Colossians 2:16

Colossians 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

Context of Colossians 2:16

14He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. 15He stripped the rulers and authorities ⌞of their power⌟ and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ. Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly days of rest—holy days. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body ⌞that casts the shadow⌟ belongs to Christ. 18Let no one who delights in ⌞false⌟ humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen.

Colossians 2:16 word by word

Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει καὶ ἐν πόσει ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς ἢ νεομηνίας ἢ σαββάτων,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Letκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• noμήmē · notG3361
• manτιςtis · oneG5100
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• youσύsu · youG4771
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• meatβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• orἤē · orG2228
• drinkπόσιςposis · drinkG4213
• respectμέροςmeros · partG3313
• of an holydayἑορτήheortē · festivalG1859
• of the new moonνουμηνίαnoumēnia · New MoonG3561
• of the sabbathσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521

Cross-references for Colossians 2:16

• Romans 14:3People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people.
• 1 Corinthians 10:28However, if someone says to you, “This was sacrificed to a god,” don’t eat it because of the one who informed you and because of conscience.
• Galatians 2:12He ate with people who were not Jewish until some men James had sent ⌞from Jerusalem⌟ arrived. Then Cephas drew back and would not associate with people who were not Jewish. He was afraid of those who insisted that circumcision was necessary.
• James 4:11Brothers and sisters, stop slandering each other. Those who slander and judge other believers slander and judge God’s laws. If you judge God’s teachings, you are no longer following them. Instead, you are judging them.
• Leviticus 11:2“Tell the Israelites: Here are the kinds of land animals you may eat:
• Leviticus 17:10“If Israelites or foreigners eat any blood, I will condemn them and exclude them from the people,
• Deuteronomy 14:3Never eat anything that is disgusting to the Lord.
• Ezekiel 4:14I answered, “Almighty Lord, I have never dishonored myself. From the time I was young until now, I have never eaten an animal that died by itself or was killed by other wild animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”
• Matthew 15:11What goes into a person’s mouth doesn’t make him unclean. It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”
• Acts 11:3They said, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised, and you even ate with them.”
• Acts 15:20Instead, we should write a letter telling them to keep away from things polluted by false gods, from sexual sins, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from eating bloody meat.
• Romans 14:2Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables.
• 1 Corinthians 8:7But not everyone knows this. Some people are so used to worshiping false gods that they believe they are eating food offered to a false god. So they feel guilty because their conscience is weak.
• 1 Timothy 4:3They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth.
• Hebrews 9:10These gifts and sacrifices were meant to be food, drink, and items used in various purification ceremonies. These ceremonies were required for the body until God would establish a new way of doing things.
• Hebrews 13:9Don’t get carried away by all kinds of unfamiliar teachings. Gaining inner strength from God’s kindness is good for us. This strength does not come from following rules about food, rules that don’t help those who follow them.

Commentaries on Colossians 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Let no man - judge you in meat, or in drink - The apostle speaks here in reference to some particulars of the hand-writing of ordinances, which had been taken away, viz., the distinction of meats and drinks, what was clean and what unclean, according to the law; and the necessity of observing certain holydays or festivals, such as the new moons and particular sabbaths, or those which should be observed with more than ordinary solemnity; all these had been…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Let no man, therefore, judge you - compare Romans 14:10, note, 13, note. The word judge here is used in the sense of pronouncing a sentence. The meaning is, “since you have thus been delivered by Christ from the evils which surrounded you: since you have been freed from the observances of the law, let no one sit in judgment on you, or claim the right to decide for you in those matters. You are not responsible to man for your conduct, but to Christ; and no…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men's fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from following Christ. We have in Him…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16what you eat or drink: Many ancient religions had rules about what foods and drinks they allowed. The Old Testament does not prohibit alcohol, but some devout Jews chose not to drink it, especially those who lived in non-Jewish cultures (see Daniel 1:8–16). Many ancient religious groups, including Jews, held ceremonies to celebrate the new moon (see Numbers 10:10; Psalm 81:3; Isaiah 1:13). The Jewish Sabbath was part of the law of Moses and essential in…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. therefore--because ye are complete in Christ, and God in Him has dispensed with all subordinate means as essential to acceptance with Him. meat ... drink--Greek, "eating ... drinking" (Ro 14:1-17). Pay no regard to any one who sits in judgment on you as to legal observances in respect to foods. holyday--a feast yearly. Compare the three, 1Ch 23:31. new moon--monthly. the sabbath--Omit "THE," which is not in the Greek (compare Note, see on Ga 4:10)…Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 2:16

• Commandments
• Law
• Philosophy
• Sabbath
• Types

In the dictionaries

• New Moon
• Complete
• Conflict
• Subject
• Treasure
• Trespass
• Apostolic Age
• Astrology
• Colossians, Epistle to the
• Fable

Commentaries on Colossians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings