New International Version NIV
American Standard Version ASV
1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
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For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
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that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, [even] Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
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This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
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For though I am 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.
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
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As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in him,
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
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rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
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Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
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for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
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and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,
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in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body 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 your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
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having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
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And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, [I say], did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;
14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
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having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
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having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
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Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
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which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.
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Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
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and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with the increase of God.
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:
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If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,
21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?
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Handle not, nor taste, nor touch
22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.
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(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?
23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
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Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; [but are] not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.