¶ Beware lest any man come and spoil you thorow philosophy and deceitful vanity, thorow the traditions of men, and ordinances after the world, and not after Christ.
Certain Philosophers of the Epicures, and of the Stoyckes disputed with him. And some there were which said: what will this babbler say. Other said: he seemeth to be a tidings bringer of new devils, because he preached unto them Iesus, and the resurrection,
wherewith we overthrow imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity all understanding to the obedience of Christ,
and prevailed in the jewes' law, above many of my companions, which were of mine own nation, and was a much more fervently maintained the traditions of the elders.
But now seeing ye know God (yee rather are known of God) how is it that ye turn again unto the weak and beggarly ceremonies, whereunto again ye desire afresh to be in bondage?
in the which in time passed ye walked, according to the course of this world, and after the governor, that ruleth in the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of unbelief,
Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark, which after his own imagination walketh in the humbleness and holiness of angels, things which he never saw: causeless puffed up with his fleshly mind,
¶ Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from doctrine of the world: Why as though ye yet lived in the world, are ye led with traditions of them that say?
which things have the similitude of wisdom in chosen holiness, and humbleness, and in that they spare not the body, and do the flesh no worship unto his need.
Be not carried thither with divers and strange learning. For it is a good thing that the heart be stablished with grace, and not with meats, which have not profited them that have had their pastime in them.
For as much as ye know how that ye were not redeemed with corruptible gold and silver from your vain conversation, which ye received by the traditions of the fathers: