2 I want you to know that I am doing a difficult work on your behalf. I am also working to help the people at Laodicea and other people who have never met me. 2 I want all the believers to become strong in their spirits. I want them to help each other because they love one another. Then God will bless them very much, because they understand God's secret message very well. They will be completely sure of it. And they will know Christ himself, who is God's secret. 3 Christ is the one who holds everything that makes people wise. He helps people to know the true message that God had hidden.
4 I am telling you these things so that false teachers will not deceive you. They may teach ideas that seem good, but do not listen to them. 5 My body is not there with you, but I think about you a lot. I hear that you are living and working well together. I also hear that you continue to trust Christ strongly. That makes me very happy.
6 You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. So remember that you belong to him as you live your lives. 7 Get your strength from Christ himself, so that you become stronger and stronger. [ a ] Continue to believe the true message that we taught you. And thank God very much for everything.
8 Be careful that you do not believe any false teachers. The ideas that they teach may seem clever. But they really want to deceive you. They are ideas that have come from the human minds of our ancestors. Or ideas that come from spirits that belong to this world. They are not the true message about Christ. 9 The whole nature of God himself lives in Christ, in his human body. 10 And because you are united with Christ, you are now complete. He is the one who rules over everything that has power or authority.
11 Also, because you are united with Christ, you truly belong to God's people. No person has circumcised you to show this. It is like Christ himself has circumcised you, to show that you belong to God. It is like he has cut off your old nature which made you do bad things. [ b ] 12 When they baptized you, it was like God buried you with Christ. [ c ] And God also raised you to a new life with Christ. You believed that God has great power to do that. You believed that God raised Jesus to life after he died. Because you believed, God raised you to have a new life.
13 At one time, you were dead in your spirits, because of the wrong things that you did. God had not cut off your old nature. You did not belong to his people. But now God has caused you to become alive with Christ. He has forgiven us for all the wrong things that we have done. 14 We are guilty of many wrong things that are against God's laws. But Christ died on the cross on our behalf. He paid the debt of our sins. It is like he has destroyed the list of all the debts that we should pay to God. 15 On the cross, Christ took away the power of the bad spirits that have authority to rule people. He showed clearly that he himself has won against them. Now everyone can see that those bad spirits have no power.
16 Some people may tell you that it is wrong for you to eat or to drink certain things. Or they make rules about special festival days, about new moons, or about the Jewish days for rest. Do not agree with people like that. 17 Rules like that are only like shadows of real things that would happen later. But now we have what is real, Christ himself!
18 Some people may tell you that you must always serve other people like a slave. They may tell you that you must worship angels. Do not let those people speak bad things against you. They like to talk a lot about the special things that God has shown them. They think that they are very clever. But their ideas only come from human minds. 19 False teachers like that do not receive their message from Christ. As God's people, we are like a body and Christ is like our head. He is the one who causes the whole body to be strong. He helps us to work well together, like the different parts of a body. Then we can all grow properly, because it is God who is helping us to grow.
20 Remember that your old nature has died with Christ. So the powerful spirits that rule this world no longer have any authority over you. You do not need to serve them, because you do not belong to this world now. You do not need to obey their rules. 21 They teach, ‘Do not touch things like that!’ Or, ‘Do not eat that kind of food!’ Or, ‘Keep away from that thing!’ 22 Rules like that are only about things that spoil when you use them. [ d ] They are rules that come from human ideas. 23 They teach you ideas about what you must do to worship God. They teach you to serve other people like a slave. They say that you must hurt yourself. You must show that you control your body. Rules like that may seem to be wise, but really they are not worth anything. They cannot stop our weak human nature from doing the bad things that we want to do.
2 I want you to know that I am trying very hard to help you. And I am trying to help those in Laodicea and others who have never seen me. 2 I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love and to have the full confidence that comes from understanding. I want them to know completely the secret truth that God has made known. That truth is Christ himself. 3 In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are kept safe.
