)elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For (U)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells (V)bodily, 10 and (W)you have been filled in him, who is (X)the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also (Y)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by (Z)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 (AA)having been buried with him in baptism, in which (AB)you were also raised with him through faith in (AC)the powerful working of God, (AD)who raised him from the dead. 13 (AE)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God (AF)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by (AG)canceling (AH)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 (AI)He disarmed the rulers and authorities[b] and (AJ)put them to open shame, by (AK)triumphing over them in him.[c]

Let No One Disqualify You

16 Therefore let no one (AL)pass judgment on you (AM)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to (AN)a festival or (AO)a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 (AP)These are a shadow of the things to come, but (AQ)the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one (AR)disqualify you, (AS)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, (AT)going on in detail about visions,[d] (AU)puffed up without reason by (AV)his sensuous mind, 19 and (AW)not (AX)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.

20 If with Christ (AY)you died to the (AZ)elemental spirits of the world, (BA)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 (BB)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 ((BC)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to (BD)human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in (BE)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are (BF)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or elementary principles; also verse 20
  2. Colossians 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities
  3. Colossians 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross)
  4. Colossians 2:18 Or about the things he has seen
Close LSB

Colossians 2
Legacy Standard Bible

Alive with Christ

2 For I want you to understand how great a (A)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 so that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)held together in love, even unto all (E)the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, unto the (F)full knowledge of (G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 (I)I say this so that no one will delude you with (J)persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am (K)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [a]to see your (L)good order and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore as you received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [b](O)walk in Him, 7 having been firmly (P)rooted and being (Q)built up in Him, and having been (R)established [c]in your faith—just as you (S)were instructed—and abounding [d]with thanksgiving.

8 (T)See to it that no one takes you captive through (U)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the (V)elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the (W)fullness of Deity dwells bodily, 10 and in Him you have been (X)filled, (Y)who is the head [e]over all (Z)rule and authority; 11 in whom (AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of (AB)the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been (AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also (AD)raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who (AE)raised Him from the dead. 13 And you being (AF)dead [f]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (AG)made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. 14 Having canceled out (AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, (AI)He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having [g](AJ)disarmed the (AK)rulers and authorities, He (AL)made a public display of them, having (AM)triumphed over them in [h]Him.

16 Therefore, no one is to (AN)judge you in (AO)food and (AP)drink, or in respect to a (AQ)festival or a (AR)new moon or a (AS)Sabbath [i]day— 17 things which are only a (AT)shadow of what is to come; but the [j]substance [k]belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep [l](AU)defrauding you of your prize by (AV)delighting in [m]self-abasement and the worship of the angels, going into detail about visions he has seen, (AW)being puffed up for nothing by his (AX)fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to (AY)the head, from whom (AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [n]ligaments, grows with a growth [o]that is from God.

20 (BA)If you have died with Christ [p]to the (BB)elementary principles of the world, (BC)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to (BD)decrees: 21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”? 22 Which [q]deal with everything (BE)destined to perish [r]with use, which are in accordance with the (BF)commands and teachings of men; 23 which are matters having, to be sure, a [s]word of wisdom in [t](BG)self-made religion and self-abasement and (BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against (BI)fleshly indulgence.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
  2. Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
  3. Colossians 2:7 Or by
  4. Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
  5. Colossians 2:10 Lit of
  6. Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
  7. Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
  8. Colossians 2:15 Or it; the cross
  9. Colossians 2:16 Or days
  10. Colossians 2:17 Lit body
  11. Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
  12. Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
  13. Colossians 2:18 Or humility
  14. Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
  15. Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
  16. Colossians 2:20 Lit from
  17. Colossians 2:22 Lit are
  18. Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
  19. Colossians 2:23 Or message
  20. Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion
Next
Colossians 1
Colossians 3
Next
dropdown
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

English Standard Version (ESV)

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

ESV Study Bible
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.