Colossians 2 16

Colossians 2:16 kjv

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:

Colossians 2:16 nkjv

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

Colossians 2:16 niv

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

Colossians 2:16 esv

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

Colossians 2:16 nlt

So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.

Colossians 2 verses

Colossians 2 16 Meaning

Colossians 2:16 asserts Christian liberty from external legalistic judgments concerning ceremonial practices of the Old Covenant. It means that believers should not allow themselves to be condemned or assessed by others based on their observance or non-observance of dietary restrictions, specific religious festivals, new moon celebrations, or weekly Sabbaths. These elements, though part of the Law given to Israel, were preparatory shadows that have found their fulfillment and substance in Jesus Christ. In Christ, believers are complete and stand free from humanly imposed regulations that diminish His sufficiency and redemptive work on the cross.

Colossians 2 16 Context

Colossians 2:16 is nestled within Paul's robust defense of the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ against deceptive philosophies and traditions threatening the Colossian church. Chapters 1 and 2 of Colossians systematically establish Christ's cosmic preeminence, His role as Creator, Sustainer, and Reconciler. Following his declaration in Col 2:14-15 that Christ triumphed over spiritual powers and "canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands," Paul immediately proceeds to warn believers against allowing anyone to judge them based on adherence to certain religious practices. These practices (dietary laws, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths) were central to the Old Testament Jewish ceremonial law, which the false teachers in Colossae were attempting to impose, potentially mixing Jewish legalism with elements of Gnosticism, asceticism, or angel worship (Col 2:8, 2:18-23). Paul's intention is to liberate the Colossian believers from these man-made requirements and legalistic burdens, asserting that these are mere "shadows" pointing to the "substance" found wholly in Christ (Col 2:17).

Colossians 2 16 Word analysis

• Therefore (Οὖν - Oun): A conjunctive particle indicating a logical consequence. It directly connects this verse to the preceding declaration of Christ's triumph over the Law and cosmic powers (Col 2:14-15), implying that because Christ has secured victory and blotted out the record of legal demands, Christians are no longer subject to these specific judgments.
• Do not let (μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς κρινέτω - mēdeis hymas krinetō): An emphatic prohibition in the imperative, meaning "let no one judge you" or "let no one condemn you." The passive voice "let...judge you" emphasizes that believers should actively resist or refuse to allow such judgment. "Krinō" (κρίνω) means to judge, discern, condemn, or make a decision against someone. Here, it signifies a negative assessment of a believer's spiritual standing based on non-compliance with ceremonial laws.
• Anyone (μηδεὶς - mēdeis): Underscores that no person, regardless of their supposed authority or piety, has the right to impose these requirements or judge Christians based on them.
• Judge (κρινέτω - krinetō): Implies passing a verdict or criticism, often with a condemnatory tone, concerning their spiritual legitimacy or maturity based on external rituals.
• In matters of food or drink (ἐν βρώσει ἢ ἐν πόσει - en brōsei ē en posei): Refers to dietary regulations (kosher laws, clean/unclean foods) and ritualistic beverages or abstentions (e.g., wine offerings, Nazirite vows, ascetic practices). This highlights the legalistic restrictions on what one could consume.
• Or regarding a festival (ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς - ē en merei heortēs): Pertains to the major annual feasts commanded in the Old Testament, such as Passover, Pentecost, and Booths, which had significant cultic and historical meaning for Israel. "Heortē" (ἑορτή) refers to a celebratory feast.
• A New Moon (νουμηνίας - noumēnias): A monthly religious observance in ancient Israel (Num 28:11-15; 1 Sam 20:5-6; Isa 1:13-14). These marked the beginning of each lunar month and involved special sacrifices and convocations. "Noumenia" (νουμηνία) is literally "new month."
• Or a Sabbath day (ἢ σαββάτων - ē sabbatōn): Refers to the weekly day of rest from labor (Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15) and specific Sabbaths related to feast days. It was a foundational part of Jewish identity and worship. "Sabbaton" (σάββατον) can refer to the weekly Sabbath or other rest days/weeks.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Therefore do not let anyone judge you": This phrase immediately establishes the authoritative prohibition. It empowers believers to reject legalistic imposition, drawing directly from Christ's completed work of canceling the Mosaic Law's "bondage to debt" (Col 2:14). The onus is on the believer to not permit such judgment.
• "in matters of food or drink": This explicitly targets dietary laws and abstinence practices common in Jewish tradition (e.g., Levitical purity laws) and Hellenistic asceticism, which were deemed crucial for spiritual purity by the false teachers. It contrasts with Christ's teaching (Mk 7:18-19) and the early church's conclusion (Acts 15:28-29) regarding Gentile liberty from such dietary codes.
• "or regarding a festival, a New Moon, or a Sabbath day": This triadic list enumerates the primary calendrical observances of the Old Covenant, representing its core ritualistic calendar. Festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), New Moons (monthly observance), and Sabbaths (weekly rest) were fundamental expressions of Jewish identity and covenant obedience. By releasing believers from judgment concerning these, Paul underscores that their fulfillment is found in Christ, rendering their strict observance non-essential for Christian piety or salvation. These regulations were not morally corrupt but ceremonial practices designed to foreshadow Christ; once Christ, the substance, arrived, the shadow lost its primary function for those in Him.

Colossians 2 16 Bonus section

The Colossian "heresy" was complex, combining elements of Jewish ritualism (emphasized in v.16), asceticism ("do not handle, do not taste, do not touch" in v.21-23), mysticism, and potentially angel worship (v.18), all presented as deeper spiritual wisdom or a path to greater holiness. Paul's forceful argument against these practices (food, drink, Sabbaths) is not a dismissal of God's Law per se, but a distinction between the moral Law (still upheld for believers, though now empowered by the Spirit) and the ceremonial Law, which was completed in Christ. These ritualistic requirements were a pedagogical system meant to guide Israel towards Christ, and once He came, their salvific or sanctifying power ceased for those in Him. The intent of Col 2:16 is to prevent Christians from feeling guilt, shame, or condemnation when not adhering to practices that have been superseded by Christ's fulfillment. This liberty does not equate to license for sin but empowers believers to live in genuine freedom, oriented toward Christ rather than outward forms.

Colossians 2 16 Commentary

Colossians 2:16 is a foundational statement of Christian freedom from legalistic observance of the Old Covenant's ceremonial laws. Paul emphasizes that the practices concerning food, drink, festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths were not intrinsically evil, but were "shadows" pointing forward to the "substance" found completely in Jesus Christ (Col 2:17). The false teachers in Colossae were attempting to bind believers to these regulations, perhaps suggesting they were necessary for spiritual growth or acceptance with God, thereby diminishing Christ's all-sufficient work. Paul asserts that Christ has fulfilled these laws; His crucifixion cancelled the legal demands that stood against humanity, liberating believers from the burden of adherence to these external rituals. To submit to such judgments is to revert to a state of spiritual immaturity or bondage. The believer's completeness is in Christ alone, not in a rigorous adherence to outward rules that fail to address the heart or produce genuine spiritual transformation. The verse encourages Christians to resist any form of judgment that implies spiritual inadequacy for not conforming to non-biblical traditions or outdated ceremonial laws.