Colossians 2

¹For I want you to know the kind of solicitude that I have for you, and for those who are at Laodicea, as well as for those who have not seen my face in the flesh.

²May their hearts be consoled and instructed in charity, with all the riches of a plenitude of understanding, with knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus.

³For in him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴Now I say this, so that no one may deceive you with grandiose words.

⁵For though I may be absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit. And I rejoice as I gaze upon your order and its foundation, which is in Christ, your faith.

⁶Therefore, just as you have received the Lord Jesus Christ, walk in him.

⁷Be rooted and continually built up in Christ. And be confirmed in the faith, just as you have also learned it, increasing in him with acts of thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one deceives you through philosophy and empty falsehoods, as found in the traditions of men, in accord with the influences of the world, and not in accord with Christ.

⁹For in him, all the fullness of the Divine Nature dwells bodily.

¹⁰And in him, you have been filled; for he is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹In him also, you have been circumcised with a circumcision not made by hand, not by the despoiling of the body of flesh, but by the circumcision of Christ.

¹²You have been buried with him in baptism. In him also, you have risen again through faith, by the work of God, who raised him up from the dead.

¹³And when you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he enlivened you, together with him, forgiving you of all transgressions,

¹⁴and wiping away the handwriting of the decree which was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken this away from your midst, affixing it to the Cross.

¹⁵And so, despoiling principalities and powers, he has led them away confidently and openly, triumphing over them in himself.

¹⁶Therefore, let no one judge you as concerns food or drink, or a particular feast day, or feast days of new moons, or of Sabbaths.

¹⁷For these are a shadow of the future, but the body is of Christ.

¹⁸Let no one seduce you, preferring base things and a religion of Angels, walking according to what he has not seen, being vainly inflated by the sensations of his flesh,

¹⁹and not holding up the head, with which the whole body, by its underlying joints and ligaments, is joined together and grows with an increase that is of God.

²⁰So then, if you have died with Christ to the influences of this world, why do you still make decisions as if you were living in the world?

²¹Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle these things,

²²which all lead to destruction by their very use, in accord with the precepts and doctrines of men.

²³Such ideas have at least an intention to attain to wisdom, but through superstition and debasement, not sparing the body, and they are without any honor in satiating the flesh.

Colossians 2

¹For I would have you know what manner of care I have for you and for them that are at Laodicea and whosoever have not seen my face in the flesh:

²That their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in charity and unto all riches of fulness of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus:

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

⁴Now this I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness of words.

⁵For though I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing, and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith which is in Christ.

⁶As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in him:

⁷Rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned: abounding in him in thanksgiving.

⁸Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.

⁹For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally.

¹⁰And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh: but in the circumcision of Christ.

¹²Buried with him in baptism: in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him up from the dead.

¹³And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:

¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross.

¹⁵And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.

¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths,

¹⁷Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.

¹⁸Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh:

¹⁹And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth into the increase of God.

²⁰If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world?

²¹Touch not: taste not: handle not.

²²Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men.

²³Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour to the filling of the flesh.