Colossians · Bible in Basic English
Colossians 2 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 For it is my desire to give you news of the great fight I am making for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh;
1 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
1 Θέλω γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ἡλίκον ἀγῶνα ἔχω περὶ ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ καὶ ὅσοι οὐχ ἑωράκασι τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἐν σαρκί,
2 So that their hearts may be comforted, and that being joined together in love, they may come to the full wealth of the certain knowledge of the secret of God, even Christ,
2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
2 ἵνα παρακληθῶσιν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν, συμβιβασθέντων ἐν ἀγάπῃ καὶ εἰς πάντα πλοῦτον τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως, εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
3 In whom are all the secret stores of wisdom and knowledge.
3 in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
3 ἐν ᾧ εἰσι πάντες οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι.
4 I say this so that you may not be turned away by any deceit of words.
4 Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
4 Τοῦτο δὲ λέγω ἵνα μή τις ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται ἐν πιθανολογίᾳ·
5 For though I am not present in the flesh, still I am with you in the spirit, seeing with joy your order, and your unchanging faith in Christ.
5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
5 εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν.
6 As, then, you took Christ Jesus the Lord, so go on in him,
6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
6 Ὡς οὖν παρελάβετε τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον, ἐν αὐτῷ περιπατεῖτε,
7 Rooted and based together in him, strong in the faith which the teaching gave you, giving praise to God at all times.
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.
7 ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ ἐποικοδομούμενοι ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ βεβαιούμενοι ἐν τῇ πίστει καθὼς ἐδιδάχθητε, περισσεύοντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ.
8 Take care that no one takes you away by force, through man's wisdom and deceit, going after the beliefs of men and the theories of the world, and not after Christ:
8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.
8 Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης, κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν·
9 For in him all the wealth of God's being has a living form,
9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,
9 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς,
10 And you are complete in him, who is the head of all rule and authority:
10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.
10 καὶ ἐστὲ ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας,
11 In whom you had a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,
11 ἐν ᾧ καὶ περιετμήθητε περιτομῇ ἀχειροποιήτῳ ἐν τῇ ἀπεκδύσει τοῦ σώματος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῆς σαρκός, ἐν τῇ περιτομῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
12 Having been put to death with him in baptism, by which you came to life again with him, through faith in the working of God, who made him come back from the dead.
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
12 συνταφέντες αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνηγέρθητε διὰ τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν.
13 And you, being dead through your sins and the evil condition of your flesh, to you, I say, he gave life together with him, and forgiveness of all our sins;
13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
13 καὶ ὑμᾶς, νεκροὺς ὄντας [ἐν] τοῖς παραπτώμασι καὶ τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν, συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ, χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν πάντα τὰ παραπτώματα,
14 Having put an end to the handwriting of the law which was against us, taking it out of the way by nailing it to his cross;
14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
14 ἐξαλείψας τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον τοῖς δόγμασιν ὃ ἦν ὑπεναντίον ἡμῖν, καὶ αὐτὸ ἦρεν ἐκ τοῦ μέσου προσηλώσας αὐτὸ τῷ σταυρῷ·
15 Having made himself free from the rule of authorities and powers, he put them openly to shame, glorying over them in it.
15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
15 ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ.
16 For this reason let no man be your judge in any question of food or drink or feast days or new moons or Sabbaths:
16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,
16 Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει ἢ ἐν πόσει ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς ἢ νουμηνίας ἢ σαββάτων,
17 For these are an image of the things which are to come; but the body is Christ's.
17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.
17 ἅ ἐστι σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ δὲ σῶμα Χριστοῦ.
18 Let no man take your reward from you by consciously making little of himself and giving worship to angels; having his thoughts fixed on the things which he has seen, being foolishly lifted up in his natural mind,
18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
18 μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῆ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
19 And not joined to the Head, from whom all the body, being given strength and kept together through its joins and bands, has its growth with the increase of God.
19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.
