Colossians 2

¹ For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

² that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

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

⁴ Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

⁵ For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

⁶ As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

⁸ Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.

⁹ For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, CCC

¹⁰ and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, CCC · Fathers

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

¹³ You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, CCC

¹⁴ wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Fathers

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

¹⁶ Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

¹⁷ which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.

¹⁸ Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

¹⁹ and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth. CCC · Fathers

²⁰ If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

²¹ “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”

²² (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

²³ These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

¹ FFor I would have you know what manner of care I have for you and for them that are at Laodicea and whosoever have not seen my face in the flesh:

² That their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in charity and unto all riches of fulness of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus:

³ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ Now this I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness of words.

⁵ For though I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing, and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith which is in Christ.

⁶ As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in him:

⁷ Rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned: abounding in him in thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.

⁹ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally. CCC

¹⁰ And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹ In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh: but in the circumcision of Christ. CCC · Fathers

¹² Buried with him in baptism: in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him up from the dead. CCC

¹³ And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences: CCC

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross. Fathers

¹⁵ And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.

¹⁶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths,

¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.

¹⁸ Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh:

¹⁹ And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth into the increase of God. CCC · Fathers

²⁰ If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world?

²¹ Touch not: taste not: handle not.

²² Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men.

²³ Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour to the filling of the flesh.