God’s Word Translation
Colossians 2:8
8Be careful not to let anyone rob you ⌞of this faith⌟ through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.
Colossians 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
- New International Version (NIV)See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
- English Standard Version (ESV)See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Context of Colossians 2:8
6You received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live as Christ’s people. 7Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving. Be careful not to let anyone rob you ⌞of this faith⌟ through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ. 9All of God lives in Christ’s body, 10and God has made you complete in Christ. Christ is in charge of every ruler and authority.
Read all of Colossians 2Colossians 2:8 word by word
Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- Bewareβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- lestμήmē · notG3361
- any manτιςtis · oneG5100
- spoilσυλαγωγέωsulagōgeō · to captureG4812
- youσύsu · youG4771
- throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- philosophyφιλοσοφίαphilosophia · philosophyG5385
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- vainκενόςkenos · emptyG2756
- deceitἀπάτηapatē · deceitG539
- afterκατάkata · according toG2596
- the traditionπαράδοσιςparadosis · traditionG3862
- of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- the rudimentsστοιχεῖονstoicheion · principleG4747
- of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
Cross-references for Colossians 2:8
- Deuteronomy 6:12be careful that you don’t forget the Lord, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.
- Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.
- Matthew 10:17Watch out for people who will hand you over to the Jewish courts and whip you in their synagogues.
- Matthew 16:6Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
- Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs! Beware of those who do evil things. Beware of those who insist on circumcision.
- 2 Peter 3:17Dear friends, you already know these things. So be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of people who have no principles. Then you won’t fall from your firm position.
- Colossians 2:18Let 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.
- Jeremiah 29:8This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Don’t let the prophets or the mediums who are among you trick you. Don’t even listen to your own dreams.
- Romans 16:17Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for those people who create divisions and who make others fall away ⌞from the Christian faith⌟ by teaching doctrine that is not the same as you have learned. Stay away from them.
- Ephesians 5:6Don’t let anyone deceive you with meaningless words. It is because of sins like these that God’s anger comes to those who refuse to obey him.
- 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.
- 2 John 1:8Be careful that you don’t destroy what we’ve worked for, but that you receive your full reward.
- Acts 17:18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers had discussions with him. Some asked, “What is this babbling fool trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be speaking about foreign gods.” The philosophers said these things because Paul was telling the Good News about Jesus and saying that people would come back to life.
- Romans 1:21They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness.
- 1 Corinthians 1:19Scripture says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will reject the intelligence of intelligent people.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise.
Commentaries on Colossians 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Beware lest any man spoil you - The word , from , prey, and , to lead or carry away, signifies to rob, or spoil of their goods, as if by violence or rapine. Their goods were the salvation they had received from Christ; and both the Gentile and Jewish teachers endeavored to deprive them of these, by perverting their minds, and leading them off from the truths of Christianity. Philosophy and vain deceit - Or, the vain or empty deceit of philosophy; such…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Beware lest any man spoil you - The word “spoil” now commonly means, to corrupt, to cause to decay and perish, as fruit is spoiled by keeping too long, or paper by wetting, or hay by a long rain, or crops by mildew. But the Greek word used here means to spoil in the sense of plunder, rob, as when plunder is taken in war. The meaning is, “Take heed lest anyone plunder or rob you of your faith and hope by philosophy.” These false teachers would strip them…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. 8philosophy: The Greek word philosophia included everything from Plato's ideas about existence to religious teachings of false religions. Paul does not criticize philosophy itself, but only empty philosophical ideas that oppose the good news. the spiritual forces of the world (also in 2:20): This phrase might refer to basic teachings common in this world (see Hebrews 5:12), or to spiritual beings believed to have powerful influence over historical events…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Translate, "Beware (literally, 'Look' well) lest there shall be (as I fear there is: the Greek indicative expresses this) any man (pointing to some known emissary of evil, Ga 1:7) leading you away as his spoil (not merely gaining spoil out of you, but making yourselves his spoil) through (by means of) his philosophy," &c. The apostle does not condemn all philosophy, but "the philosophy" (so Greek) of the Judaic-oriental heretics at Colosse, which…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 2:8
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries