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 want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,

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 may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

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

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

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

I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

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 even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

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

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk 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.

having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

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.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

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

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

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

and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

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;

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of 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.

having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who 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,

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

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;

having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

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

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

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,

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—

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

things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to 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 keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his 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 the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from 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,

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,

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

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

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

(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings 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.

These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.