Delude (3884) (paralogizomai from para = beside, alongside + logizomai = to reason, to count) is literally to reason beside or alongside (think about it as reasoning with words "alongside" or "beside" Truth), to beguile by mere probability that something is true and so to mislead. It primarily means to reckon wrong, then to reason falsely, and so to deceive by false reasoning. Note the present tense which Wuest renders "may be leading you astray". Paralogizomai is translated deceive, lead from truth to error, beguile, elude by craftiness. The preposition para conveys the idea (when combined with logizomai) of counting "beside" or counting "aside" with the idea of "miscalculating". If the target is the truth, there is something alongside it that looks very much like the truth, and these men focus upon that, rather than the truth. We've all met some artful person who initially deluded us with their false appearance and words, only later to be exposed. Vincent notes... From para, beside, contrary to, and logizomai, to reckon, and hence to conclude by reasoning. The deception referred to is, therefore, that into which one betrays himself by false reasoning — reasoning beside the truth. James has the only other NT use of this word... But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (James 1:22-note) Comment: The idea of paralogizomai is that of incorrect reckoning or reasoning, often including the idea of deliberate false reasoning for the purpose of deceiving. In mathematics, the meaning is that of miscalculation. Professing Christians who hear the Word without obeying it make a serious "spiritual miscalculation", which causes them to delude themselves. Such a man does not delude anyone but himself! They are self-deceived. An old Scottish expression speaks of such false Christians as “sermon tasters who never tasted the grace of God.” Any response to the gospel that does not include obedience is self-deception. See discussion of the relationship of faith and obedience. If a profession of faith in Christ does not result in a changed life that hungers and thirsts for God’s Word and desires to obey that Word, the profession is only that—a mere profession. Satan, of course, loves such professions, because they give church members the damning notion that they are saved when they are not! He is still their spiritual father and not God. See discussion of Jesus' stern warning that "not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven" Mt 4:21, 22, 23-see notes Mt 7:21; 22; 23) Delusion is one of the favorite weapons of the old serpent, the devil, who "was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" (Gen 3:1) To be deceived like Eve was is to think you know or are doing something right, but it is really wrong. A perfect illustration is seen in the 300+ year of the judges in Israel -- "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Jdg 21:25-note) Truth and error may be made to look almost the same, but one is a counterfeit. In these days when we have so many counterfeit and imitation things around we are used to be being deceived and not even be alarmed at how easy we are "suckered". Plastic looks like metal. Flowers are made of silk. We are daily touching things that are imitations of the real thing. But imitations have limitations and if you start regarding them as real you are in trouble. That is why Paul is "struggling" for believers he has never seen. The specific delusions Paul has in mind are alluded to in the specific warnings that follow. Jacob used paralogizomai when he reproached Laban for refusing to live up to his bargain with him concerning Rachel, saying, “What is this thou hast done unto me? did I not serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled (Greek translates the Hebrew with paralogizomai) me?” (Ge 29:25). Paralogizomai was used in secular Greek writings of a keeper of a state library who had shown a willingness to "make a wrong use of" certain documents. Paul uses it to point to drawing an erroneous conclusion from the reasoning submitted. That which is logical after having reasoned about something. So they come alongside you with their very logical sounding reasoning and they cheat their hearers by the use of this false reasoning. These false teachers were seeking to mislead the mind or judgment of the Colossians in regard to Who Christ was and who they were in Christ. Nothing much new here! These heretics sought to deceive the Colossians so thoroughly with their false logic that the truth about Christ was obscured. Clarke adds that paralogizomai means to "deceive by sophistry or subtle reasoning, in which all the conclusions appear to be fairly drawn from the premises, but the premises are either assumed without evidence, or false in themselves; but this not being easily discovered, the unthinking or unwary are carried away by the conclusions which are drawn from these premises." Guzik comments that "Those who taught these dangerous things among the Colossian Christians were very persuasive. The lure of "hidden" and "deep" wisdom and knowledge can be strong, but still deceptive. Many today deceive with persuasive words by quoting a whole bunch of Bible verses. But the Devil himself quotes Scripture. We must compare everyone's teaching against all of God's Word. We should all have the spirit of the Bereans (Acts 17:11-note;), who compared even the teaching of Paul with Scripture...It might sound simple, but deceivers are deceivers. They won't announce their false doctrine as false doctrine, and it will often be similar enough to the truth to be dangerous." Paul gives a parallel warning in his letter to the Corinthians warning about "such men (who) are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds." (2Cor 11:13, 14, 15)