19 καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλήν, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
20 If you were made free, by your death with Christ, from the rules of the world, why do you put yourselves under the authority of orders
20 If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,
20 Εἰ οὖν ἀπεθάνετε σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε,
21 Which say there may be no touching, tasting, or taking in your hands,
21 “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”
21 μὴ ἅψῃ μηδὲ γεύσῃ μηδὲ θίγῃς —
22 (Rules which are all to come to an end with their use) after the orders and teaching of men?
22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?
22 ἅ ἐστι πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει — κατὰ τὰ ἐντάλματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων;
23 These things seem to have a sort of wisdom in self-ordered worship and making little of oneself, and being cruel to the body, not honouring it by giving it its natural use.
23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
23 ἅτινά ἐστι λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας ἐν ἐθελοθρησκίᾳ καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀφειδίᾳ σώματος, οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινι πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκός.
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Colossians 1:29; Philippians 1:30; Revelation 3:14–22; Colossians 4:12–13; Revelation 1:11
- 2 Colossians 1:27; Colossians 4:8; Romans 16:25; Colossians 3:14; Ephesians 6:22
- 3 1 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 2:6–8; 2 Timothy 3:15–17
- 4 1 John 4:1; Ephesians 4:14; Romans 16:18–19; Matthew 24:4; 2 John 7
- 5 1 Corinthians 5:3–4; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Peter 3:17–18; 1 Peter 5:9
- 6 Colossians 1:10; 1 John 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; Ephesians 5:1–2; Galatians 2:20
- 7 Ephesians 3:17; Jeremiah 17:8; Ephesians 2:20–22; John 15:4–5; Colossians 1:23
- 8 1 Timothy 6:20; Ephesians 5:6; Matthew 7:15; Galatians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 3:18–19
- 9 Colossians 1:19; John 1:14; John 10:30; 1 Timothy 3:16; John 14:9–10
- 10 Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 1:16–18; 1 Corinthians 1:30–31; 1 Peter 3:22; Ephesians 1:20–23
- 11 Romans 2:29; Philippians 3:3; Romans 6:6; Deuteronomy 30:6; Galatians 5:24
- 12 Romans 6:3–5; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21; Ephesians 2:4–6; Colossians 3:1–2
- 13 Ephesians 2:5–6; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Hebrews 9:14
- 14 Ephesians 2:14–16; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:13; 1 Peter 2:24
- 15 Hebrews 2:14; Ephesians 4:8; Matthew 12:29; John 12:31–32; Isaiah 53:12
- 16 Romans 14:5–6; Romans 14:10; Galatians 4:10; Romans 14:13–17; Romans 14:2–3
- 17 Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 8:5; John 1:17; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 4:1–11
- 18 Colossians 2:8; 1 John 4:1–2; Colossians 2:23; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 1:7
- 19 Ephesians 4:15–16; John 15:4–6; 1 Timothy 2:4–6; Romans 12:4–5; 1 Peter 3:8
- 20 Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:14; Colossians 2:16; Galatians 4:3; Romans 7:4–6
- 21 1 Timothy 4:3; Isaiah 52:11; Genesis 3:3; 2 Corinthians 6:17
- 22 Isaiah 29:13; Titus 1:14; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Mark 7:18–19; Mark 7:7–13
- 23 1 Timothy 4:8; Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:22; Colossians 2:18; Matthew 23:27–28
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Again, he takes hold on them beforehand with their own testimony, saying, "As therefore ye received." We introduce no strange addition, he saith, neither do ye. "Walk ye in Him," for He is the Way that leadeth to the Father: not in the Angels; this way leadeth not thither.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
And they state that it was clearly on this account that Paul said, "And He Himself is all things;" and again, "All things are to Him, and of Him are all things;" and further, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead;" and yet again, "All things are gathered together by God in Christ." Thus do they interpret these …
… Thy Spirit, by Thy good and pious servant: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." And since at that time (as Thou, O Light of my heart, knowest) the words …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For not otherwise than by the cross did He effect this; as Paul likewise said: "And the handwriting which was contrary to us, even it He took out of the way, nailing it to His cross." And his saying too, "He shall baptize you with the Spirit," is that of one who was foretelling the events after the resurrection.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
A most precious possession therefore is the knowledge of doctrines: also there is need of a wakeful soul, since there are many that make spoil through philosophy and vain deceit.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)