These practices indeed have the appearance [that popularly passes as that] of wisdom in self-made religion and mock humility and severe treatment of the body (asceticism), but are of no value against sinful indulgence [because they do not honor God].

Let no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] by insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about visions [he claims] he has seen [to justify his authority], puffed up [in conceit] by his unspiritual mind,

So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices,

and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—

At the same time pray for us, too, that God will open a door [of opportunity] to us for the word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned;

Whom I sent to you for this same thing, so that he may know the things about you, and may encourage your hearts,

And when this letter has been made public among you, let the same be done in the church of Laodicea; and see that you have the letter from Laodicea.

Having blotted out the handwriting against us by the decrees, which was hostile to us, - and hath taken away, the same, out of the midst, nailing it up to the cross:

And say to Archippus: be taking heed unto the ministry which thou hast accepted in the Lord, - that, the same, thou fulfil.