For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
rooted and builded up in him, and established {Or, by}in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding {Some ancient authorities insert in it.}in thanksgiving.
{Or, See whether}Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:
in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;
having blotted out {Or, the bond that was against us by its ordinances}the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;
{Or, having put off from himself the principalities &c.}having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.
Let no man rob you of your prize {Or, of his own mere will, by humility &c.}by a voluntary humility and {The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature, or to the Creator.}worshipping of the angels, {Or, taking his stand upon}dwelling in the things which he hath {Many authorities, some ancient, insert not.}seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
If ye died with Christ from the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,
Handle not, nor taste, nor touch
(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any {Or, honor}value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Querverweise zu Kolosser 2,12 Kol 2,12
We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
For if we have become {Or, united with the likeness…with the likeness}united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;
For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;
knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.
For {Or, in that}the death that he died, he died unto sin {Greek: once for all. Hebrews 7:27}once: but {Or, in that}the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.
who were {Greek: begotten}born, not of {Greek: bloods}blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep {Or, by Greek: in.}with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born {Or, from above See verse 31, chapter 19:11; James 1:17; 3:15,17}anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born {Or, from above See verse 31, chapter 19:11; James 1:17; 3:15,17}anew.
make you perfect in every good {Many ancient authorities read work.}thing to do his will, working in {Many ancient authorities read you.}us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the {Or, laver}washing of regeneration {Or, and through renewing}and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles.
which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
{Some ancient authorities read, even the teaching of.}of the teaching of {Or, washings}baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together {Some ancient authorities read in Christ.}with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
which also {Or, in the antitype}after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the {Or, inquiry Or, appeal}interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
Wherefore he saith, {(?). Compare 1 Timothy 3:16.}Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same {Or, thought}mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased {Some ancient authorities read unto sins.}from sin;
that {Or, he no longer…his time}ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf:
looking unto Jesus the {Or, captain}author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good {Or, giving}gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.