1  For I want you to know how great a struggle I have concerning you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

1  I WOULD that you knew how I struggled for your sakes and for the sake of those who are at La-od-i-ceÆa, and for the rest who have not seen me personally;

1  For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2  that their hearts may be encouraged, being joined together in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to a full knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

2  May their hearts be consoled and instructed in charity, with all the riches of a plenitude of understanding, with knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus.

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

4  Now this I say lest anyone may deceive you with persuasive words.

4  And I say this, so that no man may beguile you with enticing words.

5  For though indeed I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your orderliness and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

5  For though I may be absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit. And I rejoice as I gaze upon your order and its foundation, which is in Christ, your faith.

6  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus YHWH, so walk in Him,

6  Just as you have therefore accepted Jesus Christ our LORD, so you must be led by him

7  having been rooted and built up in Him and being established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

7  rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

7  Be rooted and continually built up in Christ. And be confirmed in the faith, just as you have also learned it, increasing in him with acts of thanksgiving.

8  Beware lest anyone captures 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.

8  Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ

8  See to it that no one deceives you through philosophy and empty falsehoods, as found in the traditions of men, in accord with the influences of the world, and not in accord with Christ.

9  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

10  and you are completed in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

10  And in him, you have been filled; for he is the head of all principality and power.

10  And it is through him that you also have been made complete, for he is the head of all angelic orders and powers

11  In whom you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

11  In him also, you have been circumcised with a circumcision not made by hand, not by the despoiling of the body of flesh, but by the circumcision of Christ.

11  In whom also you are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the sinful body by the circumcision of Christ

12  having been buried together with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised together through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

12  You have been buried with him in baptism. In him also, you have risen again through faith, by the work of God, who raised him up from the dead.

13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

13  And when you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he enlivened you, together with him, forgiving you of all transgressions,

13  And you, who once were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has granted to live with him, and he has forgiven you all your sins;

14  having blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross.

14  And by his commandments he cancelled the written bond of our sins, which stood against us; and he took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15  [And h]aving disarmed principalities and powers, He mocked them in public, triumphing over them in it.

15  having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16  Therefore do not let anyone judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or of a new moon or of sabbaths,

16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day

16  Let no man therefore create a disturbance among you about eating and drinking, or about the division of the feast days, the beginning of the months and the day of the sabbath

17  which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.

17  For these are a shadow of the future, but the body is of Christ.

17  These are shadows of things to come; but the main objective is Christ.

18  Let no one rule against you, desiring [to do so] in [false] humility and in worship of the angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, in vain being puffed up by his carnal mind,

19  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, supported and joined together by joints and ligaments, grows with the growth of God.

19  That very person does not uphold the Head by which the whole body is constructed and stands with the joints and members; and grows through the discipline of God.

19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

20  If you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you submit to regulations-

20  So then, if you have died with Christ to the influences of this world, why do you still make decisions as if you were living in the world?

20  Therefore, if you have died with Christ and are apart from the principles of the world why then should you be doomed as though living in the world?

21  "Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,"

21  Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle these things,

21  Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22  which things are all for corruption with the using, according to the commands and teaching of men?

22  (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?

22  For these things are customs which are changeable and they are the commandments and doctrines of men.

23  These things indeed have a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and severity [on the] body, but [are] not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

23  And it appears there is some word of wisdom in these things when presented by the humble person in fear of God; provided they disregard the things of the flesh, not those things which are honourable but only those things which satisfy the pleasure of the flesh.