EYOKUQALA KUTHIMOTHI

1 Mina Phawuli umphostoli kaKhristu uJesu, ngomlayo kaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu lokaKhristu uJesu ithemba lethu,+ 2 kuwe Thimothi*+ umntwana oqotho+ ekukholweni:

Umusa omkhulu lesihawu lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba laseNkosini yethu uKhristu uJesu akube kuwe.

3 Ngathi sengizakuya eMakhedoniya ngakukhuthaza ukuthi uqhubeke use-Efesu, yikho lakhathesi ngithi yenza njalo ukuze ulaye abathile ukuthi bangafundisi izimfundiso zamanga 4 futhi bangalaleli izindaba ezingamanga+ lezindaba zosendo. Izinto ezinjalo kazincedi ngalutho+ kodwa zenza abantu baphethe ngokucabangela nje njalo kazibancedi ngezinto ezivela kuNkulunkulu ezimayelana lokholo. 5 Inhloso yomlayo lo yikuthi sithande+ ngenhliziyo emsulwa, ngomzwangedwa omuhle langokholo+ olungela kuzenzisa. 6 Abanye sebephambukile ezintweni lezi yikho sebekhuluma amazwi angancediyo.+ 7 Bafuna ukuba ngabafundisi+ bomthetho kodwa kabazizwisisi izinto abazikhulumayo lalezo ababambelele kuzo ngenkani.

8 Siyakwazi ukuthi uMthetho ulungile nxa umuntu ewusebenzisa ngendlela eqondileyo.* 9 Phela umthetho awenzelwanga umuntu olungileyo kodwa wenzelwa abephula umthetho,+ labahlamukayo, labangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu, labayizoni, labangathembekanga,* labangakuhloniphiyo okungcwele, lababulala oyise, lababulala onina, lababulala abanye abantu, 10 labayizifebe,* lamadoda ayizitabane,* labathumba abantu, labaqamba amanga, labafunga amanga kanye labenza konke okuphikisana lemfundiso eqondileyo*+ 11 esekelwe ezindabeni ezinhle ezikhazimulayo zikaNkulunkulu othokozayo, lezo angiphathisa zona.+

12 Ngiyambonga uKhristu uJesu iNkosi yethu owangipha amandla ngoba wangibona ngithembekile wangiphathisa inkonzo,+ 13 loba nje kuqala ngangingumuntu othukayo, ngihlukuluza abantu bakhe futhi ngiziphakamisa.+ Lanxa kunjalo ngenzelwa isihawu ngoba ngangisenza ngokungazi njalo ngingelakholo. 14 Kodwa umusa omkhulu weNkosi yethu wanda kakhulukazi, ngemukela ukholo kanye lothando olukuKhristu uJesu. 15 Nanka amazwi aqotho futhi okufanele amukelwe ngazo zombili: UKhristu uJesu weza emhlabeni ukuzosindisa izoni.+ Mina ngingesibi kulazo zonke.+ 16 Lanxa kunjalo, ngenzelwa isihawu ukuze kuthi ngami mina engiyisoni esibi kakhulu, uKhristu uJesu atshengise ukubekezela kwakhe konke, engenza ngibe yisibonelo kulabo abazakuba lokholo* kuye ukuze bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo.+

17 Kayidunyiswe njalo ikhazinyuliswe kuze kube nini lanini iNkosi yaphakade,+ engafiyo+ futhi engabonakaliyo,+ uNkulunkulu onguye yedwa.+ Ameni.

18 Thimothi mntanami ngikuphathisa umlayo lo ovumelana leziphrofetho ezaphrofethwa mayelana lawe ukuze uqhubeke usilwa impi enhle ngazo,+ 19 uhlale ulokholo lomzwangedwa omuhle+ abanye abawulahlileyo ukholo lwabo lwaselubhidlika njengomkhumbi ophahlazekileyo. 20 Abanye babo nguHimenewu+ lo-Alekizanda njalo sengibanikele kuSathane+ ukuze balaywe, bafunde ukuthi bangathuki uNkulunkulu.

