2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2:4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
2:5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
2:6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,
2:7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
2:10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
2:11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,
2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
2:14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
2:17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
2:18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
2:19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
2:20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
2:21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?
2:22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
2:23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh,
2:2 That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
2:3 In whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
2:4 This I say that no one may delude you with persuasive speech.
2:5 For even though I am absent in the flesh, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing and seeing your order and the solid basis of your faith in Christ.
2:6 As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him,
2:7 Having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being established in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ;
2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
2:10 And you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority.
2:11 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,
2:12 Buried together with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who raised Him from the dead.
2:13 And you, though dead in your offenses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our offenses;
2:14 Wiping out the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
2:15 Stripping off the rulers and the authorities, He made a display of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2:16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of the Sabbath,
2:17 Which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Christ.
2:18 Let no one defraud you by judging you unworthy of your prize, in self-chosen lowliness and the worship of the angels, dwelling on the things which he has seen, vainly puffed up by his mind set on the flesh,
2:19 And not holding the Head, out from whom all the Body, being richly supplied and knit together by means of the joints and sinews, grows with the growth of God.
2:20 If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances:
2:21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,
2:22(Regarding things which are all to perish when used) according to the commandments and teachings of men?
2:23 Such things indeed have a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed worship and lowliness and severe treatment of the body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.