Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days –

for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, ¹  whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave ¹  or free, but Christ is all and in all.

and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross – through him, ¹  whether things on earth or things in heaven.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Fathers, ¹  do not provoke ²  your children, so they will not become disheartened.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you ¹  through an empty, deceitful philosophy ²  that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits ³  of the world, and not according to Christ.

“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,

bearing with one another and forgiving ¹  one another, if someone happens to have ²  a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. ³ 

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, ¹  and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ² 

Even though they have the appearance of wisdom ¹  with their self-imposed worship and false humility ²  achieved by an ³  unsparing treatment of the body – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly indulgence. ⁴ 

Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave ¹  of Christ, ²  greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured ³  in all the will of God.

And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your ¹  minds ²  as expressed through ³  your evil deeds,

Disarming ¹  the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross. ² 

For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, ¹  and there are no exceptions. ² 

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn ¹  from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. ² 

I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship ¹  from God – given to me for you – in order to complete ²  the word of God,