Logos Bible Study

Colossians 2:20–22

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Greek

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

2:20If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits41 of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? 2:21“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” 2:22These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are42 on human commands and teachings.43

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 41 See the note on the phrase “elemental spirits” in .
  2. 42 The expression “founded as they are” brings out the force of the Greek preposition κατά (kata).
  3. 43 Grk “The commands and teachings of men.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.

NLTNew Living Translation

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world? “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,” which things are all meant for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings,

KJV 1900King James Version

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?