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¹ For I would have you know, how great a conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh:² That their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, even unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the acknowledgment of the mystery of God,³ both the Father and Christ, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ And this I say, that no man may beguile you with inticing words.⁵ For though I am absent from you in the flesh, yet I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to behold your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.⁶ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him;⁷ Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.⁸ Beware lest any man make a prey of you through philosophy and empty deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ.⁹ For in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily.¹⁰ And ye are filled by him, who is the head of all principality and power.¹¹ By whom also ye are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ:¹² Buried with him in baptism, by which ye are also risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God, who raised him from the dead.

¹³ And you who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,¹⁴ having forgiven you all trespasses, Having blotted out by his decrees the hand-writing against us, which was contrary to us; and having nailed it to his cross, he took it out of the way.¹⁵ And having spoiled the principalities and powers, he exposed them openly, triumphing over them in him.

¹⁶ Let none therefore judge you in meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast-day, or of the new-moon, or of sabbath-days: Which are shadow of things to come;¹⁷ but the body is of Christ.¹⁸ Let none defraud you of your reward by a voluntary humility and worship of angels, intruding into the things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,¹⁹ And not holding the head, from which all the body being nourished and knit together, by the joints and ligaments, increaseth with the increase of God.²⁰ Therefore if ye are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, receive ye ordinances, ²¹ (Touch not, taste not, handle not:²² All which are to perish in the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men?²³ Which things (though they have indeed a shew of wisdom, in voluntary worship and humility, and not sparing the body) yet are not of any value, but are to the satisfying of the flesh.