KWABASEFILIPHI

1 Mina Phawuli loThimothi esiyizinceku zikaKhristu uJesu, kini lonke abangcwele abaseFiliphi+ abamanyene loKhristu uJesu, labadala* lezinceku ezikhonzayo:+

2 Umusa omkhulu lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu laseNkosini uJesu Khristu akube kini.

3 Ngiyambonga ngaso sonke isikhathi uNkulunkulu nxa ngilikhumbula. 4 Ngimbonga kuyo yonke imithandazo yami yokulincengela lonke. Ngiyathokoza loba nini nxa ngithandaza ngilincengela+ 5 ngenxa yokuthi kusukela ngelanga lokuqala kuze kube khathesi, belincedisa ukuthi izindaba ezinhle ziqhubekele phambili. 6 Nanku engileqiniso lakho: Lowo owaqalisa umsebenzi omuhle kini uzawuqedisa+ kuze kube lusuku lukaKhristu uJesu.+ 7 Kuqondile ukuthi ngicabange lokho ngani lonke njengoba ngilithanda ngenhliziyo yami yonke. Langisekela ngesikhathi ngisejele+ lalapho ngivikela izindaba ezinhle futhi ngizimisa ziqine ngokusemthethweni.+ Sonke sancedwa ngumusa omkhulu kaNkulunkulu.

8 UNkulunkulu ungufakazi wami wokuthi ngiyalikhanuka kakhulu lonke ngoba ngiyalithanda njengoba nje loKhristu uJesu elithanda. 9 Kanti njalo ngiqhubeka ngithandazela ukuthi uthando lwenu luqhubeke lukhula kakhulu,+ libe lolwazi oluqondileyo+ lokuqedisisa konke+ 10 futhi linanzelele ukuthi yiziphi izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu.+ Lokhu kuzalenza lingabi lasici njalo lingakhubi abanye+ kuze kufike usuku lukaKhristu. 11 Kuzakwenza lokuthi ligcwaliswe ngezithelo zokulunga ezitholakala ngoJesu Khristu,+ uNkulunkulu abesekhazinyuliswa futhi adunyiswe.

12 Engifuna likwazi bafowethu yikuthi izinto ezingehleleyo sezenze ukuthi izindaba ezinhle ziqhubekele phambili, 13 okokuthi ukubotshwa kwami+ ngenxa kaKhristu sekusaziwa+ yibo bonke abalindi benkosi labo bonke abantu nje. 14 Khathesi abafowethu abakhonza iNkosi sebelesibindi ngenxa yokubotshwa kwami. Batshengisa ukuthi balesibindi sokukhuluma ilizwi likaNkulunkulu bengesabi.

15 Abanye batshumayela ngoKhristu ngenxa yomona lokubangisana kodwa abanye bakwenza ngenhliziyo emhlophe. 16 Laba abakwenza ngenhliziyo emhlophe batshumayela ngoKhristu ngenxa yothando ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi ngibekwe ukuthi ngivikele izindaba ezinhle.+ 17 Kodwa abatshumayela ngenxa yomona bafuna ukuncintisana, kabahlosanga okuhle ngoba bafuna ukungidalela uhlupho ngesikhathi ngibotshiwe. 18 Besekuphetha ngani? Kuphetha ngokuthi uKhristu uyatshunyayelwa ngazo zonke izindlela, kungelani lokuthi bakwenza bezenzisa loba ngeqiniso futhi lokho kuyangithokozisa. Ngizaqhubeka ngithokoza sibili 19 ngoba ngiyakwazi ukuthi lokhu kuzakwenza ngisindiswe ngenxa yokuthi liyangithandazela lingincengela+ futhi umoya kaJesu Khristu uyangisekela,+ 20 njengoba nje ngilethemba njalo ngikhangelele ukuthi kangisoze ngiyangiswe loba sekutheni. Kodwa ngizakhuluma ngikhululekile uKhristu abesekhazinyuliswa ngomzimba wami njengenjayelo, kungelani lokuthi ngiyaphila kumbe ngifile.+

