8 See to it that no one ztakes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human atradition, according to the belemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole cfullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and dyou have been filled in him, who is the ehead of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were fcircumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by gputting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been hburied with him in ibaptism, in which you were also jraised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, kwho raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were ldead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 mby ncanceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the orulers and authorities2 and put them to open shame, by ptriumphing over them in him.3
Let No One Disqualify You
16 Therefore qlet no one pass judgment on you in questions of rfood and drink, or swith regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a tshadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one udisqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,4 vpuffed up wwithout reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the xHead, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, ywhy, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 z“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 a(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to bhuman precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in cstopping the indulgence of the flesh.
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a yblind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 zA disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
A Tree and Its Fruit
43 a“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. bFor figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for cout of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Build Your House on the Rock
46 d“Why do you call me e‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 fEveryone who comes to me and ghears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.1 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
