Colossians 2

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;

1I want you to know how hard I am working for you. I work for the people in the town of Laodicea too. I work for everyone who has never met me in person.

2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

2I want their hearts to be cheered up. I want love to hold them together. I want them to fully understand and be sure. Then they will know God's secret plan, which is Christ himself.

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

3Every treasure of wisdom and knowing is hidden in him.

4And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

4I say this so no one tricks you with smooth talk.

5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

5My body is far away, but my spirit is with you. I am glad to hear how well you are doing. Your trust in Christ is strong and steady.

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

6You took Christ Jesus as your Lord. So keep living your whole life joined to him.

7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

7Grow deep roots in him. Be built up in him. Stay firm in what you were taught. Let thanks spill over from you.

8Beware 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.

8Watch out. Do not let anyone carry you off with clever but empty ideas. Those ideas come from people and from the powers of this world. They do not come from Christ.

9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

9All that God is lives in Christ, in a real body.

10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

10In him you have everything you need. He is the head over every ruler and every power.

11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

11In him you were also circumcised. This was not done with hands. Christ cut away your old sinful self.

NoteCircumcision was a small cut in the skin. It was a sign that a boy belonged to God's people. Paul says Christ does something like it inside a person instead.

12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

12When you were baptized, you were buried with him. You were also raised to new life with him. You trusted God's power, and God raised Christ from the dead.

13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

13You were dead because of your sins and your old sinful self. But God made you alive together with Christ. He forgave every wrong thing you did.

14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

14There was a list of rules we had broken. It counted against us like a bill we owed. God wiped it out. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.

15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

15He also took away the weapons of the rulers and powers. He showed them beaten in front of everyone. By the cross he won over them.

16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

16So do not let anyone judge you about what you eat or drink. Do not let them judge you about feast days, new moon days, or rest days.

Note"Meat" in the old King James wording just means food of any kind, not only animal meat.

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

17Those days were only a shadow of what was coming. The real thing belongs to Christ.

NoteA shadow shows the shape of something real that is coming. Paul says the old feast days were the shadow, and Christ is the real thing.

18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

18Some people act humble and worship angels. They brag about visions they say they have seen. Do not let them tell you that you have lost your prize. Their proud thoughts come only from themselves.

19And 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.

19Such a person has let go of Christ, the head. The whole body is held together by its joints. It gets its food and strength from the head. That is how God makes it grow.

20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

20You died with Christ. So you are done with the powers of this world. Why do you still obey its rules, as if you belonged to it?

21(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

21Those rules say, "Do not handle it. Do not taste it. Do not touch it."

22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

22All those things wear out and are gone once you use them. They are only rules that people made up and taught.

23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

23Such rules look wise. People pick their own way to worship. They act humble and are hard on their bodies. But those rules cannot stop selfish desires.

NoteThe old King James phrase "will worship" means worship people choose for themselves, not worship God asked for.