COL 2:18 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Let no one delighting in false humility and worship of the angels deprive you of your prize, standing on things he has seen, becoming puffed up without cause by the mind of his flesh

UST You will meet some people who enjoy pretending to be humble and worshipping angels and who love to talk about amazing things that they have seen. They act like they are great—although without good reason, because they think only in human ways. Do not listen to these people who are trying to take away what God has ready to give to you.

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

BLB Let no one disqualify you, delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, detailing what he has seen, being puffed up vainly by his mind of the flesh,

AICNT Let no one disqualify you, insisting on humility and worship of angels, claiming to have seen visions [[he has not seen]],[fn] puffed up without reason by their fleshly mind,

2:18, he has not seen: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB Do not let anyone defraud you of the reality by affecting delight in so-called “humility” and angel-worship. Such a person busies themselves with their visions, and without reason are rendered conceited by their merely human intellect.

WEBBE Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

LSV let no one deceive you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he has not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

FBV Don't let anyone cheat you out of your prize by insisting you have to beat yourself,[fn] or worship angels. They think they are better than anyone else because of visions they say they've had, and become ridiculously conceited in their sinful minds.

2:18 Self-mortification; the phrase could also be translated “false humility.”

TCNT Let no one who delights in false humility and angelic religion disqualify you. Such a person takes his stand on things he has [fn]not seen, being puffed up without reason by the mind of his flesh,

2:18 not 80.7% • MSS 11.9% ¦ — NA SBL WH 1% • TH 0.8%

T4T Disregard those who say that God will punish you because you do not worship God in the way that they say that you should; that is, they insist that you should humiliate yourselves and that you should worship the angels. Disregard such people since they base their authority on things that they have never seen, and since they are proud without reason because their self-directed nature controls what they think,

LEB Let no one condemn you, taking pleasure in humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about the things which he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

BBE Let no man take your reward from you by consciously making little of himself and giving worship to angels; having his thoughts fixed on the things which he has seen, being foolishly lifted up in his natural mind,

Moff Let no one lay down rules for you as he pleases, with regard to fasting and the cult of angels, presuming on his visions and inflated by his sensuous notions,

Wymth Let no one defraud you of your prize, priding himself on his humility and on his worship of the angels, and taking his stand on the visions he has seen, and idly puffed up with his unspiritual thoughts.

ASV Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

DRA Let no man seduce you, willing in humility, and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh,

YLT let no one beguile you of your prize, delighting in humble-mindedness and [in] worship of the messengers, intruding into the things he hath not seen, being vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

Drby Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

RV Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
(Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath/has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, )

SLT Let none condemn you being willing in humility and religious worship of angels, going into what he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

Wbstr Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

KJB-1769 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
(Let no man beguile/deceive you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath/has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, )

KJB-1611 Let no man [fn]beguile you of your reward, [fn]in a voluntary humilitie, and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things which hee hath not seene, vainely puft vp by his fleshly minde:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)

2:18 Or, iudge against you.

2:18 Gr. being a voluntary. in humilitie.

Bshps Let no man begile you of victorie, in the humblenesse and worshippyng of Angels, intrudyng (hym selfe into those thinges) which he hath not seene, causelesse puft vp with his fleshly mynde,
(Let no man begile you of victory, in the humbleness and worshipping of Angels, intruding (hym self into those things) which he hath/has not seen, causelesse puffed up with his fleshly mind,)

Gnva Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of minde, and worshipping of Angels, aduauncing himselfe in those thinges which hee neuer sawe, rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde,
(Let no man at his pleasure bear rule over you by humbleness of mind, and worshipping of Angels, aduauncing himself in those things which he never saw, rashly puffed up with his fleshly mind, )

Cvdl Let no man make you shote at a wronge mark, which after his owne chosynge walketh in humblenes and spiritualtye of angels, thinges which he neuer sawe, and is vayne, and puft vp in his owne fleshly mynde:
(Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark, which after his own chosing walketh in humblenes and spiritualtye of angels, things which he never saw, and is vain, and puffed up in his own fleshly mind:)

TNT Let no man make you shote at a wronge (marke) which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humblenes and holynes of angels thinges which he never sawe: causlesse puft vp with his flesshly mynde
(Let no man make you shoot at a wrong (marke) which after his own imagination walketh in the humblenes and holiness of angels things which he never sawe: causlesse puffed up with his flesshly mind )

Wycl 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,
(No man deceive you, willing to teach in meekness, and religion of angelis, those things which he hath/has not seen, walking vainly, bolnyd with wit of his flesh,)

Luth Lasset euch niemand das Ziel verrücken, der nach eigener Wahl einhergehet in Demut und Geistlichkeit der Engel, des er nie keines gesehen hat, und ist ohne Sache aufgeblasen in seinem fleischlichen Sinn
(Let you no_one the goal/target go_crazy/shift/disarrange, the/of_the after ownr Wahl alonggehet in Demut and spiritlichkeit the/of_the angel, the he never none seen has, and is without matter on/in/togeblasen in his fleshly/carnalen Sinn)

ClVg Nemo vos seducat, volens in humilitate, et religione angelorum, quæ non vidit ambulans, frustra inflatus sensu carnis suæ,[fn]
(Nobody you(pl) seducat, willing in/into/on humility, and religione of_messengers/angels, which not/no he_saw walking, in_vain inflatus sense of_flesh his/her_own, )

2.18 Volens. Id est amans ea quæ non vidit. Vel, volens scilicet suadere quæ non vidit, scilicet legis cæremonias quarum rationem ignorat. Inflatus. Non aliud intelligit inflatus quam sensualitas capit.

