COL 2:21 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

UST These rules include commands like these: “Do not feel certain things!” “Do not try certain foods!” “Do not take hold of certain things!”

AICNT Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,

OEB to such ordinances as “Do not handle, or taste, or touch”?

WEBBE “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”

LSV you may not touch, nor taste, nor handle—

FBV Things like: don't handle that, don't taste that, don't touch that!

TCNT “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”?

T4T such as ‘Do not handle certain things’, ‘Do not taste certain things’, ‘Do not touch certain things’, as if you still had to obey such regulations/rules.

LEB “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,”

BBE Which say there may be no touching, tasting, or taking in your hands,

Moff No Moff COL book available

Wymth "Do not handle this;" "Do not taste that;" "Do not touch that other thing" —

ASV Handle not, nor taste, nor touch

DRA Touch not, taste not, handle not:

YLT — thou mayest not touch, nor taste, nor handle —

Drby Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,

RV Handle not, nor taste, nor touch

Wbstr (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

KJB-1769 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

KJB-1611 (Touch not, taste not, handle not:
(Same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Touche not, taste not, handle not?

Gnva As, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not.

Cvdl Touch not this, taist not that, handle not that.
(Touch not this, taste not that, handle not that.)

TNT Touche not tast not handell not:

Wycl That ye touche not, nether taaste,
(That ye/you_all touch not, neither taaste,)

Luth Die da sagen: Du sollst das nicht angreifen, du sollst das nicht kosten, du sollst das nicht anrühren,
(The there say: You should the not angreifen, you should the not kosten, you should the not anrühren,)

ClVg Ne tetigeritis, neque gustaveritis, neque contrectaveritis:
(Ne tetigeritis, nor gustaveritis, nor contrectaveritis: )

UGNT μὴ ἅψῃ! μηδὲ γεύσῃ! μηδὲ θίγῃς!
(maʸ hapsaʸ! maʸde geusaʸ! maʸde thigaʸs!)

SBL-GNT Μὴ ἅψῃ μηδὲ γεύσῃ μηδὲ θίγῃς,
(Maʸ hapsaʸ maʸde geusaʸ maʸde thigaʸs,)

TC-GNT Μὴ ἅψῃ, μηδὲ γεύσῃ, μηδὲ θίγῃς—
(Maʸ hapsaʸ, maʸde geusaʸ, maʸde thigaʸs— )

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

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Legalism

The law was of critical importance for the Jewish people, and their understanding of religion was largely centered on the observance of rules and rituals. This was natural to them because God had given his law to the Jewish people as a mark of his favor upon them and as a way for them to ratify the covenant agreement he had made with them. However, many Jews added to the laws that God had given his people, trying to develop rules for virtually every situation in which they might find themselves. Their motivation was often a positive desire not to transgress any of God’s laws. As Jesus often pointed out, however, the rules developed by religious leaders sometimes became obstacles to obeying God’s instructions (Mark 7:1-15). Furthermore, many Jews thought that following the law would automatically endear them to God.

Paul frequently confronted this kind of problematic legalism in the early churches. For example, in Colosse, false teachers, influenced by Jewish beliefs, were insisting that Christians follow certain rules as a way of expressing their faith (Colossians 2:16-23). Paul criticized this in light of faith in Christ. As the culmination of all God’s plans and purposes, Christ is the center of all true piety.

This does not mean that rules for conduct are inherently bad. Some rules, such as the prohibition on lying (Col 3:9), clearly manifest an aspect of Christ’s character. Paul also had no problem with individual Christians imposing rules on themselves that they think are conducive to their own growth in Christ (cp. Rom 14:5; 1 Cor 8). But they must not require others to obey these self-imposed rules.

Passages for Further Study

Matt 23:13-33; Mark 7:1-15; Gal 2:14-21; Col 2:16-23

UTN uW Translation Notes:

μὴ ἅψῃ! μηδὲ γεύσῃ! μηδὲ θίγῃς!

not ˱you˲_/may/_touch not ˱you˲_/may/_taste not ˱you˲_/may/_touch

This verse gives three commands that are not from Paul, but rather they are examples of the “decrees” from 2:20. If it would be helpful in your language, you could introduce these commands with a phrase, such as “for example,” that shows that they connect to the “decrees” in the previous verse. Alternate translation: [for example, ‘You may not handle, nor taste, nor touch!’]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μὴ ἅψῃ! μηδὲ γεύσῃ! μηδὲ θίγῃς!

not ˱you˲_/may/_touch not ˱you˲_/may/_taste not ˱you˲_/may/_touch

Paul does not express what these commands say not to handle, taste, or touch, but it is clear that only certain things would be included, not all things. If your language would make this information explicit, you could add a generic phrase such as “certain things” or use words that match each command. Alternate translation: [You may not handle certain objects, nor taste certain foods and drinks, nor touch certain people]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ἅψῃ & γεύσῃ & θίγῃς

˱you˲_/may/_touch & ˱you˲_/may/_taste & ˱you˲_/may/_touch

These commands are addressed to You in the singular. Most likely, Paul refers to specific commands given to one person in a specific situation. However, he does intend these to be taken as examples of commands that might be given to any person among the Colossians. If your language can use a command in the singular as a generic example, you could do so here. If this does not make sense in your language, you could use plural commands here. Alternate translation: [You all may … handle … taste … touch]

Parallel COL 2:21