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;
I want you to know in how great a struggle I am engaged for you and for Christ’s people at Laodicea, and for all who have not yet seen me;
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:
in the hope that they, being bound to one another by love, and keeping in view the full blessedness of a firm conviction, may be encouraged to strive for a perfect knowledge of God’s hidden truth,
3 In whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden away.
even Christ himself, in whom all treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hidden.
4 This I say, in order that, no one, may be reasoning, you, aside with plausible discourse;
I say this to prevent anyone from deceiving you by plausible arguments.
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.
It is true that I am not with you in person, but I am with you in spirit, and am glad to see the good order and the unbroken front resulting from your faith in Christ.
6 As therefore ye have accepted the Anointed Jesus as your Lord, in him, be walking, —
Since, therefore, you have received Jesus, the Christ, as your Lord, live your lives in union with 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 in him, building up your characters through union with him, growing stronger through your faith, as you were taught, overflowing with faith and thanksgiving.
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 care that there is not someone who will carry you away by his ‘philosophy’ – a hollow sham! – following, as it does, mere human traditions, and dealing with puerile questions of this world, and not with Christ.
9 Because, in him, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily,
For in Christ the Godhead in all its fulness dwells incarnate;
10 And ye are, in him, filled full, —Who, is the head of all principality and authority,
and, by your union with him, you also are filled with it. He is the head of all archangels and powers of heaven.
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, —
By your union with him you received a circumcision that was not performed by human hands, when you threw off the tyranny of the earthly body, and received 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.
For in baptism you were buried with Christ; and in baptism you were also raised to life with him, through your faith in the omnipotence 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 to you, who once were dead, by reason of your sins and your uncircumcised nature – to you God gave life in giving life to Christ! He pardoned all our sins!
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:
He canceled the bond which stood against us – the bond that consisted of ordinances – and which was directly hostile to us! He has taken it out of our way by nailing it to the cross!
15 Spoiling the principalities and the authorities, he made of them an open example, celebrating a triumph over them thereby.
He rid himself of all the powers of evil, and held them up to open contempt, when he celebrated his triumph over them on the cross!
16 Let no one, therefore, be judging, you, —in eating and in drinking, or in respect of feast, or new moon, or sabbath, —
Do not, then, allow anyone to take you to task on questions of eating or drinking, or in the matter of annual or monthly or weekly festivals.
17 Which are a shadow of the things to come, whereas, the body, is of the Christ.
These things are only the shadow of what is to come; the substance is in the Christ.
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, —
Do not let anyone defraud you of the reality by affecting delight in so-called ‘humility’ and angel-worship. Such a person busies themselves with their visions, and without reason are rendered conceited by their merely human intellect.
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.
They fail to maintain union with the head, to whom it is due that the whole body, nourished and knit together by the contact and connexion of every part, grows with a divine growth.
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, —
Since, with Christ, you became dead to the puerile teaching of this world, why do you submit, as if you still belonged to the world,
21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch; —
to such ordinances as ‘Do not handle, or taste, or touch’?
22 Which things are all for decay in the using up; —according to the commandments and teachings of men?
For all the things referred to in them cease to exist when used. You are following mere human directions and instructions.
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.
Such prohibitions appear reasonable where there is a desire for self-imposed service, and so-called ‘humility,’ and harsh treatment of the body, but are of no real value against the indulgence of our earthly nature.
