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

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 But I wish you to know what an agony I have for you and for those who are in Laodikia, and for the rest who have not seen my person in the flesh;2 that their hearts may be comforted, and that they may approach in love to all the riches of assurance, and to the understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of Aloha the Father and of the Meshiha,3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.4 But this I say, Let no man deceive you with the persuasion of words.5 For though in the flesh I am far from you, yet in the spirit I am with you; and I rejoice to behold your order, and the firmness of your faith in the Meshiha.6 As, then, you have received Jeshu Meshiha our Lord, (so) in him walk,7 your roots strengthened, and you builded in him, and established in that faith which you have learned, that you may abound therein with thanksgiving.8 Beware lest any man strip you by philosophy and by vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, and according to the principles of the world, and not according to the Meshiha,9 in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10 And in him also you are complete; for he is the head of all principalities and powers.11 And in him you have been circumcised with the circumcision which is not with hands, by the putting away of the flesh of sins, (even) by the circumcision of the Meshiha.12 And you have been buried with him by baptism, and in him have risen with him, who have believed in the power of Aloha who raised him from among the dead.13 And you who were dead in your sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath made alive with him, and forgiven us all our sins;14 and hath blotted out in his mandates the writing of our debts that was against us, and hath taken it from the midst, and affixed it to his cross;15 and by the yielding up of his body he hath prostrated principalities and powers, and hath shamed them openly by himself.16 LET no man therefore judge you in meat and in drink, or in the distinctions of festivals, and of new moons, and of shabeths,17 which are shadows of those to come, but the body is the Meshiha.18 And lest any man wish by abasement of mind to fetter you to be subject to the worship of angels, intruding upon that which he hath not seen, and vainly inflated in his fleshly mind;19 and not holding the Head, from whom all the body is composed and constituted in joints and limbs, and increaseth (with) the increase of Aloha.20 For if you are dead with the Meshiha from the principles of the world, why as if you lived in the world are you judged? as that21 you are not to touch, nor to taste, nor to handle?22 For these are of perishable use, and are ordinances and doctrines of men;23 and appear to have in them a reason of wisdom, with the look of humility and the fear of Aloha, (as) not sparing the body, (yet) not in that which is (really) of value, but in those (things) whose use pertains to the flesh.