Colossians 2

¹For I would have you know what a great struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

²that their hearts may be encouraged, they being knit together in love, and that they may attain to all the riches of a full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God;

³in which are stored up all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴And this I say, that no one may impose on you by specious discourses.

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

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

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

⁸Beware lest there be some one who shall make a prey of you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.

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

¹⁰and ye are made full in him, who is the head of all principality and power;

¹¹in whom also ye have been circumcised with a circumcision not performed by hand, in putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ,

¹²having been buried with him in your baptism; in which also ye were raised to life with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead;

¹³and to you also who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he given life together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

¹⁴blotting out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was opposed to us, he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

¹⁵and having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public show of them, and led them captive in triumph in him.

¹⁶Let no one then call you to account about food or drink, or a feast-day, or a new moon, or sabbaths;

¹⁷which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is Christ’s.

¹⁸Let no one defraud you of the prize, desiring to do it in humiliation and worshipping of the angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, puffed up without reason by the mind of his own flesh,

¹⁹and not holding fast the Head, from which the whole body, supported and compacted by means of the joints and ligaments, groweth with an increase wrought by God.

²⁰If ye died with Christ to the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances, such as,

²¹Handle not, Taste not, Touch not,

²²(which all are to perish with the using,) after the commandments and teachings of men;

²³which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship and humiliation and severity to the body, not in any honor for the satisfying of the flesh.

Colossians 2

¹For 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹¹In 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:

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

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

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

¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

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

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

¹⁹And 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.

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

²¹(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

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

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