yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,

I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;