1
For I want you to knowhowgreat a struggle I have on your behalf and for thosewho are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personallyseen my face,
2
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knittogether in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the fullassurance of understanding, resulting in a trueknowledge of God'smystery, that is, Christ Himself,
5
For eventhough I amabsent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your gooddiscipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
8
See to it that noonetakes you captivethroughphilosophy and emptydeception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementaryprinciples of the world, ratherthan*according to Christ.
13
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alivetogether with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
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having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decreesagainst us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
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Let noone keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflatedwithoutcause by his fleshlymind,
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and not holdingfast to the head, from whom the entirebody, being supplied and heldtogether by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
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If you have died with Christ to the elementaryprinciples of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
23
These are matterswhichhave, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-madereligion and self-abasement and severetreatment of the body, but are of no*valueagainstfleshlyindulgence.