Colossians 2

(Revelation 3:14–22)

1ForG1063 I wantG2309 youG4771 to knowG1492 how muchG2245 I am strugglingG73G2192 forG5228 youG4771 andG2532 for thoseG3588 atG1722 LaodiceaG2993, andG2532 for all whoG3745 have not metG3756G3708 meG1473 face to faceG4383G1722G4561, 2thatG2443 they may be encouragedG3870 in heartG2588, knit togetherG4822 inG1722 loveG26, andG2532 filled withG1519 the full richesG3956G4149 of completeG4136 understandingG4907, so thatG1519 they may knowG1922 theG3588 mysteryG3466 of GodG2316, namely ChristG5547,1 3inG1722 whomG3739 areG1510 hiddenG614 allG3956 theG3588 treasuresG2344 of wisdomG4678 andG2532 knowledgeG1108.

4I sayG3004 thisG3778 so thatG2443 no oneG3367 will deceiveG3884 youG4771 byG1722 smooth rhetoricG4086. 5ForG1063 althoughG2532G1487 I am absent from youG548 inG3588 bodyG4561, I am presentG1510 withG4862 youG4771 in spiritG4151, and I delightG5463 to seeG991 yourG4771 orderly conditionG5010 andG2532 firmG4733 faithG4102 inG1519 ChristG5547.

Alive with Christ

(Ephesians 2:1–10)

6ThereforeG3767, just asG5613 you have receivedG3880 ChristG5547 JesusG2424 as LordG2962, continue to walkG4043 inG1722 HimG846, 7rootedG4492 andG2532 built upG2026 inG1722 HimG846, established inG950 theG3588 faithG4102 asG2531 you were taughtG1321, and overflowingG4052 withG1722 thankfulnessG2169.

8See to itG991 that no oneG3361G1510G5100 takes you captiveG4812G4771 throughG1223 philosophyG5385 andG2532 emptyG2756 deceptionG539, which are based onG2596 humanG3588G444 traditionG3862 and theG3588 spiritual forcesG4747 of theG3588 worldG2889 rather thanG2532G3756 onG2596 ChristG5547. 9ForG3754 inG1722 Christ allG3956 theG3588 fullnessG4138 of theG3588 DeityG2320 dwellsG2730 in bodily formG4985. 10AndG2532 you have beenG1510 made completeG4137 inG1722 Christ, whoG3739 isG1510 theG3588 headG2776 over everyG3956 rulerG746 andG2532 authorityG1849.

11InG1722 HimG3739 you were also circumcisedG2532G4059, inG1722 theG3588 putting offG555 ofG3588 your sinful natureG3588G4561G4983, withG1722 theG3588 circumcisionG4061 performed by ChristG55472 and not by human handsG886. 12AndG2532 having been buried withG4916 HimG846 inG1722 baptismG909, you were raised withG4891 Him throughG1223 your faithG4102 in theG3588 powerG1753 of GodG2316, whoG3588 raisedG1453 HimG846 fromG1537 the deadG3498.

13When youG4771 wereG1510 deadG3498 inG1722 your trespassesG3900 andG2532 in theG3588 uncircumcisionG203 of yourG4771 sinful natureG4561, God made you aliveG4771G4806 withG4862 Christ. He forgaveG5483 usG1473 allG3956 our trespassesG3900, 14having canceledG1813 theG3588 debt ascribedG5498 toG2596 usG1473 in theG3588 decreesG1378 thatG3739 stoodG1510 againstG5227 usG1473. He tookG142 itG846 awayG1537G3588G3319, nailingG4338 itG846 to theG3588 crossG4716! 15And having disarmedG554 theG3588 powersG746 andG2532 authoritiesG1849, He made a public spectacleG1165G1722G3954 of them, triumphingG2358 over themG846 byG1722 the cross.

16ThereforeG3767 let noG3361 oneG5100 judgeG2919 youG4771 byG1722 what you eatG1035 orG2532 drinkG4213, orG2228 withG1722 regard toG3313 a feastG1859, a New MoonG3561, orG2228 a SabbathG4521. 17TheseG3739 areG1510 a shadowG4639 of the thingsG3588 to comeG3195, butG1161 theG3588 bodyG4983 that casts it belongs toG3588 ChristG5547.3 18Do not let anyone who delightsG2309 inG1722 false humilityG5012 andG2532 the worshipG2356 of angelsG32 disqualifyG2603 youG4771 with speculation aboutG1687 whatG3739 he has seenG3708. Such a person is puffed upG5448 without basisG1500 byG5259 hisG846 unspiritualG3588G4561 mindG3563. 19He has lost connectionG3756G2902 to theG3588 headG2776, fromG1537 whomG3739 theG3588 wholeG3956 bodyG4983, supportedG2023 andG2532 knit togetherG4822 byG1223 its jointsG860 andG2532 ligamentsG4886, growsG837 asG3588 GodG2316 causes it to growG838.

20IfG1487 you have diedG599 withG4862 ChristG5547 toG575 theG3588 spiritual forcesG4747 of theG3588 worldG2889, whyG5101, as thoughG5613 you still belongedG2198 toG1722 the worldG2889, do you submit to its regulationsG1379: 21“DoG3361 not handleG680, doG3366 not tasteG1089, doG3366 not touchG2345!”? 22These willG1510 allG3956 perishG5356 withG3588 useG671, because they are based onG2596 humanG3588G444 commandsG1778 andG2532 teachingsG1319. 23SuchG3748 restrictions indeedG3303 haveG2192 an appearanceG3056 of wisdomG4678, withG1722 their self-prescribed worshipG1479, their false humilityG5012, andG2532 their harsh treatmentG857 of the bodyG4983; but they areG1510 ofG1722 noG3756 valueG5092 againstG4314 the indulgenceG4140 of theG3588 fleshG4561.