1 I|strong="G1473" want|strong="G2309" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G2309" know|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3708" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G2309" trying very|strong="G2532" hard to|strong="G2309" help you|strong="G5210". And|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G2309" trying to|strong="G2309" help those|strong="G3588" in|strong="G1722" Laodicea|strong="G2993" and|strong="G2532" others|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2192" never|strong="G3756" seen|strong="G3708" me|strong="G1473".
2 I|strong="G2532" want them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G2532" strengthened and|strong="G2532" joined together|strong="G4822" with|strong="G1722" love|strong="G0026" and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G1519" have|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" full|strong="G3956" confidence that|strong="G2443" comes|strong="G2532" from|strong="G1722" understanding|strong="G4907". I|strong="G2532" want them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1519" know completely|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3956" secret truth that|strong="G2443" God|strong="G2316" has|strong="G2316" made known. That|strong="G2443" truth is|strong="G2316" Christ|strong="G5547" himself|strong="G0846".
3 In|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3739" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" treasures|strong="G2344" of|strong="G3956" wisdom|strong="G4678" and|strong="G2532" knowledge|strong="G1108" are|strong="G1510" kept|strong="G3956" safe|strong="G1722".
4 I|strong="G3778" tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" this|strong="G3778" so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" no|strong="G3367" one|strong="G3367" can|strong="G3004" fool you|strong="G5210" by|strong="G1722" telling|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" ideas that|strong="G2443" seem good, but|strong="G3778" are|strong="G3778" false.
5 Even|strong="G2532" though|strong="G1487" I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" far|strong="G3588" away, my|strong="G2532" thoughts are|strong="G1510" always with|strong="G4862" you|strong="G5210". I|strong="G2532" am|strong="G1510" happy to|strong="G1519" see|strong="G0991" your|strong="G1487" good|strong="G1510" lives and|strong="G2532" your|strong="G1487" strong faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1519" Christ|strong="G5547".
6 You|strong="G1722" accepted Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" as|strong="G5613" Lord|strong="G2962", so|strong="G3767" continue to|strong="G1722" live|strong="G4043" following|strong="G1722" him|strong="G0846".
7 You|strong="G1722" must|strong="G3588" depend on|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G0846" only|strong="G2532", drawing life and|strong="G2532" strength from|strong="G1722" him|strong="G0846". Just|strong="G2531" as|strong="G2531" you|strong="G1722" were|strong="G3588" taught|strong="G1321" the|strong="G3588" truth, continue|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" grow stronger in|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" understanding of|strong="G1722" it|strong="G0846". And|strong="G2532" never stop giving|strong="G2169" thanks|strong="G2169" to|strong="G2532" God|strong="G0846".
8 Be|strong="G1510" sure you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" led away by|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3588" teaching of|strong="G1223" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G1510" nothing|strong="G3756" worth saying and|strong="G2532" only|strong="G3756" plan to|strong="G2596" deceive you|strong="G5210". That|strong="G0991" teaching is|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" from|strong="G2596" Christ|strong="G5547". It|strong="G1223" is|strong="G1510" only|strong="G3756" human|strong="G0444" tradition|strong="G3862" and|strong="G2532" comes|strong="G1510" from|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" powers that|strong="G0991" influence this|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889".
9 I|strong="G3754" say this|strong="G3588" because|strong="G3754" all|strong="G3956" of|strong="G3956" God|strong="G0846" lives|strong="G2730" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G0846" fully, even|strong="G0846" in|strong="G1722" his|strong="G0846" life on|strong="G1722" earth.
10 And|strong="G2532" because|strong="G1722" you|strong="G3739" belong|strong="G1510" to|strong="G2532" Christ|strong="G0846" you|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" complete|strong="G4137", having everything|strong="G3956" you|strong="G3739" need. Christ|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" ruler|strong="G0746" over|strong="G1849" every|strong="G3956" other|strong="G3739" power|strong="G1849" and|strong="G2532" authority|strong="G1849".
11 In|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" you|strong="G3739" had|strong="G3739" a|strong="G3739" different kind of|strong="G4983" circumcision|strong="G4061", one|strong="G3739" that|strong="G3739" was|strong="G3739" not|strong="G3739" done by|strong="G1722" human|strong="G4561" hands|strong="G0886". That|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3739", you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3739" made|strong="G0886" free from|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" power of|strong="G4983" your|strong="G2532" sinful self. That|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3588" kind of|strong="G4983" circumcision|strong="G4061" Christ|strong="G5547" does.
12 When|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3739" baptized, you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3739" buried|strong="G4916" with|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G0846", and|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3739" raised|strong="G1453" up|strong="G1453" with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G0846" because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1537" your|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" God’s|strong="G2316" power. God’s|strong="G2316" power was|strong="G3739" shown when|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" raised|strong="G1453" Christ|strong="G0846" from|strong="G1537" death|strong="G3498".
13 You|strong="G5210" were|strong="G1510" spiritually dead|strong="G3498" because|strong="G1722" of|strong="G3956" your|strong="G2532" sins|strong="G3900" and|strong="G2532" because|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" were|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" free from|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" power of|strong="G3956" your|strong="G2532" sinful self. But|strong="G2532" God|strong="G0846" gave|strong="G5483" you|strong="G5210" new life|strong="G4561" together|strong="G4806" with|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G0846". He|strong="G2532" forgave|strong="G5483" all|strong="G3956" our|strong="G2532" sins|strong="G3900".
