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Fullness of Life in Christ

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.(A)

Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles[a] of the world, and not according to Christ.(B) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.(C) 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision,[b] by the removal of the body[c] of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;(D) 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.(E) 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God[d] made you[e] alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses,(F) 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed[f] the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.8 Or spirits
  2. 2.11 Gk a circumcision made without hands
  3. 2.11 Other ancient authorities add of the sins
  4. 2.13 Gk he
  5. 2.13 Other ancient authorities read made us or made
  6. 2.15 Or divested himself of

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(A) continue to live your lives in him, rooted(B) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(C) and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(D) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(E) rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness(F) of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head(G) over every power and authority.(H) 11 In him you were also circumcised(I) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[b](J) was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism,(K) in which you were also raised with him(L) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.(M)

13 When you were dead in your sins(N) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive(O) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,(P) 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,(Q) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.(R) 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities,(S) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them(T) by the cross.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20
  2. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  3. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of
  4. Colossians 2:13 Some manuscripts us
  5. Colossians 2:15 Or them in him