Προς Κολοσσαεις 2
1 θελω γαρ υμας ειδεναι ηλικον αγωνα εχω περι υμων και των εν λαοδικεια και οσοι ουχ εωρακασιν το προσωπον μου εν σαρκι
For I would have you know how great a contest I am waging for you and the brethren in Laodicea, and for all who have never seen my face.
2 ινα παρακληθωσιν αι καρδιαι αυτων συμβιβασθεντων εν αγαπη και εις παντα πλουτον της πληροφοριας της συνεσεως εις επιγνωσιν του μυστηριου του θεου και πατρος και του χριστου
May their hearts be comforted! May they be knit together in love! May they gain in all its riches the full assurance of their understanding! May they come to a perfect knowledge of the secret truth of God, which is Christ himself.
3 εν ω εισιν παντες οι θησαυροι της σοφιας και της γνωσεως αποκρυφοι
In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!
4 τουτο δε λεγω ινα μη τις υμας παραλογιζηται εν πιθανολογια
And this I say, lest any one should mislead you with enticing words.
5 ει γαρ και τη σαρκι απειμι αλλα τω πνευματι συν υμιν ειμι χαιρων και βλεπων υμων την ταξιν και το στερεωμα της εις χριστον πιστεως υμων
For though I am absent from you in body, I am with you in spirit, happy to note your discipline and the solid front of your faith in Christ.
6 ως ουν παρελαβετε τον χριστον ιησουν τον κυριον εν αυτω περιπατειτε
As then you have received Jesus Christ, your Lord, in him live your lives;
7 ερριζωμενοι και εποικοδομουμενοι εν αυτω και βεβαιουμενοι εν τη πιστει καθως εδιδαχθητε περισσευοντες εν αυτη εν ευχαριστια
since you are rooted in him, and in him continually built up. Be firmly established in the faith as you were taught it, and continually abound in it with thanksgiving.
8 βλεπετε μη τις υμας εσται ο συλαγωγων δια της φιλοσοφιας και κενης απατης κατα την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων κατα τα στοιχεια του κοσμου και ου κατα χριστον
Take care lest any man drag you away captive by his philosophy which is a vain deceit, following the traditions of men and the world’s crude notions, and not Christ.
9 οτι εν αυτω κατοικει παν το πληρωμα της θεοτητος σωματικως
For it is in Christ that all the fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 και εστε εν αυτω πεπληρωμενοι ος εστιν η κεφαλη πασης αρχης και εξουσιας
and in him you have your fulness, and he is the Lord of all the principalities and powers.
11 εν ω και περιετμηθητε περιτομη αχειροποιητω εν τη απεκδυσει του σωματος των αμαρτιων της σαρκος εν τη περιτομη του χριστου
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands; even in putting off your sensual nature in Christ’s own circumcision,
12 συνταφεντες αυτω εν τω βαπτισματι εν ω και συνηγερθητε δια της πιστεως της ενεργειας του θεου του εγειραντος αυτον εκ των νεκρων
when you were buried with him in baptism. In baptism also you were raised with him, through your faith in the energy of that God who raised him from the dead.
13 και υμας νεκρους οντας εν τοις παραπτωμασιν και τη ακροβυστια της σαρκος υμων συνεζωοποιησεν υμας συν αυτω χαρισαμενος ημιν παντα τα παραπτωματα
And you also, at one time dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sensual nature, he has made alive together with himself. For he forgave us all our transgressions,
14 εξαλειψας το καθ ημων χειρογραφον τοις δογμασιν ο ην υπεναντιον ημιν και αυτο ηρκεν εκ του μεσου προσηλωσας αυτο τω σταυρω
blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that stood against us and was hostile to us, and took it out of our way, nailing it to his cross.
15 απεκδυσαμενος τας αρχας και τας εξουσιας εδειγματισεν εν παρρησια θριαμβευσας αυτους εν αυτω
Principalities and powers he disarmed, and openly displayed them as his trophies, when he triumphed over them in the cross.
16 μη ουν τις υμας κρινετω εν βρωσει η εν ποσει η εν μερει εορτης η νουμηνιας η σαββατων
Therefore do not permit any one to sit in judgment on you in regard to what you may eat or drink, or in regard to feast-days or new moons or sabbaths.
17 α εστιν σκια των μελλοντων το δε σωμα χριστου
These were a shadow of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
18 μηδεις υμας καταβραβευετω θελων εν ταπεινοφροσυνη και θρησκεια των αγγελων α μη εωρακεν εμβατευων εικη φυσιουμενος υπο του νοος της σαρκος αυτου
Let no man at his will defraud you of your prize through his false humility and worship of the angels, taking his stand on the visions he has seen, and vainly puffed up by his material mind;
19 και ου κρατων την κεφαλην εξ ου παν το σωμα δια των αφων και συνδεσμων επιχορηγουμενον και συμβιβαζομενον αυξει την αυξησιν του θεου
instead of keeping connection with the Head from the whole body draws nourishment for all its needs by the joints which bind it; and is knit together, and grows with a divine growth.
20 ει απεθανετε συν χριστω απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου τι ως ζωντες εν κοσμω δογματιζεσθε
If you died with Christ to the world’s rudimentary notions, why, as if you still lived in the world, do you submit yourselves to dogmatisms found on teachings and doctrines of men -
21 μη αψη μηδε γευση μηδε θιγης
such as "Do not handle this," "You must not taste that," "Do not touch this" -
22 α εστιν παντα εις φθοραν τη αποχρησει κατα τα ενταλματα και διδασκαλιας των ανθρωπων
all things which are intended to perish in the using?
23 ατινα εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιας εν εθελοθρησκεια και ταπεινοφροσυνη και αφειδια σωματος ουκ εν τιμη τινι προς πλησμονην της σαρκος
For these precepts, although they have a show of wisdom with their self-imposed devotions and fastings and bodily austerities, are of no real value against the indulgence of the carnal appetites.