2 Okokuqala, ngicela ukuthi imithandazo yokuncenga, lemithandazo yonke nje, lokuthandazela abanye kanye lokubonga, kwenzelwe yonke imihlobo yabantu, 2 lamakhosi labo bonke abasezikhundleni eziphezulu*+ ukuze siqhubeke silenhlalakahle lokuthula, sizinikele kuNkulunkulu ngokupheleleyo njalo singathathi izinto lula.+ 3 Lokhu kuhle futhi kuyamukeleka phambi kukaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu + 4 ngoba intando yakhe yikuthi abantu bemihlobo yonke basindiswe+ njalo bathole ulwazi oluqondileyo lweqiniso. 5 KuloNkulunkulu oyedwa+ lomlamuli oyedwa+ phakathi kukaNkulunkulu labantu,+ uKhristu uJesu.+ Nguye umuntu 6 owazinikelayo waba yinhlawulo efaneleyo yabantu bonke*+ njalo lokhu kuzafakazelwa ngesikhathi sakho esifaneleyo. 7 Ngabekwa ukuthi ngibe ngumtshumayeli lomphostoli+ ukuze ngikufakazele lokhu.+ Ngikhuluma iqiniso kangiqambi manga, ngabekwa ukuthi ngifundise abezinye izizwe+ mayelana lokholo leqiniso.

8 Ngakho engikufisayo yikuthi ezindaweni zonke amadoda aqhubeke ethandaza ephakamisa izandla eziqotho+ kungela kuzonda+ lezimpikiswano.+ 9 Labesifazana kumele bacece ngezigqoko ezilesithunzi, ezingadlulisi amalawulo futhi ezitshengisa ukuthi bazisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo zabo,* kungabi ngezitayila zokweluka inwele kumbe ngegolide langamaphareli loba ngezigqoko ezidula kakhulu+ 10 kodwa ngendlela efanele abesifazana abathi bazinikele kuNkulunkulu,+ okutsho ukuthi bacece ngemisebenzi emihle.

11 Owesifazana kafunde ethule,* ezehlisa ngokupheleleyo.+ 12 Angimvumeli owesifazana ukuthi afundise kumbe ukuthi abuse indoda kodwa kumele ahlale ethule.*+ 13 Phela u-Adamu nguye owabunjwa kuqala, kwasekubunjwa u-Eva.+ 14 Kanti njalo u-Adamu kaqilwanga kodwa owesifazana waqilwa ngokupheleleyo,+ wephula umlayo kaNkulunkulu. 15 Lanxa kunjalo, owesifazana uzalondolozwa ngokuzala abantwana+ nxa kuyikuthi uqhubeka esekukholweni lasethandweni, engcwele futhi eyisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yakhe.*+

3 Amazwi la aqotho: Nxa indoda ilalamela umsebenzi wokuba ngumbonisi,+ ifisa umsebenzi omuhle. 2 Ngakho umbonisi kumele abe yindoda engasolekiyo, elenkosikazi eyodwa, ezibambayo kukho konke ekwenzayo, esebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yayo,*+ ehlelekileyo, eyamukela izihambi,+ eyenelisa ukufundisa,+ 3 engayisiso sidakwa,+ engeladlakela* kodwa ezwisisayo,+ engathandi ingxabano,+ engathandi imali,+ 4 ewukhokhela* kuhle umuzi wayo, elabantwana abalalelayo futhi abalembeko,*+ 5 (ngoba nxa indoda ingenelisi ukukhokhela* umuzi wayo, ingenelisa njani ukunakekela ibandla likaNkulunkulu?), 6 ingabi ngumuntu osanda kuguquka+ ngoba ingazikhukhumeza ibisithola ukwahlulelwa okunjengokukaDeveli. 7 Phezu kwalokho, kumele abantu abangayisiwo malunga ebandla+ babe bekhuluma kuhle ngayo* ukuze ingasolwa ngalutho* njalo ingaweli emjibileni kaDeveli.

8 Izinceku ezikhonzayo lazo kumele zingathathi izinto lula, zingabi lobuqili kwezikukhulumayo, zinganathi kakhulu iwayini, zingabi yizihwaba ezithanda ukuthola inzuzo ngokungathembeki+ 9 kodwa zibambelele emfihlweni engcwele yokholo zilomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo.+

10 Kanti njalo kumele baqale bahlolwe ukuthi bafanele yini. Ngemva kwalokho sebengaba zinceku nxa kungelalutho abasolwa ngalo.+

11 Labesifazana kumele bangathathi izinto lula, banganyundeli,+ bazibambe kukho konke abakwenzayo njalo bathembeke ezintweni zonke.+

12 Inceku ekhonzayo kumele ibe yindoda elenkosikazi eyodwa, ekhokhela kuhle abantwabayo lomuzi wayo. 13 Phela nxa amadoda eyiphatha kuhle imisebenzi yawo yenkonzo, aba ngadume ngokuhle futhi aba lenkululeko enkulu yokukhuluma ngokukholwa kwawo kuKhristu uJesu.

