Colossians 2 21

Colossians 2:21 kjv

(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Colossians 2:21 nkjv

"Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"

Colossians 2:21 niv

"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"?

Colossians 2:21 esv

"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"

Colossians 2:21 nlt

"Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!"?

Colossians 2 verses

Colossians 2 21 Meaning

Colossians 2:21 is a direct quotation of the ascetic, legalistic rules being promoted by false teachers in Colossae. These teachers insisted on external observances and man-made regulations concerning what believers should and should not "handle," "taste," or "touch." This verse serves to highlight the very essence of the empty human philosophy Paul warns against, emphasizing their focus on superficial actions rather than the true spiritual freedom and sufficiency found in Christ.

Colossians 2 21 Context

Colossians chapter 2 serves as a pivotal warning from Paul against deceptive philosophies and traditions that undermine the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Having celebrated Christ's preeminence and reconciling work in Chapter 1, Paul in Chapter 2 directly addresses the various false teachings infiltrating the Colossian church. These teachings combined elements of asceticism (strict self-denial), Jewish legalism (observance of specific festivals, Sabbaths, and dietary laws), and possibly a form of proto-Gnosticism (seeking special knowledge through spiritual experiences and worship of angelic beings).

Verse 21 falls within a section (Col 2:16-23) where Paul specifically critiques the regulations being imposed by these false teachers. Having already stated in verse 16 that believers should not be judged based on food, drink, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths (which are "a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ"), Paul then uses verses 20-22 to directly quote and refute the human rules being promoted. These rules, often presented as pathways to greater spirituality or deeper connection with God, are here exposed as contrary to the reality of salvation and spiritual freedom in Christ. The Colossians had "died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world" (Col 2:20), meaning they were freed from worldly systems and principles, yet they were being urged to live as though they were still bound by such regulations.

Colossians 2 21 Word Analysis

• Do not handle: (Greek: me hapsē) - This is an emphatic prohibition against physical contact. The word hapto implies taking hold of something, or coming into close contact, often with the connotation of contamination or defilement, particularly in a ritual sense. In the context of the Colossian error, it points to specific physical restrictions concerning objects or perhaps people deemed "unclean" by these legalists. It could relate to taboos around certain items or even people according to their "traditions."

• nor taste: (Greek: me geusē) - This prohibits the act of eating or drinking. It directly addresses dietary regulations, likely those from the Old Testament Law or new ones concocted by the false teachers, forbidding certain foods. The emphasis here is on sensory intake. This connects to Jewish purity laws regarding food, but also to ascetic practices that involved abstaining from certain types of food or all food for extended periods, believing it enhanced spiritual insight or purity.

• nor touch: (Greek: me thigēs) - While similar to "handle," thigo implies a lighter, perhaps less intentional or less direct, contact than hapto. It covers any degree of physical connection, reinforcing the strictness of the prohibitions. The repetition (handle... touch) emphasizes the extreme meticulousness and comprehensive nature of the human regulations. These teachers were creating an intricate web of forbidden physical interactions, demonstrating a self-imposed righteousness through avoidance. This meticulousness shows a spiritual pursuit based on outward observance rather than inward transformation.

• Words-group: "Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch." This phrase collectively represents a list of external, ceremonial prohibitions typical of asceticism and legalism. It points to a theology where spirituality is measured by adherence to outward rules and rituals concerning physical engagement with the world. Paul cites this phrase as an example of the "decrees" or "regulations" (Col 2:20) that the false teachers were imposing. These rules focus on "defilement by contact" (e.g., handling), "defilement by ingestion" (e.g., tasting food), and a broader sense of "contamination by contact" (e.g., touching). This approach entirely misses the core Christian truth that spiritual defilement stems from within the heart, not from external physical interaction (Mk 7:18-23). Paul aims to show that such commands, though they may seem wise or pious, are in reality hollow human traditions that detract from Christ's all-sufficiency. They promote self-effort as a means of salvation or spiritual advancement, which directly contradicts grace through faith.

Colossians 2 21 Bonus Section

The repetition of prohibition terms in Colossians 2:21 is significant. The terms hapto (handle) and thigo (touch) are closely related, emphasizing the strict, almost obsessive nature of the false teachers' prohibitions. The specific combination of "handle," "taste," and "touch" likely encompassed a broad range of ritualistic cleanliness rules and ascetic practices, aiming to restrict the believers' physical interaction with anything deemed impure, whether physically, ceremonially, or morally in the eyes of these teachers. This highlights the human tendency to invent religious frameworks that replace divine grace with human effort and observable performances. Such human regulations inadvertently elevate human tradition over the divine revelation found in Christ, shifting focus from a heart of faith to a rigid external compliance. They promote a "self-made religion" (ethēlo-thrēskia, Col 2:23) that, ironically, fails to address the root issue of sin and ultimately offers no real benefit for true spiritual growth.

Colossians 2 21 Commentary

Colossians 2:21 encapsulates the empty externalism that Paul fervently warns against. It is not Paul giving a command, but rather Paul quoting the commands of the false teachers to then debunk them. These specific prohibitions ("Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch") are a direct assault on the freedom and spiritual reality that believers have in Christ. The false teachers propagated a form of spiritual discipline that meticulously restricted physical engagement with the world—be it certain foods, objects, or even people—believing that such asceticism brought them closer to God or provided special enlightenment.

However, Paul argues that this entire system of humanly devised rules, though appearing wise and pious on the surface, utterly lacks any power to effect true spiritual change or curb the sinful desires of the flesh (Col 2:23). They are "shadows" without substance, for the true substance, Christ, has already come and fulfilled what these shadows merely hinted at (Col 2:17). The believer has died with Christ to these "elemental spirits of the world"—the basic principles or governing rules of worldly systems and philosophies. To then subject oneself to these regulations is to revert to a state of spiritual slavery, negating the liberating work of Christ on the cross (Col 2:20). Christian maturity and true holiness do not come through external conformity to man-made codes, but through an internal transformation wrought by the Spirit, rooted in the finished work of Christ and a living union with Him.

For example, consider an individual who believes they become more spiritual by only eating specific "holy" foods or refusing to touch anything deemed "worldly." This verse exposes the error in such thinking. True purity and closeness to God are not achieved by avoiding physical objects or foods, but by allowing the Spirit to purify the heart, conform the life to Christ's likeness, and live out faith in practical love, joy, peace, and righteousness.