LISTEN
New American Standard Bible:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
New Living Translation:
Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
New King James Version:
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
New International Version:
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
Amplified Bible:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ.
Context:
The apostle Paul discusses how to be built up in Christ and live as he did during the mid-portion of the book of Colossians.
Observations:
It is possible for us to be taken captive through philosophies and empty decision, which have nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. These things, which the NLT characterizes as “high-sounding nonsense,” come from the thinking and logic of man, not from God.
Application:
Paul clearly exhorts us here in this verse by saying for us to “beware” not to let anyone deceive us with the empty notions and philosophies of this world. To do this, we need to discern the man-made conceptions he’s talking about here and not be taken by them.
