English Standard Version ESV
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,
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For I would have you know what manner of care I have for you and for them that are at Laodicea and whosoever have not seen my face in the flesh:
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,
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That their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in charity and unto all riches of fulness of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus:
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
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Now this I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness of words.
5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
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For though I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing, and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith which is in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
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As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in him:
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
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Rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned: abounding in him in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
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Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
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For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally.
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
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And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power.
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
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In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh: but 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 powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
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Buried with him in baptism: in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him up from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
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And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
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Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
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And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.
16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
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Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths,
17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
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Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
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Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh:
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
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And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth into the increase of God.
20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations--
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If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world?
21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"
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Touch not: taste not: handle not.
22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)--according to human precepts and teachings?
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Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men.
23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
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Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour to the filling of the flesh.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.