Colossians 2

1 For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.4 This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,7 rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.8 Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:9 for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,10 and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:11 in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;12 having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.13 And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;15 having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.18 Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,19 and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with the increase of God.20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,21 Handle not, nor taste, nor touch22 (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Colossians 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you,t and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face.t2 My goal is thatt their hearts, having been knit togethert in love, may be encouraged, and thatt they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,s3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through argumentst that sound reasonable.s

5 For thought I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to seet your moralet and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies

6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,t continue to live your livest in him,7 rootedt and built up in him and firms in yourt faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate yout through an empty, deceitful philosophyt that is according to human traditions and the elemental spiritst of the world, and not according to Christ.9 For in him all the fullness of deity livess in bodily form,10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.11 In him you also were circumcised – not, however,t with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removalt of the fleshly body,t that is,t through the circumcision done by Christ.12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through yourt faith in the powert of God who raised him from the dead.13 And even though you were dead in yourt transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he neverthelesst made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions.14 He has destroyedt what was against us, a certificate of indebtednesst expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

15 Disarmingt the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.t
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days –17 these are onlyt the shadow of the things to come, but the realityt is Christ!t18 Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengthst about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.t

19 He has not held fastt to the head from whom the whole body, supportedt and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.t
20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spiritst of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”22 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they aret on human commands and teachings.t

23 Even though they have the appearance of wisdomt with their self-imposed worship and false humilityt achieved by ans unsparing treatment of the body – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.t