1 F or 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;

¶ 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,

2 t hat 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,

that 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;

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

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

4 N ow this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

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

5 F or 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.

For 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.

6 A s therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

Therefore in the manner in which ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him,

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

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

8 B e 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.

Beware 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.

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

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

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

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

11 i n 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;

In 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;

12 h aving 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.

buried 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.

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

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

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

blotting 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,

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

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

16 L et 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,

¶ 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,

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

which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of the Christ.

18 L et 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,

Let 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,

19 a nd 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.

and 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.

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

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

21 “ Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”

touch not; taste not; handle not?

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

Which all perish with the using, because they are the commandments and doctrines of men,

23 W hich 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.

which 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.