Colossians 2

1 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;

I want you to know how great is my concern for you and those in Laodicea, even all who have not met me personally,

2 That their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

that their hearts may be encouraged, being united in love and into a great wealth of confident understanding, into a real knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father and of the Christ,

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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

4 And this I say, lest any man should deceive you with enticing words.

Now I say this so that no one may deceive you with specious arguments.

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

For although in fact I am physically absent, yet my spirit is with you, rejoicing as I observe your orderliness and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk ye in him:

So then, keep on walking in the Christ, Jesus the Sovereign, just as you received Him,

7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

having been rooted and being built up in Him and being established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man make a prey of you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Be careful that no one captures you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Because all the Fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him in bodily form,

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

and you are complete in Him who is the head over all rule and authority.

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:

In Him you were also ‘circumcised’ by the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, not with a circumcision done by hands but with the circumcision of the Christ,

12 Buried with him in baptism, in which also ye are raised with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

having been buried with Him in the baptism. In Him you were also raised together through your faith in the productive power of the God who raised Him from among the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Yes you, though being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh—He has made you alive together with Him; having forgiven us all our trespasses;

14 Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

having wiped out the written record about us that was against us (based on the ordinances), indeed He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;

15 [And] having despoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

having stripped the principalities and the authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, having triumphed over them by it [the cross].

16 Let no man therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or or the new-moon, or of the sabbaths:

So do not let anyone judge you about food or drink, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or Sabbaths,

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

which things are but a shadow of those to come, while the body is Christ's.

18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Nor let anyone disqualify you, taking pleasure in a subservience and devotion to the angels, ‘taking possession’ of things that he has not seen, being puffed up by his carnal mind to no useful purpose,

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.

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, supported and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

20 Wherefore, if ye are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Now then, since you died with Christ away from the basic principles of the world, why, as though still living in it, are you subjecting yourselves to regulations

21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

—Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!—

22 Which all are to perish with the using; ) according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

(all of which result in corruption through overuse) according to the commands and teachings of men?

23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

Such things do indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and subservience and asceticism, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.