Colossians 2

1 But Y wole that ye wite, what bisynesse Y haue for you, and for hem that ben at Laodice, and whiche euere saien not my face in fleisch,

For I desire you to know, how great a contest I am having—in behalf of you, and of those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 that her hertis ben coumfortid, and thei ben tauyt in charite, in to alle the richessis of the plente of the vndurstondyng, in to the knowyng of mysterie of God, the fadir of Jhesu Crist,

In order that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, even unto all the riches of the full assurance of their understanding, unto a personal knowledge of the sacred secret of God, —Christ:

3 in whom alle the tresouris of wisdom and of science ben hid.

In whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden away.

4 For this thing Y seie, that no man disseyue you in heiythe of wordis.

This I say, in order that, no one, may be reasoning, you, aside with plausible discourse;

5 For thouy Y be absent in bodi, bi spirit Y am with you, ioiynge and seynge youre ordre and the sadnesse of youre bileue that is in Crist.

For, though, indeed, in the flesh, I am absent, yet, in the spirit, with you, I am—rejoicing, and beholding your order and the solid firmness of your Christ-ward faith.

6 Therfor as ye han takun Jhesu Crist oure Lord,

As therefore ye have accepted the Anointed Jesus as your Lord, in him, be walking, —

7 walke ye in hym, and be ye rootid and bieldid aboue in hym, and confermyd in the bileue, as ye han lerud, aboundinge in hym in doynge of thankyngis.

Rooted, and being built up, in him, and making yourselves sure in your faith, even as ye have been taught, —surpassing therein with thanksgiving.

8 Se ye that no man disseyue you bi filosofie and veyn fallace, aftir the tradicioun of men, aftir the elementis of the world, and not aftir Crist.

Be taking heed, lest there shall be anyone leading, you, off as a spoil, through means of their philosophy, and an empty deceit, —according to the instruction of men, according to the first principles of the world, —and not according to Christ:

9 For in hym dwellith bodilich al the fulnesse of the Godhed.

Because, in him, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily,

10 And ye ben fillid in hym, that is heed of al principat and power.

And ye are, in him, filled full, —Who, is the head of all principality and authority,

11 In whom also ye ben circumcidid in circumcisioun not maad with hoond, in dispoyling of the bodi of fleisch, but in circumcisioun of Crist;

In whom, ye have also been circumcised with a circumcision not done by hand, in the despoiling of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ, —

12 and ye ben biried togidere with hym in baptim, in whom also ye han rise ayen bi feith of the worching of God, that reiside hym fro deth.

Having been buried together with him in your immersion, wherein also ye have been raised together, through your faith in the energising of God—Who raised him from among the dead.

13 And whanne ye weren deed in giltis, and in the prepucie of youre fleisch, he quikenyde togidere you with hym;

And, as for you—who were, dead, by your offences and by the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath brought you to life together with him, —having in favour forgiven us all our offences,

14 foryyuynge to you alle giltis, doynge awei that writing of decre that was ayens vs, that was contrarie to vs; and he took awei that fro the myddil, pitchinge it on the cros;

Having blotted out the handwriting against us by the decrees, which was hostile to us, —and hath taken away, the same, out of the midst, nailing it up to the cross:

15 and he spuylide principatis and poweris, and ledde out tristili, opynli ouercomynge hem in hym silf.

Spoiling the principalities and the authorities, he made of them an open example, celebrating a triumph over them thereby.

16 Therfor no man iuge you in mete, or in drink, or in part of feeste dai, or of neomenye,

Let no one, therefore, be judging, you, —in eating and in drinking, or in respect of feast, or new moon, or sabbath, —

17 or of sabatis, whiche ben schadewe of thingis to comynge; for the bodi is of Crist.

Which are a shadow of the things to come, whereas, the body, is of the Christ.

18 No man disseyue you, willynge to teche in mekenesse, and religioun of aungelis, tho thingis whiche he hath not seyn, walkinge veynli, bolnyd with wit of his fleisch,

Let, no one, against you, be arbitrating, however wishful, —in respect of lowliness of mind, and of a religious observance of the messengers: upon what things he hath seen, taking his stand, in vain, puffed up by his carnal mind, —

19 and not holdynge the heed, of which al the bodi, bi boondis and ioynyngis togidere vndur mynystrid and maad, wexith in to encreessing of God.

And not holding fast the head: from which, all the body, through means of its joints and uniting bands, receiving supply, and connecting itself together, groweth with the growth of God.

20 For if ye ben deed with Crist fro the elementis of this world, what yit as men lyuynge to the world demen ye?

If ye have died, together with Christ, from the first principles of the world, why, as though alive in the world, are ye submitting to decrees, —

21 That ye touche not, nether taaste,

Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch; —

22 nether trete with hoondis tho thingis, whiche alle ben in to deth bi the ilke vss, aftir the comaundementis and the techingis of men;

Which things are all for decay in the using up; —according to the commandments and teachings of men?

23 whiche han a resoun of wisdom in veyn religioun and mekenesse, and not to spare the bodi, not in ony onour to the fulfillyng of the fleisch.

The which things, indeed, though they have, an appearance, of wisdom, in self-devised religious observance, and lowliness of mind, [and] ill-treatment of body, are, in no honourable way, unto a satisfying of the flesh.