1 F or I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 t hat 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, both of the Father and of Christ,

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

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

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

4 N ow this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

5 F or though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 A s you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

7 r ooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

8 B eware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

9 F or in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,

10 a nd you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Not Legalism but Christ

and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

11 I n Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

in whom you were also 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 Christ;

12 b uried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

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

13 A nd you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 h aving wiped out the 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.

wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

15 H aving disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

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

16 S o let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

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

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

18 L et no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 a nd not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

20 T herefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—

If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

21 “ Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”

“Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”

22 w hich all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

(all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

23 T hese things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.