1 KwabaseKhorinte

8 Nanku engilibhalela khona ngokudla okuhlatshelwe izithombe: Siyakwazi ukuthi sonke silolwazi. Ulwazi luyakhukhumeza kodwa uthando luyakha. 2 Nxa umuntu ecabanga ukuthi into ethile uyayazi, kakayazi ngendlela okufanele ayazi ngayo. 3 Kodwa nxa umuntu emthanda uNkulunkulu, yena waziwa nguye.

4 Khathesi kasikhulumeni ngokudla ukudla okuhlatshelwe izithombe. Siyakwazi ukuthi isithombe kasilutho emhlabeni kanye lokuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa, kakho omunye. 5 Lanxa bekhona ababizwa ngokuthi ngonkulunkulu, kungaba sezulwini kumbe emhlabeni, njengoba kuvele “kulabonkulunkulu” abanengi “lamakhosi” amanengi, 6 kithi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa, uBaba, lowo okwavela kuye zonke izinto njalo esikhona ngenxa yakhe; futhi kuleNkosi eyodwa, uJesu Khristu, lowo zonke izinto ezikhona ngaye lathi esikhona ngaye.

7 Kodwa kayisibo bonke abakwaziyo lokhu. Abanye nxa besidla ukudla lokho, kibo kuyabe kuyikudla okuhlatshelwe izithombe ngoba bake bazikhonza izithombe, njalo kungcolisa imizwangedwa yabo ebuthakathaka. 8 Loba kunjalo, ukudla akusoze kusisondeze kuNkulunkulu. Akulanto esilahlekelayo nxa singadli futhi kasizuzi lutho nxa singadla. 9 Kodwa nanzelelani lingacini selikhuba ababuthakathaka ngelungelo lenu lokuzikhethela. 10 Nxa umuntu engabona wena ololwazi usidla ethempelini lokukhonzela izithombe, umzwangedwa wakhe obuthakathaka ngeke yini umenze abe lesibindi aze acine esesidla ukudla okuhlatshelwe izithombe? 11 Ngakho ulwazi lwakho luyabe seluchitha lowo obuthakathaka, yena engumfowenu owafelwa nguKhristu. 12 Nxa lisonela abafowenu ngokwenza lokho futhi lilimaza umzwangedwa wabo obuthakathaka, lonela uKhristu. 13 Yikho kangisoze ngiphinde ngiyidle inyama loba sekutheni nxa engikudlayo kusenza umfowethu akhubeke, ukuze ngingamkhubi umfowethu.