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Colossians 2:20

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,

KJV

εἰ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε,

Greek NT

Si ergo mortui estis cum Christo ab elementis hujus mundi : quid adhuc tamquam viventes in mundo decernitis ?

Vulgate

If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,

ASV

If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world?

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

13 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

Χριστός
christos
noun · 530×
δογματίζω
dogmatizo
verb · 1×
εἰ
ei
conditional · 491×
ζάω
zao
verb · 140×
κόσμος
kosmos
noun · 184×
στοιχεῖον
stoicheion
noun · 7×
σύν
sun
preposition · 129×
τίς
tis
interrogative_pronoun · 533×
ἀποθνήσκω
apothnesko
verb · 112×
ἀπό
apo
preposition · 640×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
o
article · 19778×
ὡς
os
adverb · 502×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

8 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Q. Do those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only savior Jesus? A. No. Although they boast of being his, by their deeds they deny the only savior and deliverer, Jesus. Either Jesus is not a perfect savior, or those who in true faith accept this savior have in him all they need for their salvation.
We also believe that although it is useful and good for those who govern the churches to establish and set up a certain order among themselves for maintaining the body of the church, they ought always to guard against deviating from what Christ, our only Master, has ordained for us. Therefore we reject all human innovations and all laws imposed on us, in our worship of God, whi…
Unto the churches belonging to Christ there are requisite rites and ceremonies; yet a moderation is to be used therein, lest any should think that divine worship consists in them. If in the churches there are ceremonies which serve propriety and order, such are not hereby abolished. But we exhort men to be watchful lest among the godly ceremonies of the Church superstition cree…
That with respect to the commands and ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, where the Scriptures are silent as to the express time or manner of performance, if any such there be, no human authority has power to interfere, in order to supply the supposed deficiency by making laws for the Church.
Luther argues that monastic chapters and religious orders, insofar as they were founded on the notion that monastic life is a state of perfection superior to ordinary Christian life, are contrary to the chief article. They obscure the all-sufficiency of Christ's merit by teaching that human vows and works of supererogation earn merit before God. The Christian's vocation in the …

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 8:8 — But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
  • 1John 5:19 — And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
  • 1Pet 2:24 — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
  • 1Pet 4:1 — Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
  • 1Tim 4:3 — Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
  • 2Cor 10:3 — For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
  • Col 2:8 — Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • Col 2:8 — Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • Col 2:14 — Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
  • Col 2:14 — Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
  • Col 2:16 — Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
  • Col 3:1 — If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
  • Col 3:3 — For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
  • Col 3:3 — For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
  • Eph 2:14 — For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
  • Eph 2:15 — Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
  • Eph 2:15 — Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
  • Gal 2:19 — For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
  • Gal 2:19 — For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
  • Gal 4:3 — Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
  • Gal 4:3 — Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
  • Gal 4:9 — But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
  • Gal 6:14 — But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
  • Heb 7:16 — Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
  • Heb 13:9 — Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
  • Jas 4:4 — Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
  • John 15:19 — If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
  • John 17:14 — I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
  • Matt 15:2 — Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
  • Rom 6:2 — God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
  • Rom 6:2 — God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
  • Rom 7:4 — Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto G
  • Rom 7:4 — Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto G