Bible Strands
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Colossian church, which is under pressure from a teaching that supplements Christ with philosophical and ascetic additions (2:7–9).
The words — συλαγωγῶν (sulagōgōn) is a military term for plundering prisoners of war, not merely "taking captive"; the threat is framed as a siege, not a gentle persuasion.
The thread — The same guard-against-empty-teaching pattern recurs in 1 Timothy 6:20, Ephesians 5:6, and Matthew 7:15, each pairing a warning verb with a label for the deception.
Why it lands — The reader is cast as a soldier who must actively resist, not a spectator; the criterion for rejection is simple: does the teaching rest on Christ or on something else?
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
- Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- Galatians 4:9 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
- 1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
- Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- Colossians 2:20 If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:
- 2 Timothy 3:13 while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Jeremiah 29:8 For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.
- Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.