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 ¹personally seen my face, 2 that their ^ahearts may be encouraged, having been ^bknit together in love, and that they would attain to all ^cthe wealth ¹that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^dtrue knowledge of ^eGod’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all ^athe treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 ^aI say this so that no one will deceive you with ^bpersuasive arguments. 5 For even though I am ^aabsent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing ¹to see ²your ^borderly manner and the ^cstability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you have received ^aChrist Jesus the Lord, so ^1bwalk in Him, 7 having been firmly ^arooted and now being ^bbuilt up in Him and ^cestablished ¹in ²your faith, just as you ^dwere instructed, and overflowing ³with gratitude.

8 ^aSee to it that there is no one who takes you captive through ^bphilosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the ^celementary principles of the world, ¹rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the ^afullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been ^amade ¹complete, and ^bHe is the head ²over every ^cruler and authority; 11 and in Him ^ayou were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of ^bthe body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been ^aburied with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^braised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^craised Him from the dead. 13 And ¹when you were ^adead ²in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^bmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled ^athe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^bHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^1adisarmed the ^brulers and authorities, He ^cmade a public display of them, having ^dtriumphed over them through ²Him.

16 Therefore, no one is to ^1aact as your judge in regard to ^bfood and ^cdrink, or in respect to a ^dfestival or a ^enew moon, or a ^fSabbath ²day— 17 things which are only a ^ashadow of what is to come; but the ¹substance ²belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps ^1adefrauding you of your prize by ^bdelighting in humility and the worship of the angels, ²taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^3cinflated without cause by his ^dfleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to ^athe head, from whom ^bthe entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ¹ligaments, grows with a growth ²which is from God.

20 ^aIf you have died with Christ ¹to the ^belementary principles of the world, ^cwhy, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^ddecrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer ^ato things destined to perish ¹with use)—in accordance with the ^bcommandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the ¹appearance of wisdom in ^2aself-made religion and humility and ^bsevere treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^cfleshly indulgence.