Colossians 2

1For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

1I want you to know how hard I am working for you, for the people in Laodicea, and for all those who have never met me in person.

2that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,

2I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have the rich experience of complete understanding. Then they will truly know God’s secret, which is Christ himself.

3in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

3In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

4I am telling you this so that no one will deceive you with smooth talk or clever arguments.

5For though I am 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.

5Even though I am not with you physically, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to see how disciplined you are and how strong your faith in Christ is.

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

6Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.

7rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

7Sink your roots into him and build your lives on him. Be strengthened in the faith you were taught, and let your hearts overflow with thankfulness.

8Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:

8Watch out so that no one captures you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human traditions and the basic spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

9for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,

9For all the fullness of God’s nature lives in Christ in a physical body.

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

10And you have been made complete in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

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

11In him, you were also circumcised, but not with a physical procedure. It was a spiritual circumcision performed by Christ when he stripped away your sinful nature.

12having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

12For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

13And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

13You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

14having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

14He wiped out the record of the debt we owed, which listed the regulations that were against us. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.

15having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

15In this way, he stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:

16Therefore, do not let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days, New Moon ceremonies, or Sabbath days.

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

17These things are only a shadow of what was to come; the reality itself is found in Christ.

18Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

18Do not let anyone disqualify you by insisting on self-denial or the worship of angels. Such people claim to have seen visions, but they are puffed up with foolish pride because of their unspiritual minds.

19and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

19They are not connected to Christ, who is the head of the body. He holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God causes it to grow.

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

20You died with Christ and were set free from the basic spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, as if you still belonged to it?

21Handle not, nor taste, nor touch

21Why do you follow rules like 'Don’t handle this,' 'Don’t taste that,' or 'Don’t touch this'?

22(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?

22These rules deal with things that disappear as soon as they are used. They are nothing more than human commands and teachings.

23Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

23These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, self-denial, and harsh treatment of the body, but they are useless in conquering a person’s evil desires.