21 Phela mina nxa ngiphila ngiphilela uKhristu+ njalo nxa ngisifa yimi engincedakalayo.+ 22 Nxa ngiqhubeka ngiphila emhlabeni,* umsebenzi wami uzathela izithelo kodwa engikukhethayo angikuvezi. 23 Angikwazi ukuthi ngikhethe kuphi phakathi kwezinto lezi ezimbili ngoba ngiyafisa sibili ukukhululwa ngiyekuba loKhristu.+ Lokhu yikho okungcono kakhulu.+ 24 Kodwa kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngiphila emhlabeni ngenxa yenu. 25 Njengoba ngingakuthandabuzi lokho, ngiyakwazi ukuthi ngizaqhubeka ngiphila futhi ngilani lonke ukuze lithuthuke njalo lijabule ekukholweni. 26 Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi nxa sengilani futhi intokozo yenu enkulu iphuphume ngoba lingabalandeli bakaKhristu uJesu.

27 Lina nje ziphatheni* ngendlela evumelana lezindaba ezinhle ezimayelana loKhristu,+ ukwenzela ukuthi loba ngibuyile kini ngizolibona kumbe ngingabuyanga, ngizwe mayelana lani njalo ngikwazi ukuthi limi liqinile, limanyene* futhi liyavumelana.*+ Ngifuna ukwazi lokuthi lisebenzela ukholo lwezindaba ezinhle lindawonye 28 njalo alethuki lanxa beliphikisa. Konke lokhu kufakazela ukuthi bona bazabhujiswa+ kodwa lina lizasindiswa+ njalo lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu. 29 Phela seliphiwe isibusiso ngenxa kaKhristu esokuthi limkholwe liphinde limhluphekele+ 30 ngoba liphakathi kokulwa elangibona ngiphakathi kwakho+ futhi eselisizwa ngakho khathesi ukuthi ngilokhu ngiphakathi kwakho.

2 Lina limanyene loKhristu, liyabakhuthaza abanye njalo liyabaduduza ngenxa yokuthi liyabathanda. Litshengisa ukuthi lilendaba labo lokuthi liyabathanda kakhulu futhi liyabazwela. 2 Ngakho yenzani intokozo yami iphelele ngokuba ngqondonye, lilothando lunye, limanyene ngokupheleleyo* njalo lilomcabango owodwa.+ 3 Lingenzi lutho ngokubangisana+ kumbe ngokuziphakamisa+ kodwa ngokuthobeka bonani* abanye bengcono kulani.+ 4 Lingaqakathekisi lokho okufunwa yini kuphela+ kodwa liqakathekise lalokho okufunwa ngabanye.+

5 Indlela elicabanga ngayo kayihlale injengekaKhristu uJesu,+ 6 phela yena lanxa wayelesimo sikaNkulunkulu+ kazange akucabange ngitsho ukuzenza olingana laye.+ 7 Kodwa wazidela watshiya konke ayelakho waba njengenceku+ njalo waba ngumuntu.+ 8 Phezu kwalokho wathi esengumuntu wazithoba walalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni,+ esifa esigodweni sokuhlutshwa.*+ 9 Ngenxa yalokhu uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa wamnika isikhundla esiphezulu kulaleso ayelaso.+ Ngomusa wakhe wamnika lebizo eliphezu kwawo wonke amabizo+ 10 ukuze amadolo wonke aguqe ebizweni likaJesu, awalabo abasezulwini labasemhlabeni kanye labangaphansi komhlaba*+ 11 njalo bonke bavume ebantwini ukuthi uJesu Khristu uyiNkosi,+ besekukhazinyuliswa uNkulunkulu uBaba.

