2:8

takes you captive: Or “carries you off as his prey.” One lexicon defines the Greek word as “to gain control of by carrying off as booty, make captive of.” It continues, “in imagery of carrying someone away [from] the truth into the slavery of error.”

the philosophy: The Greek word phi·lo·so·phiʹa, which occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures, literally means “love of wisdom.” In Paul’s day, this word had broad usage. It commonly referred to many groups and schools of thought, including religious ones. In the only recorded interchange between Paul and Greek philosophers, the discussion centered on religious issues. (Ac 17:18-31) Various schools of philosophy were active in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, where Colossae was located. Both the context and the grammatical construction of Col 2:8 indicate that Paul was particularly concerned about Judaizers, who were promoting observance of the Mosaic Law, including its required circumcision, festival days, and abstinence from eating certain foods.​—Col 2:11, 16, 17.

deception: Or “seduction.” The Greek word used here is also rendered “deceptive power” (Mt 13:22; Heb 3:13) and “deceptive teachings” (2Pe 2:13).

elementary things of the world: Paul uses the same expression in his letter to the Galatians.​—See study note on Ga 4:3.

not according to Christ: The philosophy mentioned by Paul was of human origin. Paul was not opposed to true knowledge, for he prayed that the Christians in Colossae would “be filled with the accurate knowledge” of God’s will. But as he showed, in order to obtain such knowledge and true wisdom, one must appreciate the role of Jesus Christ in the outworking of God’s purpose.​—Col 1:9, 10; 2:2, 3.