14 Lanxa ngilethemba lokuza kuwe masinyane, ngikubhalela izinto lezi 15 ukwenzela ukuthi nxa ngingaphuza, wazi indlela okumele uziphathe ngayo endlini kaNkulunkulu,+ elibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika lesisekelo seqiniso. 16 Imfihlo engcwele yokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu iqakatheke kakhulu sibili: ‘UJesu wabonakala elomzimba wenyama,+ kwathiwa ulungile eselomzimba womoya,+ wabonakala ezingilosini,+ kwatshunyayelwa ngaye ebantwini bezinye izizwe,+ bamkholwa emhlabeni+ njalo wemukelwa enkazimulweni.’

4 Kodwa ilizwi eliphefumulelweyo likutsho* ngendlela ecacileyo ukuthi ezikhathini ezizayo abanye bazaphambuka ekukholweni, belalela amazwi aphefumulelweyo adukisayo*+ kanye lezimfundiso zamadimoni 2 futhi belalela amanga akhulunywa ngabantu abazenzisayo,+ abalemizwangedwa etshileyo angathi itshiswe ngomtshiso. 3 Balisa abantu ukutshada+ njalo babatshela ukuthi bayekele ukudla+ izinto uNkulunkulu azidalela ukuthi abantu abalokholo+ futhi abalazi kuhle iqiniso bazidle+ bebonga. 4 Phela konke okwadalwa nguNkulunkulu kuhle+ njalo akulalutho okufanele lwaliwe+ nxa lusamukelwa ngokubonga 5 ngoba lungcweliswa ngelizwi likaNkulunkulu langomthandazo.

6 Nxa unganika abafowethu iseluleko lesi, uzakuba yisikhonzi esihle sikaKhristu uJesu, esondliwe ngamazwi okholo lawemfundiso enhle obulokhu uyilandela eduze.+ 7 Kodwa ungazilaleli izindaba ezingamanga+ ezingamdumisiyo uNkulunkulu ezinjengalezo ezilandiswa yizalukazi. Wena ziqeqetshe ulenhloso yokutshengisa ukuthi uzinikele kuNkulunkulu 8 ngoba ukuqeqetsha* umzimba kunceda kancane kodwa ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kunceda ezintweni zonke njengoba kulesithembiso sempilo yakhathesi lesempilo ezayo.+ 9 Lawomazwi aqotho futhi kufanele amukelwe ngazo zombili. 10 Lokhu yikho okwenza sisebenze nzima singaphumuli+ ngoba sibeke ithemba lethu kuNkulunkulu ophilayo, onguMsindisi+ wayo yonke imihlobo yabantu,+ ikakhulu labo abathembekileyo.

11 Qhubeka ubatshela imilayo le njalo ubafundisa. 12 Ungaqali ukuvumela loba ngubani ukuthi akukhangelele phansi ngenxa nje yokuthi usesemutsha. Kodwa kwabathembekileyo woba yisibonelo ekukhulumeni, lasekuziphatheni, lasethandweni, lasekukholweni lasekubeni msulwa. 13 Qhubeka ukukhuthalele ukubalela uzulu wonke+ lokweluleka* kanye lokufundisa ngize ngifike. 14 Ungasithathi lula isipho olaso owasiphiwa ngesiphrofetho ngesikhathi iqula labadala likubeka izandla.+ 15 Nakana* ngezinto lezi, uzinikele kuzo ukuze abantu bonke bazibonele ngawabo ukuthi uyathuthuka. 16 Ziqaphele zikhathi zonke wena kanye lendlela ofundisa ngayo.+ Phikelela ezintweni lezi ngoba ungenza njalo uzazisindisa wena lalabo abakulalelayo.+

5 Ungayikhuzi ngolaka indoda endala+ kodwa yincenge njengoyihlo, amajaha uwaphathe njengabafowenu, 2 abesifazana asebekhulile ubaphathe njengabonyoko, abesifazana abasesebatsha njengabodadewenu, ube msulwa kukho konke.

