1Let me tell you how hard I worked for you, for the people in Laodicea, and for all others who do not personally know me. 2I do this that they may be filled with courage and be united knit together in love. I have the full assurance that only true understanding brings. In this way they will accurately know Gods secret, which is Christ himself. 3In him is concealed all the hidden treasures of Gods wisdom and knowledge. 4I tell you this: Do not let anyone deceive you with false arguments, no matter how good they seem to be. 5Even though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit mental disposition. I am glad when I see the resolute firmness with which you stand together in your faith in Christ. 6You have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord. Now walk live in union with him. 7Keep your roots deep in him! Build your lives on him. Become stronger in your faith, as you were taught, and be filled with thanksgiving. 8See to it that no one enslaves you by means of philosophy and worthless deceit of human wisdom according to tradition of men. It is according to the elementary principles of the world, and not from Christ. 9The fullness of divine nature lives in Christs bodily form. Greek: theotes: essence and nature of GodOnly the Son of God could have divine attributes, the inherited qualities from the Father 10You are made full completeperfectmature in him. He is the head over all government and authority. 11You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ. 12You have been buried with him in baptism. You were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses. 14He blotted out the bond written in ordinances. It was against us and was contrary to us. He has taken it out of the way. He nailed it to the stake. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities! He made a public display of them triumphing over them. 16Let no man judge you in food or in drink or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 17They are a shadow of the things to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no man rob you of your prize by a self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things that he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, grows with the growth from God. 20If you died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances: 21»Do not handle. Do not taste. Do not touch.« 22These are the precepts and doctrines of men. 23These have, indeed, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body. But these are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.