New King James Version

English Standard Version

Not Philosophy but Christ

For I want you to know what a great conflict[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

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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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that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, [b]both of the Father and of Christ,

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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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in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

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I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

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For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [c]to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

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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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As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

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Alive in Christ

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

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rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [d]in it with thanksgiving.

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rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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Beware lest anyone [e]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

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See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spiritsa of the world, and not according to Christ.

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For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [f]bodily;

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For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

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and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all [g]principality and power.

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and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

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Not Legalism but Christ

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body [h]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

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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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buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

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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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And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

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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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having wiped out the [i]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

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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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Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

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He disarmed the rulers and authoritiesb and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.c

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So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a [j]festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

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Let No One Disqualify You

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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which are a shadow of things to come, but the [k]substance is of Christ.

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These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

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Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has [l]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

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Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,d puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

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and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

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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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[m]Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations —

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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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“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”

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“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”

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which all concern things which perish with the using — according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

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(referring to things that all perish as they are used) — according to human precepts and teachings?

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These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and [n]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

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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.

Parallel

New King James Version

English Standard Version

Colossians 2

Colossians 2