3 Ungabakhohlwa* abafelokazi abangabafelokazi sibili.*+ 4 Kodwa nxa umfelokazi elabantwana loba abazukulu, kabaqale ngokunakekela izimuli zangakibo betshengisa ukuthi bazinikele kuNkulunkulu.+ Kumele babuyisele kubazali babo lakubogogo labokhulu babo lokho okubafaneleyo+ ngoba lokhu kuyamukeleka kuNkulunkulu.+ 5 Owesifazana ongumfelokazi sibili, ongaselabani, ubeke ithemba lakhe kuNkulunkulu+ futhi uqhubeka ethandaza encenga njalo ekhuleka ubusuku lemini.+ 6 Kodwa umfelokazi ophilela ukusuthisa izifiso zakhe ufile lanxa ephila. 7 Ngakho qhubeka ubapha imilayo le ukuze babe ngabantu abangasolekiyo. 8 Nxa umuntu engabanakekeli abangabakhe ikakhulu labo abangamalunga emuli yakhe, uselulahlile ukholo futhi mubi kulomuntu ongakholwayo.+

9 Umfelokazi okufanele afakwe ehlelweni lokuncediswa ngoleminyaka engu-60 kusiya phezulu futhi owayelendoda eyodwa. 10 Kumele abe esaziwa ngokwenza okuhle,+ obakhulise kuhle abantwana,+ wamukela izivakatshi emzini wakhe,+ wagezisa inyawo zabangcwele,+ wanceda abahluphekayo+ njalo wazinikela kuyo yonke imisebenzi emihle.

11 Kodwa abafelokazi abasesebatsha ungabafaki ehlelweni lokuncediswa ngoba nxa izifiso zabo zemacansini sezibehlukanisa loKhristu, bayabe sebefuna ukutshada 12 njalo bazakwahlulelwa ngoba sebelahle indlela ababetshengise ngayo ekuqaleni ukuthi balokholo.* 13 Kanti njalo basuka babe lomkhuba wokutshona bengenzi lutho, benquma lemizi. Ayisikho ukuthi bayabe bengenzi lutho nje kuphela kodwa bayabe benyeya futhi bangenela indaba zabantu,+ bekhuluma ngezinto okungafanelanga bakhulume ngazo. 14 Yikho-ke ngifisa ukuthi abafelokazi abasesebatsha batshade,+ babe labantwana+ futhi banakekele imizi yabo ukuze banganiki umphikisi ithuba lokuchothoza. 15 Phela abanye kudala bephambukile balandela uSathane. 16 Nxa kulowesifazana okholwayo olezihlobo ezingabafelokazi kazincedise ukuze ibandla lingathwali nzima. Ibandla lona selingancedisa abafelokazi abangabafelokazi sibili.*+

17 Abadala abakhokhela kuhle+ kufanele bahlonitshwe ngokuphindiweyo,+ ikakhulu labo abasebenza nzima befundisa futhi bekhuluma+ 18 ngoba umbhalo uthi, “Ungayifaki isayeke inkunzi nxa ibhula amabele,”+ uphinde uthi, “Isisebenzi kusifanele ukuthola iholo laso.”+ 19 Ungemukeli icala eletheswa indoda endala* ngaphandle nxa kulobufakazi obulethwe ngofakazi ababili loba abathathu.+ 20 Abalomkhuba wokwenza isono+ bakhuze+ phambi kwabantu bonke ukuze kube yisixwayiso kwabanye.* 21 Ngiyakuqonqosela phambi kukaNkulunkulu loKhristu uJesu kanye lezingilosi ezikhethiweyo ukuthi ulalele imilayo le kungela kubandlulula loba ukukhetha.+

22 Ungaphangisi ukubeka izandla zakho kuloba ngubani*+ njalo ungahlanganyeli ezonweni zabanye, zigcine umsulwa.

23 Ungasawanathi amanzi* kodwa natha iwayini elincane ngenxa yesisu sakho kanye lokuhlala kwakho ugula.

24 Izono zabanye zisegcekeni futhi zaziwa ngabantu bonke njalo zihle zibase ekwahlulelweni kodwa ezabanye zivela ngemva kwesikhathi.+ 25 Zinjalo lezenzo ezinhle, zisegcekeni njalo zaziwa ngabantu bonke+ futhi lalezo ezingaziwayo kazisoze zihlale zifihlakele.+

6 Labo abangaphansi kwejogwe lobugqili kabaqhubeke behlonipha amakhosi abo ngenhliziyo yonke+ ukuze kungakhulunywa kubi ngebizo likaNkulunkulu langemfundiso yakhe.+ 2 Phezu kwalokho, abalamakhosi akholwayo kabangawadeleli ngoba engabazalwane. Kodwa kumele bakhuthale kakhulu nxa bewasebenzela ngoba abancedakalayo ngomsebenzi wabo omuhle ngabakholwayo labathandekayo.

