1 ¶ For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

I want you to know how hard I have worked for you and for the Christians in the city of Laodicea and for those who have never seen me.

2 t hat their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in charity and in all the riches of the fulfilled understanding to know the mystery of the God and Father and of the Christ;

May their hearts be given comfort. May they be brought close together in Christian love. May they be rich in understanding and know God’s secret. It is Christ Himself.

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

In Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and understanding.

4 ¶ And this I say lest anyone should beguile you with enticing words.

I tell you this so no one will try to change your mind with big sounding talk.

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

Even if I am far away from you in body, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to learn how well you are getting along. It is good to hear that your faith is so strong in Christ.

6 T herefore in the manner in which ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him,

As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step.

7 r ooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him. Wisdom of the World Is Empty

8 B eware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, according to the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

Be careful that no one changes your mind and faith by much learning and big sounding ideas. Those things are what men dream up. They are always trying to make new religions. These leave out Christ.

9 F or in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,

For Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh.

10 a nd ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power.

When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers.

11 I n 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 the Christ;

When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body.

12 b uried together with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead.

When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead.

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

When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ.

14 b lotting out the bill of the decrees that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross,

We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross.

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

God took away the power of the leaders of this world and the powers of darkness. He showed them to the world. The battle was won over them through Christ. Watch for Those Who Want to Keep the Law

16 ¶ Let no one therefore judge you in food or in drink or in respect of a feast day or of the new moon or of the sabbath days,

Do not let anyone tell you what you should or should not eat or drink. They have no right to say if it is right or wrong to eat certain foods or if you are to go to religious suppers. They have no right to say what you are to do at the time of the new moon or on the Day of Rest.

17 w hich are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of the Christ.

These things are a picture of what is coming. The important thing is Christ Himself.

18 L et no one govern you according to their own will under pretext of humility and religion of angels, intruding into those things which they have not seen, vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind,

Do not let anyone rob you of your crown. They will try to get you to bow down in worship of angels. They think this shows you are not proud. They say they were told to do this in a dream. These people are proud because of their sinful minds.

19 a nd not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, fed and united by its joints and bonds, grows in the increase of God.

Such people are not a part of Christ. Christ is the Head. We Christians make up His body. We are joined together as a body is held together. Our strength to grow comes from Christ.

20 F or if ye are dead with the Christ to the elements of the world, why, as though living unto the world, do ye decree rites,

You have died with Christ and become dead to those old ways. Then why do you follow the old ways of worship? Why do you obey man-made rules?

21 t ouch not; taste not; handle not?

These rules say, “You must not put your hand on this.” “Do not put this into your mouth.” “You must not put your finger on that.”

22 W hich all perish with the using, because they are the commandments and doctrines of men,

All these things come to an end when they are used. You are following only man-made rules.

23 w hich things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body, but they have absolutely no value against the appetites of the flesh.

It looks as if it is wise to follow these rules in an act of worship, because they are hard on the body. It looks as if they are done without pride, but they are worth nothing. They do not take away a man’s desire to sin.