Col 2 | NASB2020 | STEP | For I want you to know how great a struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea , and for all those who have not personally seen my face ,

Colossians 2

You Are Built Up in Christ

1 For I want you to know how great a ^astruggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at ^bLaodicea, and for all those who have not ^{▼▼Lit in the flesh}personally seen my face, 2 that their ^dhearts may be encouraged, having been ^eknit together in love, and that they would attain to all ^fthe wealth ^{▼▼Lit of the full assurance}that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^htrue knowledge of ⁱGod’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all ^jthe treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 ^kI say this so that no one will deceive you with ^lpersuasive arguments. 5 For even though I am ^mabsent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing ^{▼▼Lit and seeing}to see ^{▼▼Or your good order}your ^porderly manner and the ^qstability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you have received ^rChrist Jesus the Lord, so ^{▼▼Or lead your life
,} ^twalk in Him, 7 having been firmly ^urooted and now being ^vbuilt up in Him and ^westablished ^{▼▼Or by}in ^{▼▼Or the faith}your faith, just as you ^zwere instructed, and overflowing ^{▼▼One early ms in it with}with gratitude.

8 ^abSee to it that there is no one who takes you captive through ^acphilosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the ^adelementary principles of the world, ^{▼▼Lit and not}rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the ^affullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been ^agmade ^{▼▼Lit full}complete, and ^aiHe is the head ^{▼▼Lit of}over every ^akruler and authority; 11 and in Him ^alyou were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of ^amthe body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been ^anburied with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^aoraised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^apraised Him from the dead. 13 And ^{▼▼Or although}when you were ^ardead ^{▼▼Or by reason of}in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^atmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled ^authe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^avHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^{▼▼Or divested Himself of
,} ^axdisarmed the ^ayrulers and authorities, He ^azmade a public display of them, having ^batriumphed over them through ^{▼▼Or it; i.e., the cross}Him.

16 Therefore, no one is to ^{▼▼Lit judge you
,} ^bdact as your judge in regard to ^befood and ^bfdrink, or in respect to a ^bgfestival or a ^bhnew moon, or a ^biSabbath ^{▼▼Or days}day-- 17 things which are only a ^bkshadow of what is to come; but the ^{▼▼Lit body}substance ^{▼▼Lit of Christ}belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps ^{▼▼Or deciding against you
,} ^bodefrauding you of your prize by ^bpdelighting in humility and the worship of the angels, ^{▼▼Or going into detail about}taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^{▼▼Or conceited
,} ^bsinflated without cause by his ^btfleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to ^buthe head, from whom ^bvthe entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^{▼▼Lit bonds}ligaments, grows with a growth ^{▼▼Lit of God}which is from God.

20 ^byIf you have died with Christ ^{▼▼Lit from}to the ^caelementary principles of the world, ^cbwhy, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^ccdecrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer ^cdto things destined to perish ^{▼▼Or by being consumed}with use)--in accordance with the ^cfcommandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the ^{▼▼Lit report; Gr logos}appearance of wisdom in ^{▼▼Or would-be religion
,} ^ciself-made religion and humility and ^cjsevere treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^ckfleshly indulgence.