1 For I would have you know what combat I have for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh;2 to the end that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to {the} full knowledge of the mystery of God;3 in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.4 And I say this to the end that no one may delude you by persuasive speech.5 For if indeed in the flesh I am absent, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness of your faith in Christ.6 As therefore ye have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in him,7 rooted and built up in him, and assured in the faith, even as ye have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.8 See that there be no one who shall lead *you* away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.9 For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;10 and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and authority,11 in whom also ye have been circumcised with circumcision not done by hand, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ;12 buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with {him} through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.13 And you, being dead in offences and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven us all the offences;14 having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which {stood out} against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it also out of the way, having nailed it to the cross;15 having spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it.16 Let none therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in matter of feast, or new moon, or sabbaths,17 which are a shadow of things to come; but the body {is} of Christ.18 Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,19 and not holding fast the head, from whom all the body, ministered to and united together by the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God.20 If ye have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why as {if} alive in {the} world do ye subject yourselves to ordinances?21 Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,22 (things which are all for destruction in the using {of them}:) according to the injunctions and teachings of men,23 (which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour,) to {the} satisfaction of the flesh.

1 Want ek wil hê dat julle moet weet wat 'n groot stryd ek oor julle het, en oor die wat in Laodic,a is en almal wat my aangesig in die vlees nie gesien het nie,2 dat hulle harte vertroos mag word, deurdat hulle saamgevoeg word in die liefde en tot alle rykdom van die volle versekerdheid van insig, om die verborgenheid te leer ken van God en die Vader en van Christus,3 in wie al die skatte van wysheid en kennis verborge is.4 Dit sê ek, sodat niemand julle mag verlei met drogredes nie.5 Want al is ek ook na die vlees afwesig, tog is ek by julle in die gees, en ek verbly my om julle goeie orde te sien en die vastigheid van julle geloof in Christus.6 Soos julle dan Christus Jesus, die Here, aangeneem het, wandel so in Hom,7 gewortel en opgebou in Hom en bevestig in die geloof, soos julle geleer is, terwyl julle daarin oorvloedig is in danksegging.8 Pas op dat niemand julle as 'n buit wegvoer deur die wysbegeerte en nietige misleiding nie, volgens die oorlewering van die mense, volgens die eerste beginsels van die wêreld en nie volgens Christus nie.9 Want in Hom woon al die volheid van die Godheid liggaamlik;10 en julle het die volheid in Hom wat die Hoof is van alle owerheid en mag;11 in wie julle ook besny is met 'n besnydenis wat nie met hande verrig word nie, deur die liggaam van die sondige vlees af te lê in die besnydenis van Christus,12 omdat julle saam met Hom begrawe is in die doop, waarin julle ook saam opgewek is deur die geloof in die werking van God wat Hom uit die dode opgewek het.13 En julle, wat dood was deur die misdade en die onbesnedenheid van julle vlees, het Hy saam met Hom lewend gemaak deurdat Hy julle al die misdade vergeef het,14 en die skuldbrief teen ons, wat met sy insettinge ons vyandig was, uitgedelg en weggeruim het deur dit aan die kruis vas te nael,15 nadat Hy die owerhede en magte uitgeklee en hulle in die openbaar tentoongestel en daardeur oor hulle getriomfeer het.16 Laat niemand julle dan oordeel in spys of in drank of met betrekking tot 'n fees of nuwemaan of sabbat nie,17 wat 'n skaduwee is van die toekomstige dinge; maar die liggaam behoort aan Christus.18 Laat niemand julle van jul prys beroof nie, al sou hy behae hê in nederigheid en verering van die engele en indring in wat hy nie gesien het nie, en sonder oorsaak opgeblase wees deur sy vleeslike gesindheid,19 en nie vashou aan die Hoof nie, uit wie die hele liggaam deur die gewrigte en verbindinge ondersteuning ontvang en saamgebind word en so met goddelike groei groot word.20 As julle dan saam met Christus die eerste beginsels van die wêreld afgesterf het, waarom is julle, asof julle nog in die wêreld lewe, onderworpe aan insettinge21 soos: raak nie, smaak nie, roer nie aan nie? --22 almal dinge wat deur die gebruik bestem is om te vergaan -- volgens die gebooie en leringe van mense,23 wat, alhoewel dit 'n skyn van wysheid het, in eiesinnige godsdiens en nederigheid en in gestrengheid teen die liggaam, geen waarde het nie, maar strek tot versadiging van die vlees.