Absent in Body, Present in Spirit
(Revelation 3:14–22)

1For I want you⁺ to know how great a struggle I have for you⁺ and those in Laodicea and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God: Christ,† 3in whom are hidden away all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.

4I say this so that no one may delude you⁺ by persuasive speech. 5For even if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you⁺ in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your⁺ order and the firmness of your⁺ faith in Christ.

Alive with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1–10)

6Therefore, as you⁺ received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being confirmed in the faith, just as you⁺ were taught, abounding† in thanksgiving.

8See, lest there will be anyone taking you⁺ captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ, 9because in Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily. 10And you⁺ are made complete in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority, 11in whom also you⁺ were circumcised with the circumcision done without hands in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,† 12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which also you⁺ were raised with Him through the faith from the working of God, the One having raised Him out from the dead.

13And you⁺ being dead in the trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your⁺ flesh, He made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all the trespasses, 14having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the midst, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having divested the rulers and the authorities, He made a show of them in public, having triumphed over them in it.

16Therefore let no one judge you⁺ in food or in drink or in the part of a feast or of a New Moon or of Sabbaths, 17which are a shadow the things about to be; but the body is of the Christ.† 18Let no one disqualify you⁺, delighting in humility and worship of the angels, going into what he has seen,† vainly being puffed up by the mind of his flesh, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and being knit together by the joints and ligaments, grows with the growth of God.

20If† you⁺ died with Christ, away from the elements of the world, why, as if living in the world, are you⁺ subject to decrees: 21“You should not handle! You should not taste! You should not touch!”— 22which are all unto decay with the use, according to the precepts and teachings of men, 23which, having indeed a word of wisdom in self-willed worship and humility and harsh treatment of the body, are not in any value toward the indulgence of the flesh.

Footnotes:

2 BYZ and TR to the knowledge of the mystery of the God and Father, and of the Christ
7 BYZ and TR include in it.
11 Or in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
17 Or but the body that casts it belongs to Christ
18 BYZ and TR what he has not seen
20 GOC, F35, and TR If then