2:18a
anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels: There are several problems with this part of the verse.
anyone who delights in: There are two ways to understand the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates delights in:
(1) It means, “insists on.” Paul was referring to people who insisted that other people must also show this false humility and must worship angels, like they did. That is, “these people insist that you humble yourselves…”
(Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Century Version, SSA)
(2) It means, “enjoys” or delights in, as in the Berean Standard Bible. Paul was referring to people who enjoyed making themselves humble and worshiping angels.
(New International Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)
In 2:16 Paul had already discussed the religious rules these people were telling the Colossians to obey, so it is likely that he was continuing to write about this in 2:18. Therefore it is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).
false humility: The Greek word literally means “humble-minded.” The word can also be used about true humility (see Acts 20:19), but here in 2:18 Paul used it with a negative meaning. These people said that they were humble, but in fact, they were very proud of all they did.
It may also imply that they practiced strict fasting and denying themselves luxuries to make their bodies suffer. In 2:23 the same Greek word is used, and it clearly means this. They thought that they could make themselves acceptable to God by their own efforts.
the worship of angels: Apparently in Colossae some people in the church believed they should worship angels and were telling other Christians that they should do so also.
2:18b
disqualify you: This phrase in the Berean Standard Bible is translated from a single Greek word that has two meanings:
(1) It means, “to deprive someone of their rights or of the prize they deserve.” So Paul meant, “Do not let anyone cheat/rob you and take away your prize”.
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)
(2) It means, “to pass judgment on.” So Paul meant: “Do not let anyone act as your judge and say that you are not worthy to get the prize,” or more simply, “Do not let anyone condemn you.”
(Good News Translation, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004))
The Display uses the first meaning (1), although the second meaning is also possible. If you want to follow the second meaning in your translation, you could translate 2:18a–b like this:
Do not allow anyone to condemn you because you do not humble yourselves and worship angels ⌊like they do⌋.
2:18c
with speculation: The Greek word embateuō that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with speculation does not occur anywhere else in the NT. Its primary meaning is “to step on” or “to frequent.” However, it can also mean:
(1) “To take a stand on.” That is, these people claimed that they had authority to teach these things because of the visions they had seen. For example:
anyone who claims to be superior because he has seen special visions (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, SSA)
(2) “To investigate,” and therefore to continue to give many details about what they had seen.
(New International Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version)
Both these meanings are possible. The Display uses the first option (1), which fits the context well.
about what he has seen: Paul was referring to the visions that these false teachers said they had seen.
2:18d
Such a person: As he did in 2:16a and 2:18a, Paul was not writing about only one person, but about any person or group of people who taught these false teachings. You can use either a singular or a plural here, whichever is natural in your language.
is puffed up: This means “to be proud” but in a negative way, that is, it means “to think of oneself as better than other people.”
without basis: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates without basis means “at random, for no purpose/reason.” It means these people were proud even though there was no reason for them to be proud.
his unspiritual mind: Paul said that this kind of person became proud because of his unspiritual mind (literally: “the mind of his flesh”). This can be interpreted in two ways:
(1) The phrase his unspiritual mind means “his human way of thinking”. In other words, these people were proud because of ideas they thought up themselves.
(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, New Century Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) “Flesh” means “sinful nature.” So this phrase means that these people were proud “because of their sinful thoughts”.
(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), SSA)
Both these interpretations are acceptable. The Display follows the first one (1). Paul’s point was that these people were proud because of their own thoughts, thoughts that came from their own worldly minds, not from God.
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