Focused Passage

Colossians 2:16-23

Fullness in Christ and Freedom from Christ-Plus Religion

Paul moves from his pastoral struggle for the churches, to the command to continue rooted in Christ, to the declaration that all fullness is in Christ, to the warning against deceptive captivity, and finally to the exposure of legalistic, mystical, and ascetic substitutes as shadows without true spiritual power.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16 Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.

17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.

19 He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.

20 If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:

21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”?

22 These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.

23 Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

Therefore οὖν G3767 Conjunction {let} no Μὴ G3361 Adverb one τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular judge κρινέτω G2919 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural by ἐν G1722 Preposition what you eat βρώσει G1035 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular or καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἐν G1722 Preposition drink πόσει G4213 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular or G2228 Conjunction with ἐν G1722 Preposition regard to μέρει G3313 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular a feast ἑορτῆς G1859 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - G2228 Conjunction a New Moon νεομηνίας G3561 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular or G2228 Conjunction a Sabbath σαββάτων G4521 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 17

Original words

These G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural are ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a shadow σκιὰ G4639 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of the things τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural to come μελλόντων G3195 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Neuter Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular body [ that casts it ] σῶμα G4983 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular belongs to τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally but the body is of the Christ
Verse 18

Original words

[Do not let anyone] μηδεὶς G3367 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular who delights θέλων G2309 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition [false] humility ταπεινοφροσύνῃ G5012 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the] worship θρησκείᾳ G2356 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural of angels ἀγγέλων G32 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural disqualify καταβραβευέτω G2603 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural with speculation about ἐμβατεύων G1687 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular what G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural he has seen ἑόρακεν G3708 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [Such a person] is puffed up φυσιούμενος G5448 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular without basis εἰκῇ G1500 Adverb by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular unspiritual σαρκὸς G4561 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular mind νοὸς G3563 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb He has lost connection κρατῶν G2902 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular to the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular head Κεφαλήν G2776 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular from ἐξ G1537 Preposition whom οὗ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular whole πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular body σῶμα G4983 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular supported ἐπιχορηγούμενον G2023 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction knit together συμβιβαζόμενον G4822 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular by διὰ G1223 Preposition [its] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural joints ἁφῶν G860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction ligaments συνδέσμων G4886 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural grows αὔξει G837 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular as τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular causes it to grow αὔξησιν G838 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 20

Original words

If Εἰ G1487 Conjunction you have died ἀπεθάνετε G599 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural with σὺν G4862 Preposition Christ Χριστῷ G5547 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular to ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural spiritual forces στοιχείων G4747 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular world κόσμου G2889 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular why τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular as though ὡς G5613 Adverb you still belonged ζῶντες G2198 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural to ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] world κόσμῳ G2889 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular do you submit to [its] regulations δογματίζεσθε G1379 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 21

Original words

{Do} Μὴ G3361 Adverb not handle ἅψῃ G680 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Singular {do} μηδὲ G3366 Conjunction not taste γεύσῃ G1089 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Singular {do} μηδὲ G3366 Conjunction not touch θίγῃς G2345 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular
Verse 22

Original words

[These] G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural will ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular all πάντα G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural - εἰς G1519 Preposition perish φθορὰν G5356 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular with τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular use ἀποχρήσει G671 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular because they are based on κατὰ G2596 Preposition vvv τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural human ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural commands ἐντάλματα G1778 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction teachings διδασκαλίας G1319 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Verse 23

Original words

Such [restrictions] ἅτινά G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural indeed μὲν G3303 Particle have ἔχοντα G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Plural an appearance λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular of wisdom σοφίας G4678 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular with [their] ἐν G1722 Preposition self-prescribed worship ἐθελοθρησκίᾳ G1479 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction [their false] humility ταπεινοφροσύνῃ G5012 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [their] harsh treatment ἀφειδίᾳ G857 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of [the] body σώματος G4983 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular [but] they are ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular of ἐν G1722 Preposition no οὐκ G3756 Adverb - τινι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular value τιμῇ G5092 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular against πρὸς G4314 Preposition [the] indulgence πλησμονὴν G4140 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular flesh σαρκός G4561 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.