Not Philosophy But Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great aconflict 1I 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 together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, 2both of the Father and of Christ, 3 bin whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now this I say clest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For dthough I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing 3to see eyour good order and the fsteadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 gAs you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 hrooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding 4in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone 5cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to ithe tradition of men, according to the jbasic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For kin Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead 6bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the lhead of all 7principality and power.

Not Legalism But Christ

11 In Him you were also mcircumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by nputting off the body 8of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 oburied with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through pfaith in the working of God, qwho raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 rhaving wiped out the 9handwriting 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 sHaving disarmed tprincipalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 So let no one ujudge you in food or in drink, or regarding a 1festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 vwhich are a shadow of things to come, but the 2substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has 3not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to wthe Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, xgrows with the increase that is from God.

20 4Therefore, if you ydied with Christ from the basic principles of the world, zwhy, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—21 a“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—baccording to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 cThese things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and 5neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Not Carnality But Christ

3 If then you were araised with Christ, seek those things which are above, bwhere Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the cearth. 3 dFor you died, eand your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 fWhen Christ who is gour life appears, then you also will appear with Him in hglory.

5 iTherefore put to death jyour members which are on the earth: kfornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, lwhich is idolatry. 6 mBecause of these things the wrath of God is coming upon nthe sons of disobedience, 7 oin which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

8 pBut now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who qis renewed in knowledge raccording to the image of Him who screated him, 11 where there is neither tGreek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, ubut Christ is all and in all.

Character of the New Man

12 Therefore, vas the elect of God, holy and beloved, wput on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 xbearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 yBut above all these things zput on love, which is the abond of perfection. 15 And let bthe peace of God rule in your hearts, cto which also you were called din one body; and ebe thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another fin psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And gwhatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The Christian Home

18 hWives, submit to your own husbands, ias is fitting in the Lord.

19 jHusbands, love your wives and do not be kbitter toward them.

20 lChildren, obey your parents min all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

21 nFathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

22 oBondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 pAnd whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 qknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; rfor 1you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and sthere is no partiality.