< Colossians 2 >

1 For I desire you to know, how great a contest I am having—in behalf of you, and of those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have about you, and those at Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh.
2 In order that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, even unto all the riches of the full assurance of their understanding, unto a personal knowledge of the sacred secret of God, —Christ:
So that their hearts may be encouraged, having been united together in love, and for all wealth of the full assurance of understanding, to knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father of the Christ.
3 In whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden away.
In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 This I say, in order that, no one, may be reasoning, you, aside with plausible discourse;
And I say this so that not any man may delude you with persuasive speech.
5 For, though, indeed, in the flesh, I am absent, yet, in the spirit, with you, I am—rejoicing, and beholding your order and the solid firmness of your Christ-ward faith.
For even though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your orderliness, and the steadfastness of your faith for Christ.
6 As therefore ye have accepted the Anointed Jesus as your Lord, in him, be walking, —
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
7 Rooted, and being built up, in him, and making yourselves sure in your faith, even as ye have been taught, —surpassing therein with thanksgiving.
rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as ye were taught, abounding in it with thankfulness.
8 Be taking heed, lest there shall be anyone leading, you, off as a spoil, through means of their philosophy, and an empty deceit, —according to the instruction of men, according to the first principles of the world, —and not according to Christ:
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 Because, in him, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily,
Because in him all the fullness of the divinity dwells bodily.
10 And ye are, in him, filled full, —Who, is the head of all principality and authority,
And ye are men who have been made full in him, who is the head of every principal office and position of authority.
11 In whom, ye have also been circumcised with a circumcision not done by hand, in the despoiling of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ, —
In whom also ye were circumcised a circumcision not made with hands, in the removal of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of the Christ.
12 Having been buried together with him in your immersion, wherein also ye have been raised together, through your faith in the energising of God—Who raised him from among the dead.
Having been buried with him in immersion, in which also ye were raised together through faith of the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And, as for you—who were, dead, by your offences and by the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath brought you to life together with him, —having in favour forgiven us all our offences,
And you, being dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you he made alive together with him, having forgiven us all the transgressions,
14 Having blotted out the handwriting against us by the decrees, which was hostile to us, —and hath taken away, the same, out of the midst, nailing it up to the cross:
having erased the handwriting against us in the regulations that were hostile to us, and he has taken it up from the midst, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Spoiling the principalities and the authorities, he made of them an open example, celebrating a triumph over them thereby.
Having stripped the principal offices and the positions of authority, he exposed them openly, having triumphed over them by it.
16 Let no one, therefore, be judging, you, —in eating and in drinking, or in respect of feast, or new moon, or sabbath, —
Let not any man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 Which are a shadow of the things to come, whereas, the body, is of the Christ.
which are a shadow of the things coming, but the body is Christ's.
18 Let, no one, against you, be arbitrating, however wishful, —in respect of lowliness of mind, and of a religious observance of the messengers: upon what things he hath seen, taking his stand, in vain, puffed up by his carnal mind, —
Let no man umpire against you insisting on self-mortification, and worship of the agents, intruding in things that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
19 And not holding fast the head: from which, all the body, through means of its joints and uniting bands, receiving supply, and connecting itself together, groweth with the growth of God.
and not holding to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and held together through the connections and bonds, develops its growth from God.
20 If ye have died, together with Christ, from the first principles of the world, why, as though alive in the world, are ye submitting to decrees, —
If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why do ye submit to rules, as though living in the world?
21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch; —
Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch
22 Which things are all for decay in the using up; —according to the commandments and teachings of men?
(which are all things for consumption by use), according to the commandments and teachings of men?
23 The which things, indeed, though they have, an appearance, of wisdom, in self-devised religious observance, and lowliness of mind, [and] ill-treatment of body, are, in no honourable way, unto a satisfying of the flesh.
Which having, are indeed a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and self-mortification, and austerity of the body-not in any value against indulgence of the flesh.

< Colossians 2 >