Colossenes 2

1 Volo enim vos scire qualem solicitudinem habeam pro vobis, et pro iis, qui sunt Laodiciae, et quicumque non viderunt faciem meam in carne:

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 ut consolentur corda ipsorum, instructi in charitate, et in omnes divitias plenitudinis intellectus, in agnitionem mysterii Dei Patris et Christi Iesu:

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 quo sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae, et scientiae absconditi.

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

4 Hoc autem dico, ut nemo vos decipiat in sublimitate sermonum.

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

5 Nam etsi corpore absens sum, sed spiritu vobiscum sum: gaudens, et videns ordinem vestrum, et firmamentum eius, quae in Christo est, fidei vestrae.

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 Sicut ergo accepistis Iesum Christum Dominum, in ipso ambulate,

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

7 radicati, et superaedificati in ipso, et confirmati in fide, sicut et didicistis, abundantes in illo in gratiarum actione:

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 Videte ne quis vos decipiat per philosophiam, et inanem fallaciam secundum traditionem hominum, secundum elementa mundi, et non secundum Christum:

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 quia in ipso inhabitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter:

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

10 et estis in illo repleti, qui est caput omnis principatus, et potestatis:

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

11 in quo et circumcisi estis circumcisione non manu facta in expoliatione corporis carnis, sed in circumcisione Christi:

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 consepulti ei in baptismo, in quo et resurrexistis per fidem operationis Dei, qui suscitavit illum a mortuis.

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 Et vos cum mortui essetis in delictis, et praeputio carnis vestrae, convivificavit cum illo, donans vobis omnia delicta:

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 delens quod adversus nos erat chirographum decreti, quod erat contrarium nobis, et ipsum tulit de medio, affigens illud cruci:

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 et expolians principatus, et potestates traduxit confidenter, palam triumphans illos in semetipso.

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

16 Nemo ergo vos iudicet in cibo, aut in potu, aut in parte diei festi, aut neomeniae, aut sabbatorum:

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 quae sunt umbra futurorum: corpus autem Christi.

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

18 Nemo vos seducat, volens in humilitate, et religione angelorum, quae non vidit ambulans, frustra inflatus sensu carnis suae,

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 et non tenens caput, ex quo totum corpus per nexus, et coniunctiones subministratum, et constructum crescit in augmentum Dei.

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 Si ergo mortui estis cum Christo ab elementis huius mundi: quid adhuc tamquam viventes in mundo decernitis?

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 Ne tetigeritis, neque gustaveritis, neque contrectaveritis:

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

22 quae sunt omnia in interitum ipso usu, secundum praecepta, et doctrinas hominum:

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

23 quae sunt rationem quidem habentia sapientiae in superstitione, et humilitate, et non ad parcendum corpori, non in honore aliquo ad saturitatem carnis.

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.