Colossians 2

1 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

FOR I wish you to know how great a struggle I sustain for you, and those at Laodicea, and 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 gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

that their hearts may be comforted, firmly united together in love, and unto all riches of full assurance of understanding, in the knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

Now this I say, lest any man pervert you with specious discourse.

5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

For though I am absent from you in person, yet I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your regular order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

As therefore ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him:

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

rooted and built up on him, and confirmed in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.

Beware that no man make a prey of you by means of philosophy and vain delusion, after the tradition of men, after the principles of the world, and not after Christ:

9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,

for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;

10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.

and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

in whom also ye have been circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ:

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

buried with him in baptism, in which also ye have been raised up together with him by faith, the energy of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

And you, who were dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened with him, freely forgiving you all trespasses;

14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

and hath blotted out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was the obstacle to us, and took it from the midst, nailing it to the cross;

15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

spoiling principalities and powers, he exposed them to view openly, triumphing over them on it.

16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

Let no man therefore judge you concerning what you eat, or what you drink, or the observance of a feast, or new moon, or the sabbaths;

17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.

which are merely shadows of things to come: but the body is Christ’s.

18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Let no man juggle you out of your prize, voluntary in his humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things which he never saw, vainly puffed up by his carnal imagination;

19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

and not firmly attached to the head, from which the whole body, by joints and ligaments, harmoniously adjusted and closely compacted, increaseth with increase from God.

20 If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

If then ye have been dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye dogmatically taught,

21 “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”

eat not, nor talk, nor touch,

22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

(all which things tend to corruption by abuse) according to the injunctions and doctrines of men?

23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Which things indeed hold forth an appearance of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and bodily mortification, though not of any value, but a gratification to the flesh.