14 Because|strong="G1537" we|strong="G2249" broke God’s|strong="G0846" laws|strong="G1537", we|strong="G2249" owed a|strong="G1510" debt|strong="G5498"—a|strong="G1510" debt|strong="G5498" that|strong="G3739" listed all|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" rules we|strong="G2249" failed to|strong="G2596" follow. But|strong="G2532" God|strong="G0846" forgave us|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" that|strong="G3739" debt|strong="G5498". He|strong="G2532" took|strong="G0142" it|strong="G0846" away|strong="G0142" and|strong="G2532" nailed|strong="G4338" it|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" cross|strong="G4716".
15 He|strong="G2532" defeated the|strong="G3588" rulers|strong="G0746" and|strong="G2532" powers|strong="G1849" of|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" spiritual world. With|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" cross he|strong="G2532" won the|strong="G3588" victory over|strong="G1849" them|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" led them|strong="G0846" away, as|strong="G1722" defeated and|strong="G2532" powerless prisoners for|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" whole|strong="G1722" world to|strong="G2532" see.
16 So|strong="G3767" don’t|strong="G3361" let|strong="G2919" anyone|strong="G5100" make|strong="G3361" rules for|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" about|strong="G1722" eating|strong="G1035" and|strong="G2919" drinking|strong="G4213" or|strong="G2228" about|strong="G1722" Jewish customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or|strong="G2228" Sabbath|strong="G4521" days).
17 In|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" past these|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3739" were|strong="G1510" like a|strong="G1510" shadow|strong="G4639" that|strong="G3739" showed what|strong="G3739" was|strong="G1510" coming. But|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" new things|strong="G3739" that|strong="G3739" were|strong="G1510" coming are|strong="G1510" found|strong="G1510" in|strong="G1161" Christ|strong="G5547".
18 Some|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" enjoy acting as|strong="G1722" if|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" are|strong="G3739" humble and|strong="G2532" love to|strong="G2309" worship|strong="G2356" angels|strong="G0032". They|strong="G0846" always talk about|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" visions they|strong="G0846" have|strong="G2532" seen|strong="G3708". Don’t|strong="G3367" listen to|strong="G2309" them|strong="G0846" when|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" say you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3739" wrong because|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" don’t|strong="G3367" do|strong="G3708" these|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3739". It|strong="G0846" is|strong="G3739" so|strong="G2532" foolish for|strong="G1722" them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2309" feel such|strong="G3739" pride, because|strong="G1722" it|strong="G0846" is|strong="G3739" all|strong="G3588" based on|strong="G1722" their|strong="G0846" own|strong="G0846" human|strong="G4561" ideas.
19 They|strong="G3739" don’t|strong="G3756" keep themselves under|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3956" control of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3956" head|strong="G2776". Christ is|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" head|strong="G2776", and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" body|strong="G4983" depends|strong="G1537" on|strong="G1537" him|strong="G3739". Because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1537" Christ all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" parts of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3956" body|strong="G4983" care for|strong="G1223" each|strong="G1223" other|strong="G3739" and|strong="G2532" help each|strong="G1223" other|strong="G3739". So|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" body|strong="G4983" is|strong="G2316" made stronger and|strong="G2532" held|strong="G4822" together|strong="G4822" as|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316" causes|strong="G0837" it|strong="G1223" to|strong="G2532" grow|strong="G0837".
20 You|strong="G1487" died|strong="G0599" with|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" and|strong="G2198" were|strong="G3588" made free from|strong="G0575" the|strong="G3588" powers that|strong="G5613" influence this|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889". So|strong="G5613" why|strong="G5101" do|strong="G5101" you|strong="G1487" act as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" still belong to|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889"? I|strong="G1487" mean, why|strong="G5101" do|strong="G5101" you|strong="G1487" follow rules like|strong="G5613" these|strong="G3588":
21 “Don’t|strong="G3361" eat|strong="G1089" this,” “Don’t|strong="G3361" taste|strong="G1089" that|strong="G3361",” “Don’t|strong="G3361" touch|strong="G0681" that|strong="G3361"”?
22 These|strong="G3739" rules are|strong="G1510" talking about|strong="G2596" earthly things|strong="G3956" that|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" gone after|strong="G2596" they|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" used. They|strong="G3739" are|strong="G1510" only|strong="G2532" human|strong="G0444" commands|strong="G1778" and|strong="G2532" teachings|strong="G1319".
23 These|strong="G3748" rules may|strong="G2532" seem to|strong="G4314" be|strong="G1510" wise as|strong="G1722" part of|strong="G3056" a|strong="G2192" made-up religion|strong="G1479" in|strong="G1722" which|strong="G3748" people|strong="G1510" pretend to|strong="G4314" be|strong="G1510" humble and|strong="G2532" punish their|strong="G2532" bodies|strong="G4983". But|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" don’t|strong="G3756" help people|strong="G1510" stop doing the|strong="G3588" evil that|strong="G3748" the|strong="G3588" sinful self wants to|strong="G4314" do|strong="G2192".