29UNTO THIS ALSO I TOIL STRIVING ACCORDING TO THE ENERGY OF HIM WHO IS WORKING IN ME MYSELF IN POWER. 29To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
1I WANT FOR YOU TO KNOW HOW GREAT A STRUGGLE I AM HAVING FOR YOU AND THOSE IN LAODICEA AND AS MANY AS NOT HAVE SEEN THE FACE OF ME IN [THE] FLESH, Absent in Body, Present in Spirit (Revelation 3:14–22) 1For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me face to face,
2THAT MAY BE ENCOURAGED THE HEARTS OF THEM BEING KNIT TOGETHER IN LOVE AND TO ALL THE RICHNESS OF THE FULL ASSURANCE <THE> OF UNDERSTANDING TO [THE] KNOWLEDGE OF THE MYSTERY <THE> OF GOD AND FATHER AND THE CHRIST, 2that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,*NoteCloseLiterally the mystery of God: Christ
3IN WHOM ARE ALL THE TREASURES <THE> OF WISDOM AND <THE> OF KNOWLEDGE HIDDEN; 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4THIS NOW I SAY SO THAT NO ONE YOU MAY DELUDE BY PERSUASIVE SPEECH; 4I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.
5IF TRULY EVEN IN THE FLESH I AM ABSENT, YET <THE> IN SPIRIT WITH YOU I AM, REJOICING AND SEEING YOUR <THE> GOOD ORDER AND THE FIRMNESS OF THE IN CHRIST FAITH OF YOU. 5For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
6JUST AS THEREFORE YOU HAVE RECEIVED <THE> CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, IN HIM DO WALK Alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:1–10) 6Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him,
7ROOTED AND BEING BUILT UP IN HIM AND BEING STRENGTHENED IN IN THE FAITH EVEN AS YOU WERE TAUGHT, ABOUNDING IN TO HER WITH THANKSGIVING. 7rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8DO TAKE HEED LEST ANYONE YOU THERE WILL BE WHO IS TAKING CAPTIVE THROUGH <THE> PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEIT ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION <THE> OF MEN, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD AND NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST; 8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
9FOR IN HIM DWELLS ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE DEITY BODILY, 9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
10AND YOU ARE IN HIM COMPLETED, WHO IS THE HEAD OF ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY; 10And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11IN WHOM ALSO YOU WERE CIRCUMCISED WITH [THE] CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS IN THE REMOVAL OF THE BODY OF THE SINS OF THE FLESH, IN THE CIRCUMCISION <THE> OF CHRIST, 11In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ*NoteCloseLiterally in the cutting away of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ and not by human hands.
12HAVING BEEN BURIED WITH HIM IN <THE> BAPTISM IN WHICH ALSO YOU WERE RAISED WITH [HIM] THROUGH THE FAITH OF THE WORKING <THE> OF GOD THE [ONE WHO] HAVING RAISED HIM OUT FROM THE DEAD. 12And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13AND YOU DEAD BEING IN THE TRESPASSES AND IN THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF THE FLESH OF YOU, HE MADE ALIVE TOGETHER YOU WITH HIM HAVING FORGIVEN US ALL THE TRANSGRESSIONS; 13When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
14HAVING BLOTTED OUT THE AGAINST US HANDWRITING IN THE DECREES WHICH WAS ADVERSE TO US, AND IT HE HAS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY HAVING NAILED IT TO THE CROSS; 14having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
15HAVING DISARMED THE RULERS AND THE AUTHORITIES HE DISGRACED [THEM] IN PUBLIC, HAVING TRIUMPHED OVER THEM IN IT. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16NOT THEREFORE ANYONE YOU SHOULD JUDGE IN REGARD TO FOOD OR IN REGARD TO DRINK OR IN REGARD TO A FEAST OR A NEW MOON OR SABBATHS, 16Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
17WHICH ARE A SHADOW OF THE [THINGS] COMING, THE HOWEVER BODY [IS] <THE> OF CHRIST. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.*NoteCloseLiterally but the body is of the Christ
18NO ONE YOU SHOULD DISQUALIFY DELIGHTING IN HUMILITY AND [THE] WORSHIP OF THE ANGELS, WHICH NOT HE HAS SEEN DETAILING VAINLY BEING PUFFED UP BY THE MIND OF THE FLESH OF HIM, 18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.
19AND NOT HOLDING FAST TO THE HEAD FROM WHOM ALL THE BODY THROUGH THE JOINTS AND LIGAMENTS BEING SUPPLIED AND BEING KNIT TOGETHER IT INCREASES WITH THE INCREASE <THE> OF GOD. 19He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.
20IF THEREFORE YOU HAVE DIED WITH <THE> CHRIST AWAY FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, WHY AS IF LIVING IN [THE] WORLD DO YOU SUBMIT TO DECREES? 20If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:
21NOT YOU MAY HANDLE NOT YOU MAY TASTE NOT YOU MAY TOUCH! 21“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! ”?
22WHICH ARE ALL UNTO DECAY WITH THE USE ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENTS AND TEACHINGS <THE> OF MEN; 22These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
23WHICH ARE AN APPEARANCE INDEED HAVING OF WISDOM WITH SELF-IMPOSED WORSHIP AND WITH HUMILITY AND WITH HARSH TREATMENT OF [THE] BODY, NOT OF HONOR A CERTAIN AGAINST [THE] INDULGENCE OF THE FLESH. 23Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.