1 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.

Porque quiero que sepan qué gran lucha tengo por ustedes y por los que están en Laodicea, y por todos los que no me han visto en persona.

2 M ay 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.

Espero que con esto sean alentados sus corazones, y unidos en amor, alcancen todas las riquezas que proceden de una plena seguridad de comprensión, resultando en un verdadero conocimiento del misterio de Dios, es decir, de Cristo (el Mesías),

3 I n Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and understanding.

en quien están escondidos todos los tesoros de la sabiduría y del conocimiento.

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

Esto lo digo para que nadie los engañe con razonamientos persuasivos (sutiles).

5 E ven 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.

Porque aunque estoy ausente en el cuerpo, sin embargo estoy con ustedes en espíritu, regocijándome al ver su buena disciplina y la estabilidad (firmeza) de la fe de ustedes en Cristo.

6 A s 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.

Por tanto, de la manera que recibieron a Cristo Jesús el Señor, así anden en El;

7 H ave 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

firmemente arraigados y edificados en El y confirmados en su fe, tal como fueron instruidos, rebosando de gratitud (con acción de gracias). Jesucristo: Dios, Salvador y Vencedor

8 B e 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.

Miren que nadie los haga cautivos por medio de su filosofía y vanas sutilezas, según la tradición de los hombres, conforme a los principios (las normas) elementales del mundo y no según Cristo.

9 F or Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh.

Porque toda la plenitud de la Deidad reside corporalmente en El,

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

y ustedes han sido hechos completos (han alcanzado plenitud) en El, que es la cabeza sobre todo poder y autoridad.

11 W hen 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.

También en El ustedes fueron circuncidados con una circuncisión no hecha por manos, al quitar el cuerpo de la carne mediante la circuncisión de Cristo;

12 W hen 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.

habiendo sido sepultados con El en el bautismo, en el cual también han resucitado con El por la fe en la acción del poder de Dios, que Lo resucitó de entre los muertos.

13 W hen 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.

Y cuando ustedes estaban muertos en (por causa de) sus delitos y en la incircuncisión de su carne, Dios les dio vida juntamente con Cristo, habiéndonos perdonado todos los delitos,

14 W e 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.

habiendo cancelado el documento de deuda que consistía en decretos contra nosotros y que nos era adverso, y lo ha quitado de en medio, clavándolo en la cruz.

15 G od 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

Y habiendo despojado a (habiéndose desecho de) los poderes y autoridades, hizo de ellos un espectáculo público, triunfando sobre ellos por medio de El. Advertencias contra Mandamientos de Hombres

16 D o 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.

Por tanto, que nadie se constituya en juez de ustedes (nadie los juzgue) con respecto a comida o bebida, o en cuanto a día de fiesta, o luna nueva, o día de reposo,

17 T hese things are a picture of what is coming. The important thing is Christ Himself.

cosas que sólo son sombra de lo que ha de venir, pero el cuerpo pertenece a Cristo.

18 D o 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.

Nadie los defraude de su premio deleitándose en la humillación de sí mismo y en la adoración de los ángeles, basándose en las visiones que ha visto, envanecido sin causa por su mente carnal,

19 S uch 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.

pero no asiéndose a la Cabeza, de la cual todo el cuerpo, nutrido y unido por las coyunturas y ligamentos, crece con un crecimiento que es de Dios.

20 Y ou 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?

Si ustedes han muerto con Cristo a los principios (las normas) elementales del mundo, ¿por qué, como si aún vivieran en el mundo, se someten a preceptos tales como:

21 T hese 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.”

“no manipules, no gustes, no toques,”

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

(todos los cuales se refieren a cosas destinadas a perecer con el uso ), según los preceptos y enseñanzas de los hombres ?

23 I t 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.

Tales cosas tienen a la verdad, la apariencia de sabiduría en una religión humana, en la humillación de sí mismo y en el trato severo del cuerpo, pero carecen de valor alguno contra los apetitos de la carne.