12 Bathandekayo belihlala lilalela, hatshi ngesikhathi ngikhona kuphela kodwa ikakhulu khathesi ngingekho. Ngakho qhubekani lisebenzela ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba langokuqhuqha 13 ngoba kuyamthokozisa uNkulunkulu ukuliqinisa aliphe isifiso lamandla okwenza okumthokozisayo. 14 Qhubekani lisenza izinto zonke lingakhononi+ njalo lingaphikisani,+ 15 ukuze libe ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu+ abangasolekiyo futhi abamsulwa, abangelasici phakathi kwesizukulwane esonakeleyo lesixhwalileyo+ elikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezibane emhlabeni.+ 16 Qhubekani liligagadlele ilizwi lokuphila.+ Lokhu kuzakwenza ngithokoze ngelanga likaKhristu ngisazi ukuthi angigijimelanga amahala njalo angisebenzanga nzima ngisebenzela ize. 17 Lanxa ngithululwa njengomnikelo wokunathwayo+ phezu komhlatshelo+ ngokwenza inkonzo engcwele eliyenzayo ngenxa yokholo lwenu, ngiyathaba njalo ngiyathokoza lani lonke. 18 Yikho lani kufanele lithabe futhi lithokoze lami.

19 Khathesi ngilethemba lokuthi nxa kuyintando yeNkosi uJesu, ngizathuma uThimothi+ abuye kini masinyane ukuze engizakuzwa mayelana lani kungikhuthaze. 20 Kangilaye omunye onjengaye ozakuba lendaba lani ngenhliziyo yonke 21 ngoba abanye bonke baqakathekisa lokho bona abakufunayo hatshi okufunwa nguJesu Khristu. 22 Kodwa liyakwazi ukuthi uThimothi watshengisa ukuthi yena ufanele sibili ngoba njengomntwana+ osebenza loyise, wasebenza lami gadalala ukuze izindaba ezinhle ziqhubekele phambili. 23 Yikho-ke nguye engilethemba lokuthi ngizamthuma ngingavele ngibone nje ukuthi izinto zingihambela njani. 24 Lami ngilalo ithemba lokuthi ngizabuya kini masinyane nxa kuyintando yeNkosi.+

25 Okwakhathesi ngikubona kufanele ukuthi ngithume u-Ephafrodithu kini, umfowethu esisebenza sonke njalo olisotsha likaKhristu njengami, elamthuma ukuthi azongincedisa ngengikuswelayo,+ 26 ngenxa yokuthi uyafisa kakhulu ukulibona lonke futhi uhlulukelwe njengoba lezwa ukuthi wayegula. 27 Wagula sibili waze waphosa wafa kodwa uNkulunkulu waba lesihawu kuye, hatshi kuye kuphela kodwa lakimi ukuze ngingabi phakathi kolunye usizi phezu kwalolu engikulo. 28 Yikho ngimthuma kini masinyane ukuze liphinde lithokoze nxa selimbona njalo lami ngingakhathazeki kakhulu. 29 Limamukele ngentokozo enkulu ngendlela elamukela ngayo abalandeli beNkosi futhi liqhubeke liwaqakathekisa kakhulu amadoda anjalo+ 30 ngoba waphosa wafa ngenxa yomsebenzi kaKhristu,* efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze angincedise+ njengoba lina lingenelisi ukukwenza lokho ngenxa yokuthi kalikho lapha.

3 Bafowethu, ngiphetha ngokuthi qhubekani lithokoza eNkosini.+ Akungihluphi ukulibhalela izinto engake ngalibhalela zona futhi kuvikela lina.

