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Alive with Christ

¹ For I want you to understand how great a ^(C1)struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at ^(C2)Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen my face in the flesh,² so that their ^(C1)hearts may be encouraged, having been ^(C2)held together in love, even unto all ^(C3)the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, unto the ^(C4)full knowledge of ^(C5)God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,³ in whom are hidden all ^(C1)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.^4 (C1)I say this so that no one will delude you with ^(C2)persuasive argument.⁵ For even though I am ^(C1)absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing ^(F1)to see your ^(C2)good order and the ^(C3)stability of your faith in Christ.

⁶ Therefore as you received ^(C1)Christ Jesus the Lord, so ^(F1)(C2)walk in Him,⁷ having been firmly ^(C1)rooted and being ^(C2)built up in Him, and having been ^(C3)established ^(F1)in your faith—just as you ^(C4)were instructed—and abounding ^(F2)with thanksgiving.

^8 (C1)See to it that no one takes you captive through ^(C2)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the ^(C3)elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.⁹ For in Him all the ^(C1)fullness of Deity dwells bodily,¹⁰ and in Him you have been ^(C1)filled, ^(C2)who is the head ^(F1)over all ^(C3)rule and authority;¹¹ in whom ^(C1)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of ^(C2)the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,¹² having been ^(C1)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^(C2)raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^(C3)raised Him from the dead.¹³ And you being ^(C1)dead ^(F1)in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^(C2)made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions.¹⁴ Having canceled out ^(C1)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, ^(C2)He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.¹⁵ Having ^(F1)(C1)disarmed the ^(C2)rulers and authorities, He ^(C1)made a public display of them, having ^(C3)triumphed over them in ^(F2)Him.

¹⁶ Therefore, no one is to ^(C1)judge you in ^(C2)food and ^(C2)drink, or in respect to a ^(C3)festival or a ^(C4)new moon or a ^(C5)Sabbath ^(F1)day—¹⁷ things which are only a ^(C1)shadow of what is to come; but the ^(F1)substance ^(F2)belongs to Christ.¹⁸ Let no one keep ^(F1)(C1)defrauding you of your prize by ^(C2)delighting in ^(F2)self-abasement and the worship of the angels, going into detail about visions he has seen, ^(C3)being puffed up for nothing by his ^(C4)fleshly mind,¹⁹ and not holding fast to ^(C1)the head, from whom ^(C2)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^(F1)ligaments, grows with a growth ^(F2)that is from God.

^20 (C1)If you have died with Christ ^(F1)to the ^(C2)elementary principles of the world, ^(C3)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^(C4)decrees:²¹ "Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch"?²² Which ^(F1)deal with everything ^(C1)destined to perish ^(F2)with use, which are in accordance with the ^(C2)commands and teachings of men;²³ which are matters having, to be sure, a ^(F1)word of wisdom in ^(F2)(C1)self-made religion and self-abasement and ^(C2)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^(C3)fleshly indulgence.