You Are Built Up in Christ

For I want you to know how great a (A)struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not [a]personally seen my face, that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)knit together in love, and that they would attain to all (E)the wealth [b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a (F)true knowledge of (G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (I)I say this so that no one will deceive you with (J)persuasive arguments. For even though I am (K)absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see [d]your (L)orderly manner and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.

Therefore, as you have received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [e](O)walk in Him, having been firmly (P)rooted and now being (Q)built up in Him and (R)established [f]in [g]your faith, just as you (S)were instructed, and overflowing [h]with gratitude.

(T)See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through (U)philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the (V)elementary principles of the world, [i]rather than in accordance with Christ. For in Him all the (W)fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been (X)made [j]complete, and (Y)He is the head [k]over every (Z)ruler and authority; 11 and in Him (AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of (AB)the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been (AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also (AD)raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who (AE)raised Him from the dead. 13 And [l]when you were (AF)dead [m]in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (AG)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled (AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and (AI)He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had [n](AJ)disarmed the (AK)rulers and authorities, He (AL)made a public display of them, having (AM)triumphed over them through [o]Him.

16 Therefore, no one is to [p](AN)act as your judge in regard to (AO)food and (AP)drink, or in respect to a (AQ)festival or a (AR)new moon, or a (AS)Sabbath [q]day— 17 things which are only a (AT)shadow of what is to come; but the [r]substance [s]belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps [t](AU)defrauding you of your prize by (AV)delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, [u]taking his stand on visions he has seen, [v](AW)inflated without cause by his (AX)fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to (AY)the head, from whom (AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [w]ligaments, grows with a growth [x]which is from God.

20 (BA)If you have died with Christ [y]to the (BB)elementary principles of the world, (BC)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to (BD)decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer (BE)to things destined to perish [z]with use)—in accordance with the (BF)commandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the [aa]appearance of wisdom in [ab](BG)self-made religion and humility and (BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against (BI)fleshly indulgence.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:1 Lit in the flesh
  2. Colossians 2:2 Lit of the full assurance
  3. Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
  4. Colossians 2:5 Or your good order
  5. Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
  6. Colossians 2:7 Or by
  7. Colossians 2:7 Or the faith
  8. Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
  9. Colossians 2:8 Lit and not
  10. Colossians 2:10 Lit full
  11. Colossians 2:10 Lit of
  12. Colossians 2:13 Or although
  13. Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
  14. Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
  15. Colossians 2:15 Or it; i.e., the cross
  16. Colossians 2:16 Lit judge you
  17. Colossians 2:16 Or days
  18. Colossians 2:17 Lit body
  19. Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
  20. Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
  21. Colossians 2:18 Or going into detail about
  22. Colossians 2:18 Or conceited
  23. Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
  24. Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
  25. Colossians 2:20 Lit from
  26. Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
  27. Colossians 2:23 Lit report; Gr logos
  28. Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion

For I wish you to know how great a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

that their hearts may be comforted, being united in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the secret of the God and Father, and of the Christ,

in whom are all the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge hid,

and this I say, that no one may beguile you in enticing words,

for if even in the flesh I am absent -- yet in the spirit I am with you, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in regard to Christ;

as, then, ye did receive Christ Jesus the Lord, in him walk ye,

being rooted and built up in him, and confirmed in the faith, as ye were taught -- abounding in it in thanksgiving.

See that no one shall be carrying you away as spoil through the philosophy and vain deceit, according to the deliverance of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ,

because in him doth tabernacle all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,

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

11 in whom also ye were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of the Christ,

12 being buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with [him] through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.

13 And you -- being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh -- He made alive together with him, having forgiven you all the trespasses,

14 having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;

15 having stripped the principalities and the authorities, he made a shew of them openly -- having triumphed over them in it.

16 Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths,

17 which are a shadow of the coming things, and the body [is] of the Christ;

18 let no one beguile you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he hath not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

19 and not holding the head, from which all the body -- through the joints and bands gathering supply, and being knit together -- may increase with the increase of God.

20 If, then, ye did die with the Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?

21 -- thou mayest not touch, nor taste, nor handle --

22 which are all for destruction with the using, after the commands and teachings of men,

23 which are, indeed, having a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and humble-mindedness, and neglecting of body -- not in any honour, unto a satisfying of the flesh.