Qhubeka ubafundisa izinto lezi njalo ubeluleka ngazo. 3 Loba ngubani ofundisa enye imfundiso njalo ongavumelani lemfundiso eqondileyo*+ evela eNkosini yethu uJesu Khristu, kumbe lemfundiso evumelana lokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu+ 4 uyazikhukhumeza, kazwisisi lutho.+ Uyazithanda kakhulu* impikiswano kanye lokuphikisana ngamazwi.+ Izinto lezi zenza kube lomona, lokuxabana, lokunyundela* kanye lokucabangelana okubi. 5 Zenza lokuthi abantu abalengqondo ezixhwalileyo+ futhi abangalizwisisiyo iqiniso bahlale bephikisana ngezinto ezingatsho lutho, becabanga ukuthi ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu yindlela yokuthola inzuzo.+ 6 Kodwa ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kuletha inzuzo+ enengi nxa kulokusuthiseka 7 ngoba asilethanga lutho emhlabeni njalo akulalutho esingasuka lalo.+ 8 Ngakho nxa silokudla* lezigqoko* sizasuthiseka ngezinto lezo.+

9 Kodwa labo abazimisele ukunotha bawela esilingweni lasemjibileni+ kanye lasezifisweni ezinengi ezingelangqondo leziyingozi ezithela abantu emanyaleni lasekubhujisweni.+ 10 Phela ukuthanda imali kuyimpande yazo zonke izinto ezilimazayo njalo ngenxa yokubasela lolothando, abanye badukisiwe ekukholweni bazigwaza yonke indawo ngezinhlungu ezinengi.+

11 Kodwa wena muntu kaNkulunkulu zibalekele izinto lezi, uzame ngamandla wonke ukuba lokulunga, lokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu, lokholo, lothando, lokuqinisela kanye lobumnene.+ 12 Lwana ukulwa okuhle kokholo ubambisise ukuphila okungapheliyo owakubizelwayo njalo wavuma phambi kwabantu kulabofakazi abanengi.

13 Ngiyakulaya phambi kukaNkulunkulu owenza izinto zonke ziqhubeke ziphila, laphambi kukaKhristu uJesu owafakaza kuhle phambi kwabantu laphambi kukaPhontiyu Philathu,+ 14 ngithi gcina umlayo lo ngendlela engelasici njalo engasolekiyo kuze kube yisikhathi sokubonakaliswa kweNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu.+ 15 Ukubonakaliswa lokhu kuzavezwa ngezikhathi ezibekiweyo ngulowo Olamandla Amakhulu futhi othokozayo. Yena uyiNkosi yamakhosi loMbusi wababusi+ 16 njalo nguye yedwa ongeke afe,+ ohlala ekukhanyeni okungeke kusondelwe kukho,+ ongakaze abonwe ngumuntu futhi ongeke abonwe ngumuntu.+ Kadunyiswe futhi kawabe kuye amandla kuze kube phakade. Ameni.

17 Tshela abanothileyo kulo umumo wezinto* ukuthi bangazikhukhumezi* njalo bangabeki ithemba labo enothweni etshabalalayo+ kodwa balibeke kuNkulunkulu osinika inala yezinto zonke esizikholisayo.+ 18 Batshele ukuthi benze okuhle, banothe emisebenzini emihle, baphane, bazimisele ukwabelana labanye,+ 19 bezigcinela futhi bevikela inotho eyisisekelo esihle sekusasa+ labo ukuze babambisise ukuphila koqobo.+

20 Thimothi, kuvikele okuphathisiweyo,+ ufulathele izinkulumo ezingancediyo eziphikisana lokungcwele. Ungazilaleli lezinto eziziphikisayo ezibizwa ngokuthi lulwazi zona zingayisilo.+ 21 Abanye sebedukile ekukholweni ngenxa yokufuna ukubukwa ngokuba lolwazi olunjalo.

Umusa omkhulu kawube lani.