2 Qaphelani labo abanjengezinja, linanzelele abenza izinto ezilimazayo, linanzelele lalabo abafuna lisoke.+ 3 Phela thina sisoke okweqiniso,+ senza inkonzo engcwele ngomoya kaNkulunkulu futhi sizigqaja ngoKhristu uJesu.+ Asithembelanga ezintweni ezithenjwa ngabantu,* 4 lanxa phakathi kwabo bonke kuyimi engilezizatho zokuthembela ezintweni ezithenjwa ngabantu.*

Nxa ekhona omunye ocabanga ukuthi ulezizatho zokuthembela ezintweni ezithenjwa ngabantu,* mina ngilezedlula ezakhe: 5 Ngasokwa ngelanga lesi-8+ njalo ngingowesizwe sako-Israyeli, owesizwana sakoBhenjamini, umHebheru owazalwa ngamaHebheru,+ kwezomthetho ngingumFarisi.+ 6 Ngangitshiseka ngihlukuluza ibandla+ futhi ngisenza konke umthetho othi kulungile. 7 Kodwa izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi sengizibona zingelancedo* ngenxa kaKhristu.+ 8 Phezu kwalokho, izinto zonke ngizibona zingelancedo ngenxa yolwazi oluphathelane loKhristu uJesu iNkosi yami, oluqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula loba yini. Sengikhethe ukulahlekelwa yizinto zonke ngenxa yakhe njalo zonke ngizibona ziyinqumbi yezibi* ukuze ngizuze uKhristu 9 futhi ngitholakale ngimunye laye. Kodwa angitsho ukuthi ngilungile ngenxa yokuthi ngilandela uMthetho. Ukulunga kwami yilokho okutholakala ngokuba lokholo+ kuKhristu+ ngoba kuNkulunkulu abalokholo balungile.+ 10 Engikuhlosileyo yikuthi ngimazi yena ngiphinde ngiwazi lamandla okuvuswa kwakhe kwabafileyo+ futhi ngihlupheke njengaye,+ ngivume lokufa njengaye+ 11 ukuze ngibone ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi lami ngibe phakathi kwalabo abazaqala ukuvuswa kwabafileyo.+

12 Angitsho ukuthi sengikutholile kumbe ukuthi sengenziwe ngaphelela kodwa ngilwisa+ ukubona ukuthi lami ngingakubamba yini lokho uKhristu uJesu angikhethele khona.+ 13 Bafowethu, angiziboni njengosekubambile kudala kodwa into eyodwa engiyenzayo nansi: Ngikhohlwa izinto ezisemuva,+ ngilalamele izinto eziphambili.+ 14 Ngilwisa ukugcwalisa inhloso yami yokuthola umvuzo+ wokubizwa ezulwini,+ lowo uNkulunkulu asipha wona ngoKhristu uJesu. 15 Ngakho-ke thina abalokholo oluqinileyo*+ kasicabangeni njalo. Kodwa nxa indlela elicabanga ngayo itshiyene lale kuloba yini, uNkulunkulu uzalincedisa ukuthi licabange ngalindlela. 16 Njengoba sesithuthukile safika kulelibanga, asiqhubekeni sihamba ngokuhleleka endleleni yonale.

17 Lonke nje bafowethu ngilingiselani+ njalo lihlale libakhangele labo abahamba ngendlela le evumelana lesibonelo esalibekela sona. 18 Phela kulabanengi engangijayele ukukhuluma ngabo kodwa khathesi sengikhuluma ngabo ngikhala ngoba sebeyizitha zesigodo sokuhlutshwa* sikaKhristu. 19 Isiphetho sabo yikubhubha lonkulunkulu wabo yisisu sabo. Bazigqaja ngezinto ezilihlazo abazenzayo futhi ingqondo zabo zisezintweni zomhlaba.+ 20 Kodwa thina siyizizalwane+ zasezulwini+ njalo simlindele ngabomvu umsindisi ovela khonale, iNkosi uJesu Khristu.+ 21 Uzaguqula imizimba yethu engasilutho ibe njengomzimba wakhe olenkazimulo+ esebenzisa amandla akhe amakhulu amenza enelise ukubeka zonke izinto ngaphansi kwakhe.+

4 Ngakho bafowethu engibathandayo futhi engibakhanukayo, liyintokozo yami lomqhele wami.+ Bathandekayo ngilikhuthaza ukuthi liqhubeke limi liqinile+ eNkosini.

