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

2 That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit togather in love, and attaining to all riches of full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

3 In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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

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

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

7 Rooted and build up in Him and establish in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thankgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deciet, according to the basic principle of the world, and not according to Christ.

9 For in Him dwells in all the fullness of the Godhead bodily ;

10 And you are complete in Him,who is head of all pricipality and power.

11 In Him you were also circumcised made without hands, by putting of the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

12 Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Himm though faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

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

14 Having wiped out the 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.

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

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.

17 Which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intreuding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshy mind,

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

20 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 regulation -

21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, "

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

23 These things indeed have an appearnce of wisdom in self - imposed religion, false hunility, and neglect of the body, but are of value against the indulgence of the flesh.Colossians 2