'For2I want1you3to know4how great5a struggle6I have7for8you9and10for those11at12Laodicea13and14forall who15have17not16seen17me20face to face,192122 that1their5hearts4may be encouraged,2being knit together6in7love,8to [reach]10all11the riches12of full assurance14of understanding16andthe knowledge18of20God’s22mystery,20which isChrist,23 in1whom2are3hidden11all4the5treasures6of wisdom8and9knowledge.10 I say2this1in order that3no one4may delude6you5with7plausible arguments.8 For2though1I am absent6in body,5yet7I am12with10you11in spirit,9rejoicing13to see15your16good order18and19the20firmness21of25your26faith25in23Christ.24 Therefore,2as1you received3Christ5Jesus6the7Lord,8sowalk11in9him,10 rooted1and2built up3in4him5and6established7in the8faith,9just as10you were taught,11abounding12in13thanksgiving.14 See1to it thatno2one3takes7you4captive7by8philosophy10and11empty12deceit,13according to14human18tradition,16according to19the20elemental spirits21of the22world,23and24not25according to26Christ.27 For1in2him3thewhole5fullness7of deity9dwells4bodily,10 and1you have been2filled5in3him,4who6is7the8head9of all10rule11and12authority.13 In1him2also3you were circumcised4with a circumcision5made without hands,6by7putting off9the10body11of the12flesh,13by14the15circumcision16of Christ,18 having been buried with1him2in3baptism,5in6which7you were9also8raised with9himthrough10faith12in the13powerful working14of God,16who raised18him19from20the dead.21 And1you,2who were4dead3in5yourtrespasses7and8the9uncircumcision10of12your13flesh,12[God] made alive together14with16him,17having forgiven18us19all20ourtrespasses,22 bycanceling1the2record5of [debt]7that8stood9against10us11with its legal demands.This13he set14aside,151617nailing18it19to the20cross.21 Hedisarmed1the2rulers3and4authorities6andput them7to8open9shame,by triumphing over10them11in12him.13 Therefore2let5no1one3pass judgment5on you4in6questions offood7and8drink,10or11with12regard13to a festival14or15a new moon16or17a Sabbath.18 These1are2a shadow3of the things4to come,5but7the6substance8[belongs to] Christ.10 Let3no one1disqualify3you,2insisting4on5asceticism6and7worship8of angels,10going on in detail about13visions,1112puffed up15without reason14by16his21sensuous20mind,18 and1not2holding fast to3the4Head,5from6whom7the9whole8body,10nourished16and17knit together18through11itsjoints13and14ligaments,15grows19with a20growth21that is[from] God.23 If1with3Christ4you died2to5the6elemental spirits7of the8world,9why,10as11if you were stillalive12in13the world,14doyou submit to regulations —15 “Donot1handle,2Donot3taste,4Donot5touch”6 ([referring to]2things that1all3perish5as they are used)67—according to8human14precepts10and11teachings?12 These1have5indeed4an appearance3of wisdom6in7promotingself-made religion8and9asceticism10and11severity12to the body,13but they are ofno1417value16in15stopping18the indulgence19of the20flesh.21