Psalm 138

Of David.

²⁰ Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom^(A) and Gomorrah is so great^(B) and their sin so grievous^{(C) 21} that I will go down^(D) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

²² The men^(E) turned away and went toward Sodom,^(F) but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^{[a](G) 23} Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{(H) 24} What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare^[b] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?^{(I) 25} Far be it from you to do such a thing^(J)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous^(K) and the wicked alike.^(L) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge^(M) of all the earth do right?”^(N)

²⁶ The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.^(O)”

²⁷ Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,^{(P) 28} what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”

“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”

²⁹ Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”

He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

³⁰ Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry,^(Q) but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”

He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹ Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?”

He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

³² Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.^(R) What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten,^(S) I will not destroy it.”

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

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

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

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness^(F) of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(G) over every power and authority.^{(H) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(I) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[b](J) was put off when you were circumcised by^[c] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(K) in which you were also raised with him^(L) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(M)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(N) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[d] alive^(O) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(P) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(Q) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(R) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(S) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(T) by the cross.^[e]

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(A) by what you eat or drink,^(B) or with regard to a religious festival,^(C) a New Moon celebration^(D) or a Sabbath day.^{(E) 17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(F) the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(G) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(H) 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,^(I) from whom the whole body,^(J) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.^(K)