4 I tell you this so that no one can fool you by telling you ideas that seem good, but are false. 5 Even though I am far away, my thoughts are always with you. I am happy to see your good lives and your strong faith in Christ.
6 You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him. 7 You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.
8 Be sure you are not led away by the teaching of those who have nothing worth saying and only plan to deceive you. That teaching is not from Christ. It is only human tradition and comes from the powers that influence [ a ] this world. 9 I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.
11 In Christ you had a different kind of circumcision, one that was not done by human hands. That is, you were made free from the power of your sinful self. That is the kind of circumcision Christ does. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him because of your faith in God’s power. God’s power was shown when he raised Christ from death.
13 You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14 Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. 15 He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.
16 So don’t let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about Jewish customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or Sabbath days). 17 In the past these things were like a shadow that showed what was coming. But the new things that were coming are found in Christ. 18 Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble and love to worship angels. [ b ] They always talk about the visions they have seen. Don’t listen to them when they say you are wrong because you don’t do these things. It is so foolish for them to feel such pride, because it is all based on their own human ideas. 19 They don’t keep themselves under the control of the head. Christ is the head, and the whole body depends on him. Because of Christ all the parts of the body care for each other and help each other. So the body is made stronger and held together as God causes it to grow.
20 You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these: 21 “Don’t eat this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t touch that”? 22 These rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. 23 These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that the sinful self wants to do.
2 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5 For though I be 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 ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through 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 ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
2 For I want you to know how great a ( A ) struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at ( B ) Laodicea, and for all those who have not [ a ] personally seen my face, 2 that their ( C ) hearts may be encouraged, having been ( D ) knit together in love, and that they would attain to all ( E ) the wealth [ b ] that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ( F ) true 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 deceive you with ( J ) persuasive arguments. 5 For even though I am ( K ) absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing [ c ] to see [ d ] your ( L ) orderly manner and the ( M ) stability of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you have received ( N ) Christ Jesus the Lord, so [ e ] ( O ) walk in Him, 7 having been firmly ( P ) rooted and now being ( Q ) built up in Him and ( R ) established [ f ] in [ g ] your faith, just as you ( S ) were instructed, and overflowing [ h ] with gratitude.
8 ( T ) See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through ( U ) philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the ( V ) elementary principles of the world, [ i ] rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the ( W ) fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been ( X ) made [ j ] complete, and ( Y ) He is the head [ k ] over every ( Z ) ruler and authority; 11 and in Him ( AA ) you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of ( AB ) the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been ( AC ) buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ( AD ) raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ( AE ) raised Him from the dead. 13 And [ l ] when you were ( AF ) dead [ m ] in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ( AG ) made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled ( AH ) the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ( AI ) He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had [ n ] ( AJ ) disarmed the ( AK ) rulers and authorities, He ( AL ) made a public display of them , having ( AM ) triumphed over them through [ o ] Him.
16 Therefore, no one is to [ p ] ( AN ) act as your judge in regard to ( AO ) food and ( AP ) drink, or in respect to a ( AQ ) festival or a ( AR ) new moon, or a ( AS ) Sabbath [ q ] day— 17 things which are only a ( AT ) shadow of what is to come; but the [ r ] substance [ s ] belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps [ t ] ( AU ) defrauding you of your prize by ( AV ) delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, [ u ] taking his stand on visions he has seen, [ v ] ( AW ) inflated without cause by his ( AX ) fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to ( AY ) the head, from whom ( AZ ) the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [ w ] ligaments, grows with a growth [ x ] which is from God.
20 ( BA ) If you have died with Christ [ y ] 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, such as , 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer ( BE ) to things destined to perish [ z ] with use)—in accordance with the ( BF ) commandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the [ aa ] appearance of wisdom in [ ab ] ( BG ) self-made religion and humility and ( BH ) severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ( BI ) fleshly indulgence.
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.
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 ]
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.
