1 V oglio infatti che sappiate quanto grande sia il combattimento che sostengo per voi, per quelli che sono a Laodicea e per tutti quelli che non hanno visto la mia faccia di persona,

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 a ffinché i loro cuori siano consolati, essendo essi uniti insieme nell'amore, ed ottengano tutte le ricchezze della piena certezza d'intelligenza per la conoscenza del mistero di Dio e Padre e di Cristo,

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 cui sono nascosti tutti i tesori della sapienza e della conoscenza.

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

4 O r questo dico, affinché nessuno vi inganni con parole convincenti,

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

5 p erché, quantunque sia assente da voi col corpo, pure sono con voi con lo spirito e mi rallegro vedendo il vostro ordine e la fermezza della vostra fede in Cristo.

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 C ome dunque avete ricevuto Cristo Gesú, il Signore, cosí camminate in lui

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 e ssendo radicati ed edificati in lui, e confermati nella fede come vi è stato insegnato, abbondando in essa con ringraziamento.

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 G uardate che nessuno vi faccia sua preda con la filosofia e con vano inganno, secondo la tradizione degli uomini, secondo gli elementi del mondo e non secondo Cristo,

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 p oiché in lui abita corporalmente tutta la pienezza della Deità.

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

10 E voi avete ricevuto la pienezza in lui, essendo egli il capo di ogni principato e potestà,

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

11 n el quale siete anche stati circoncisi di una circoncisione, fatta senza mano d'uomo, ma della circoncisione di Cristo, mediante lo spogliamento del corpo dei peccati della carne:

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 e ssendo stati sepolti con lui nel battesimo, in lui siete anche stati insieme risuscitati, mediante la fede nella potenza di Dio che lo ha risuscitato dai morti.

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 E con lui Dio ha vivificato voi, che eravate morti nei peccati e nell'incirconcisione della carne, perdonandovi tutti i peccati.

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 E gli ha annientato il documento fatto di ordinamenti, che era contro di noi e che ci era nemico, e l'ha tolto di mezzo inchiodandolo alla croce;

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 vendo quindi spogliato le potestà e i principati, ne ha fatto un pubblico spettacolo, trionfando su di loro in lui.

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 N essuno dunque vi giudichi per cibi o bevande, o rispetto a feste, a noviluni o ai sabati;

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 q ueste cose sono ombra di quelle che devono venire; ma il corpo è di Cristo.

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

18 N essuno vi derubi del premio con un pretesto di umiltà e di culto degli angeli, fondandosi su cose che non ha visto, essendo temerariamente gonfio a motivo della sua mente carnale

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 e non attenendosi al capo, da cui tutto il corpo, ben nutrito e tenuto insieme mediante le giunture e le articolazioni cresce con l'accrescimento che viene da Dio.

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 S e dunque siete morti con Cristo agli elementi del mondo, perché vi sottoponete a dei precetti come se viveste nel mondo, quali:

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 « Non toccare, non assaggiare, non maneggiare»,

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 t utte cose che periscono con l'uso, secondo i comandamenti e le dottrine degli uomini?

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

23 Q ueste cose hanno sí qualche apparenza di sapienza nella religiosità volontariamente scelta, nella falsa umiltà e nel trattamento duro del corpo, ma non hanno alcun valore contro le intemperanze carnali.

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.