2.18 Willing. That it_is amans them which not/no he_saw. Or, willing namely suadere which not/no he_saw, namely law ceremonies whose reason he/she_doesn't_know. Inflatus. Not/No something_else understands inflatus how sensealitas takes.

UGNT μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω, θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ, καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
(maʸdeis humas katabrabeuetō, thelōn en tapeinofrosunaʸ, kai thraʸskeia tōn angelōn, ha heoraken embateuōn, eikaʸ fusioumenos hupo tou noos taʸs sarkos autou,)

SBL-GNT μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ⸀ἃ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
(maʸdeis humas katabrabeuetō thelōn en tapeinofrosunaʸ kai thraʸskeia tōn angelōn, ⸀ha heoraken embateuōn, eikaʸ fusioumenos hupo tou noos taʸs sarkos autou,)

RP-GNT Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
(Maʸdeis humas katabrabeuetō thelōn en tapeinofrosunaʸ kai thraʸskeia tōn angelōn, ha maʸ heōraken embateuōn, eikaʸ fusioumenos hupo tou noos taʸs sarkos autou,)

TC-GNT Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ [fn]μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
(Maʸdeis humas katabrabeuetō thelōn en tapeinofrosunaʸ kai thraʸskeia tōn angelōn, ha maʸ heōraken embateuōn, eikaʸ fusioumenos hupo tou noos taʸs sarkos autou, )

2:18 μη εωρακεν 80.7% ¦ μη εορακεν MSS 11.9% ¦ εορακεν NA SBL WH 1% ¦ εωρακεν TH 0.8%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:6–23: Behave as God’s people should behave and do not follow false teaching

Theme: Paul told the Colossians to behave correctly because they belong to Christ. They should not follow those who teach a false message. He also reminded them that God had accepted them completely because they belong to Christ.

In 1:13–2:5 Paul had reminded the Colossians what is true about Christ and had told them that God had always planned to make them his people. Beginning in 2:6, Paul urged them to continue to believe in Christ. He assured them that this was the same message that Epaphras and others had taught them. Therefore, they should continue to trust in Christ more and more and act in ways that honor God. They should not believe any other message.

Paragraph 2:16–19

Theme: Paul told the Colossians not to believe the teachings of those people who wanted them to obey their rules. They should trust only in Christ.

2:18a

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels

Do not let anyone insist that you humble yourself and worship angels like they do.

anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels: There are several problems with this part of the verse.

anyone who delights in: There are two ways to understand the Greek verb that the BSB translates delights in:

It means, “insists on.” Paul was referring to people who insisted that other people must also show this false humility and must worship angels, like they did. That is, “these people insist that you humble yourselves…” (RSV, GNT, NCV, SSA)
It means, “enjoys” or delights in, as in the BSB. Paul was referring to people who enjoyed making themselves humble and worshiping angels. (NIV, CEV, GW, NET, NJB, REB)

In 2:16 Paul had already discussed the religious rules these people were telling the Colossians to obey, so it is likely that he was continuing to write about this in 2:18. Therefore it is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).

false humility: The Greek word literally means “humble-minded.” The word can also be used about true humility (see Acts 20:19), but here in 2:18 Paul used it with a negative meaning. These people said that they were humble, but in fact, they were very proud of all they did.

It may also imply that they practiced strict fasting and denying themselves luxuries to make their bodies suffer. In 2:23 the same Greek word is used, and it clearly means this. They thought that they could make themselves acceptable to God by their own efforts.

the worship of angels: Apparently in Colossae some people in the church believed they should worship angels and were telling other Christians that they should do so also.

2:18b

disqualify you

That will cause you to lose the reward that God has promised to you.
If you follow their teachings, you will lose the reward God has promised you.

disqualify you: This phrase in the BSB is translated from a single Greek word that has two meanings:

It means, “to deprive someone of their rights or of the prize they deserve.” So Paul meant, “Do not let anyone cheat/rob you and take away your prize”. (BSB, NIV, RSV, CEV, GW, KJV, NCV, NJB, REB)
It means, “to pass judgment on.” So Paul meant: “Do not let anyone act as your judge and say that you are not worthy to get the prize,” or more simply, “Do not let anyone condemn you.” (GNT, NET, NLT)

The Display uses the first meaning (1), although the second meaning is also possible. If you want to follow the second meaning in your translation, you could translate 2:18a–b like this:

Do not allow anyone to condemn you because you do not humble yourselves and worship angels like they do.

