Paul’s Goal in Ministry

1:21 And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your39 minds40 as expressed through41 your evil deeds, 1:22 but now he has reconciled you42 by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him—1:23 if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm,43 without shifting44 from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. 1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship45 from God—given to me for you—in order to complete46 the word of God, 1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints. 1:27 God wanted to make known to them the glorious47 riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1:28 We proclaim him by instructing48 and teaching49 all people50 with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature51 in Christ. 1:29 Toward this goal52 I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully53 works in me.

2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you,1 and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face.2 2:2 My goal is that3 their hearts, having been knit together4 in love, may be encouraged, and that5 they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,6 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 2:4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments7 that sound reasonable.8 2:5 For though9 I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see10 your morale11 and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies

2:6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,12 continue to live your lives13 in him, 2:7 rooted14 and built up in him and firm15 in your16 faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 2:8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you17 through an empty, deceitful philosophy18 that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits19 of the world, and not according to Christ. 2:9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives20 in bodily form, 2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 2:11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however,21 with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal22 of the fleshly body,23 that is,24 through the circumcision done by Christ. 2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your25 faith in the power26 of God who raised him from the dead. 2:13 And even though you were dead in your27 transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless28 made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. 2:14 He has destroyed29 what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness30 expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 2:15 Disarming31 the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.32

2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days—2:17 these are only33 the shadow of the things to come, but the reality34 is Christ!35 2:18 Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths36 about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.37 2:19 He has not held fast38 to the head from whom the whole body, supported39 and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.40

2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits41 of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? 2:21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” 2:22 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are42 on human commands and teachings.43 2:23 Even though they have the appearance of wisdom44 with their self-imposed worship and false humility45 achieved by an46 unsparing treatment of the body—a wisdom with no true value—they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.47

Exhortations to Seek the Things Above

3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 3:2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, 3:3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 3:4 When Christ (who is your1 life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. 3:5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth:2 sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion,3 evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.4 3:7 You also lived your lives5 in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. 3:8 But now, put off all such things6 as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 3:9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices 3:10 and have been clothed with the new man7 that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. 3:11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave8 or free, but Christ is all and in all.