Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Colossians 2
Close NKJV

Colossians 2
New King James Version

Not Philosophy but Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great (A)conflict[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, [b]both of the Father and of Christ, 3 (B)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now this I say (C)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For (D)though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see (E)your good order and the (F)steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 (G)As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 (H)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [d]in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone [e]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to (I)the tradition of men, according to the (J)basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For (K)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [f]bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the (L)head of all [g]principality and power.

Not Legalism but Christ

11 In Him you were also (M)circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by (N)putting off the body [h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 (O)buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through (P)faith in the working of God, (Q)who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 (R)having wiped out the [i]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 (S)Having disarmed (T)principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 So let no one (U)judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a [j]festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 (V)which are a shadow of things to come, but the [k]substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has [l]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to (W)the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, (X)grows with the increase that is from God.

20 [m]Therefore, if you (Y)died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, (Z)why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 (AA)“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—(AB)according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 (AC)These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and [n]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:1 struggle
  2. Colossians 2:2 NU omits both of the Father and
  3. Colossians 2:5 Lit. and seeing
  4. Colossians 2:7 NU omits in it
  5. Colossians 2:8 Lit. plunder you or take you captive
  6. Colossians 2:9 in bodily form
  7. Colossians 2:10 rule and authority
  8. Colossians 2:11 NU omits of the sins
  9. Colossians 2:14 certificate of debt with its
  10. Colossians 2:16 feast day
  11. Colossians 2:17 Lit. body
  12. Colossians 2:18 NU omits not
  13. Colossians 2:20 NU, M omit Therefore
  14. Colossians 2:23 severe treatment, asceticism
Close AKJV

Colossians 2
Authorized (King James) Version

2 For 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; 2 that 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; 3 in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For 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.

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware 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. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 in 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: 12 buried 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. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 blotting 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; 15 and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16 Let 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: 17 which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let 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, 19 and 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. 20 Wherefore 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; 22 which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 which 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.

Listen to Colossians 2
Close NASB1995

Colossians 2
New American Standard Bible 1995

You Are Built Up in Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a (A)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at (B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not [a]personally seen my face, 2 that their (C)hearts may be encouraged, having been (D)knit together in love, and attaining 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, 3 in whom are hidden all (H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 (I)I say this so that no one will delude you with (J)persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am (K)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see [d]your (L)good discipline and the (M)stability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore as you have received (N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so [e](O)walk in Him, 7 having been firmly (P)rooted and now being (Q)built up in Him and (R)established [f]in your faith, just as you (S)were instructed, and overflowing [g]with gratitude.

8 (T)See to it that no one takes you captive through (U)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the (V)elementary principles of the world, [h]rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the (W)fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been (X)made [i]complete, and (Y)He is the head [j]over all (Z)rule and authority; 11 and in Him (AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made 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 up with Him through faith in the working of God, who (AE)raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were (AF)dead [k]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (AG)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out (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 [l](AJ)disarmed the (AK)rulers and authorities, He (AL)made a public display of them, having (AM)triumphed over them through [m]Him.

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

20 (BA)If you have died with Christ [x]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 [y]with use)—in accordance with the (BF)commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the [z]appearance of wisdom in [aa](BG)self-made religion and self-abasement 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 One early ms reads in it with
  8. Colossians 2:8 Lit and not
  9. Colossians 2:10 Lit full
  10. Colossians 2:10 Lit of
  11. Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
  12. Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
  13. Colossians 2:15 Or it; i.e. the cross
  14. Colossians 2:16 Lit judge you
  15. Colossians 2:16 Or days
  16. Colossians 2:17 Lit body
  17. Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
  18. Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
  19. Colossians 2:18 Or humility
  20. Colossians 2:18 Or going into detail about
  21. Colossians 2:18 Or conceited
  22. Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
  23. Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
  24. Colossians 2:20 Lit from
  25. Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
  26. Colossians 2:23 Lit report; Gr logos
  27. Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion
Next
Colossians 1
Colossians 3
Next
dropdown
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation