Study Desk

^(t)See to it that no one takes you captive through ^(u)philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the ^(v)elementary principles of the world, ^[h]rather than according to Christ.

For in Him all the ^(w)fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

and in Him you have been ^(x)made ^[i]complete, and ^(y)He is the head ^[j]over all ^(z)rule and authority;

and in Him ^(aa)you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of ^(ab)the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

having been ^(ac)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^(ad)raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^(ae)raised Him from the dead.

When you were ^(af)dead ^[k]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^(ag)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

having canceled out ^(ah)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^(ai)He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

When He had ^[l](aj)disarmed the ^(ak)rulers and authorities, He ^(al)made a public display of them, having ^(am)triumphed over them through ^[m]Him.

Therefore no one is to ^[n](an)act as your judge in regard to ^(ao)food or ^(ap)drink or in respect to a ^(aq)festival or a ^(ar)new moon or a ^(as)Sabbath ^[o]day—

things which are ^(at)a mere shadow of what is to come; but the ^[p]substance ^[q]belongs to Christ.

Let no one keep ^[r](au)defrauding you of your prize by ^(av)delighting in ^[s]self-abasement and the worship of the angels, ^[t]taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^[u](aw)inflated without cause by his ^(ax)fleshly mind,

and not holding fast to ^(ay)the head, from whom ^(az)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^[v]ligaments, grows with a growth ^[w]which is from God.

^(ba)If you have died with Christ ^[x]to the ^(bb)elementary principles of the world, ^(bc)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^(bd)decrees, such as,

"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"

(which all refer ^(be)to things destined to perish ^[y]with use)—in accordance with the ^(bf)commandments and teachings of men?

These are matters which have, to be sure, the ^[z]appearance of wisdom in ^[aa](bg)self-made religion and self-abasement and ^(bh)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^(bi)fleshly indulgence.