2:18c

with speculation about what he has seen.

A person who teaches like that bases his authority to teach these things on visions which he claims to have seen.
These people say that they have special knowledge about God because they have seen visions.

with speculation: The Greek word embateuō that the BSB translates as with speculation does not occur anywhere else in the NT. Its primary meaning is “to step on” or “to frequent.” However, it can also mean:

“To take a stand on.” That is, these people claimed that they had authority to teach these things because of the visions they had seen. For example:
anyone who claims to be superior because he has seen special visions (GNT) (GNT, RSV, SSA)
“To investigate,” and therefore to continue to give many details about what they had seen. (NIV, CEV, GW, NET, NRSV)

Both these meanings are possible. The Display uses the first option (1), which fits the context well.

about what he has seen: Paul was referring to the visions that these false teachers said they had seen.

2:18d

Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.

He is very proud of all the ideas he has invented. But he has no reason to be proud.
His ideas come from his own mind, and they cause him to be proud. But actually he does not have any reason to be proud.

Such a person: As he did in 2:16a and 2:18a, Paul was not writing about only one person, but about any person or group of people who taught these false teachings. You can use either a singular or a plural here, whichever is natural in your language.

is puffed up: This means “to be proud” but in a negative way, that is, it means “to think of oneself as better than other people.”

without basis: The Greek word that the BSB translates without basis means “at random, for no purpose/reason.” It means these people were proud even though there was no reason for them to be proud.

his unspiritual mind: Paul said that this kind of person became proud because of his unspiritual mind (literally: “the mind of his flesh”). This can be interpreted in two ways:

The phrase his unspiritual mind means “his human way of thinking”. In other words, these people were proud because of ideas they thought up themselves. (BSB, GNT, NCV, NRSV, REB)
“Flesh” means “sinful nature.” So this phrase means that these people were proud “because of their sinful thoughts”. (CEV, GW, NET, NLT, SSA)

Both these interpretations are acceptable. The Display follows the first one (1). Paul’s point was that these people were proud because of their own thoughts, thoughts that came from their own worldly minds, not from God.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

μηδεὶς & ἑόρακεν & αὐτοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καί θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἅ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπό τοῦ νοός τῆς σαρκός αὐτοῦ)

The words no one, he, and his do not refer to one male person. Instead, they refer in a generic way to anyone, male or female, who acts in these ways. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words with a comparable generic phrase in your language or make them plural. Alternate translation: [no one … they have seen … their]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω

This phrase translates a third-person imperative. If your language has third-person imperatives, you could use one here. If your language does not, you could use a comparable phrase or express the idea with a second-person imperative. Alternate translation: [Do not allow anyone … deprive you of your prize] or [Be on your guard against anyone … so that he does not deprive you of your prize]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω

Paul refers to the false teachers as if they were judges or umpires at a contest who could decide against the Colossians, thus keeping them from receiving the prize for winning the contest. This metaphor fits with the “judging” language in [2:16](../02/16.md). These two verses together suggest that the Colossians are tempted to choose the false teachers as their judges instead of Christ. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [Let no one … act instead of Christ as your judge]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ταπεινοφροσύνῃ

humility

If your language does not use an abstract noun to express the idea behind humility, you could express the idea in another way, such as with a verb. Alternate translation: [humbling themselves falsely]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων

˓the˒_worship ˱of˲_the angels

Paul uses the possessive form to describe the act of worshiping angels, not the worship that angels present to God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could clarify with a phrase such as “presented to.” Alternate translation: [worship presented to the angels]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐμβατεύων

detailing

Paul speaks as if the false teachers were standing on things they have seen. This metaphor means that they talk about what they have seen and base teachings on it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate standing with a verb that expresses this idea plainly. Alternate translation: [constantly talking about] or [basing his teaching on]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἃ ἑόρακεν

In the context of angel worship, things he has seen refers to visions and dreams that reveal powerful beings, heaven, the future, or other secrets. If these implications would not be understood in your language, you could use a word or phrase that refers to these kinds of visions or dreams or use a phrase to express the idea. Alternate translation: [things he has seen in visions] or [secrets revealed to him in visions]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ

vainly ˓being˒_arrogant (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καί θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἅ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπό τοῦ νοός τῆς σαρκός αὐτοῦ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you could translate the phrase in its active form. Alternate translation: [the mind of his flesh puffing him up without cause]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

φυσιούμενος

˓being˒_arrogant

Paul describes people who boast as if they had made themselves larger by filling themselves with air. He means that they think of themselves as more important than they really are. If becoming puffed up would not mean “becoming prideful” in your language, you could use a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [becoming self-important]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind mind, you could express this idea by using a verb such as “think.” Alternate translation: [by how he thinks in fleshly ways]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδείς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καί θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἅ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπό τοῦ νοός τῆς σαρκός αὐτοῦ)