2 Ngincenga uYuwodiya loSintikhe ukuthi babe ngqondonye eNkosini.+ 3 Ngiyakucela lawe wena othembekileyo esisebenza sonke* ukuthi uqhubeke ubancedisa abesifazana laba. Phela basebenze lami nzima ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle kanye loKlementi labo bonke engisebenza labo abalamabizo asebhukwini lokuphila.+

4 Hlalani lithokoza eNkosini. Ngiyaphinda ngithi, thokozani!+ 5 Kakwaziwe ngabantu bonke ukuthi lina lingabantu abazwisisayo.*+ INkosi isiseduze. 6 Lingakhathazeki ngaloba yini+ kodwa bikelani uNkulunkulu zonke izicelo zenu ngomthandazo langokumncenga kanye lokumbonga.+ 7 Nxa lingenza njalo, ukuthula+ kukaNkulunkulu okwedlula konke ukuzwisisa kuzalinda izinhliziyo zenu+ lengqondo zenu* ngoKhristu uJesu.

8 Okokucina bafowethu, qhubekani licabanga* ngakho konke okuliqiniso, konke okuqakathekileyo, konke okulungileyo, konke okumsulwa, konke okuthandekayo, konke okukhulunywa kuhle ngakho, konke okuhle, langakho konke okubabazekayo.+ 9 Izinto elazifunda kimi lazamukela, lalezo elangizwa ngizikhuluma njalo elabona ngizenza, qhubekani lizenza.+ Lingenza njalo uNkulunkulu wokuthula uzakuba lani.

10 Ngiyathokoza kakhulu eNkosini ukuthi seliphinde laba lendaba lami.+ Lanxa lalikhathazekile ngami, lalingelalo ithuba lokukutshengisa lokho. 11 Lokhu angikukhulumeli ukuthi ngiyaswela ngoba sengifunde ukusuthiseka kungelani lokuthi umumo engikuwo unjani.+ 12 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi kunjani ukuba lokulutshwana+ lokuba lokunengi. Kukho konke lakuzo zonke izimo sengifunde imfihlo yokusutha leyokulamba, eyokuba lokunengi leyokuswela. 13 Ngilamandla okwenza zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.+

14 Loba kunjalo, lenze kuhle ngokungincedisa ngesikhathi ngihlupheka. 15 Phela lani bazalwane baseFiliphi liyakwazi ukuthi lathi selizizwile izindaba ezinhle okokuqala, lalapho sengisuka eMakhedoniya, kalikho ngitsho lelilodwa ibandla elangincedayo lanxa mina ngangibancedile. Yini kuphela elakwenzayo lokho+ 16 ngoba ngathi ngiseseThesalonika langithumela engangikuswela hatshi kanye kuphela kodwa kabili. 17 Kangitsho ukuthi ngifuna isipho, engikufunayo yikuthi lenze izinto ezinhle ezizakwenza lithole inzuzo enengi. 18 Phela ngilakho konke engikufunayo njalo kunengi. Kangisweli lutho njengoba sengikwamukele lokho elalikuphathise u-Ephafrodithu,+ okuluqhatshi olumnandi+ kanye lomhlatshelo owamukelekayo, omthokozisa kakhulu uNkulunkulu. 19 UNkulunkulu wami olenotho ekhazimulayo uzalinika konke elikuswelayo,+ elinika ngoKhristu uJesu. 20 Kakhazinyuliswe kuze kube nini lanini uNkulunkulu wethu uBaba. Ameni.

21 Bingelelani bonke abangcwele abamanyene loKhristu uJesu. Abafowethu engilabo lapha bayalibingelela. 22 Bonke abangcwele bayalibingelela, kodwa ikakhulu abendlu kaKhesari.+

23 Umusa omkhulu weNkosi uJesu Khristu kawube lomoya wenu.*