EYOKUQALA EKAPHETRO

1 Mina Phetro umphostoli+ kaJesu Khristu, kini zakhamizi zesikhatshana ezisabalele ePhontusi, leGalathiya, leKhaphadokhiya,+ le-Asiya kanye leBhithiniya, ezikhethwe 2 ngokuvumelana lalokho uNkulunkulu uBaba ayevele esekwazi+ langokungcweliswa ngomoya,+ ehlose ukuthi libe ngabalalelayo futhi abafafazwe ngegazi likaJesu Khristu:+

Umusa omkhulu lokuthula akwandiswe kini.

3 Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu ngoba ngesihawu sakhe esikhulu wasenza sazalwa kutsha+ ukuze sibe lethemba eliphilayo+ ngokuvuswa kukaJesu Khristu kwabafileyo+ 4 futhi sibe lelifa elingaboliyo, elingonakaliyo lelingabuniyo.+ Ligcinelwe lina emazulwini,+ 5 lina elilondolozwa ngamandla kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokholo lwenu, lilondolozelwa insindiso elungiselelwe ukuvezwa ngesikhathi sokucina. 6 Ngenxa yalokho, liyathokoza kakhulu lanxa okwakhathesi kumele lihlupheke okwesikhatshana ngenxa yezilingo ezitshiyeneyo+ 7 ukuze ukholo lwenu oluhlolwe ngendlela le*+ futhi oluligugu elikhulu ukwedlula igolide elitshabalalayo lanxa lihlolwe* ngomlilo, lulenze lithole udumo lenkazimulo lokuhlonitshwa ekwembulweni kukaJesu Khristu.+ 8 Lanxa lingazange limbone liyamthanda. Lakhathesi alimboni kodwa litshengisa ukuthi lilokholo kuye njalo lilentokozo enkulu engachasisekiyo futhi emangalisayo, 9 njengoba lithola insindiso yenu,*+ eyiyo inhloso yenu yokuba lokholo.

10 Abaphrofethi abaphrofetha mayelana lomusa omkhulu owawuzakwenzelwa lina babuzisisa ngensindiso le futhi bachwayisisa ngayo.+ 11 Umoya owawuphakathi kwabo wawuvele wafakaza ngenhlupho ezazizakwehlela uKhristu+ langenkazimulo eyayizalandela. Yikho baqhubeka behlolisisa ukuthi kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala kuKhristu+ lokuthi kwakuzakwenzakala ngasiphi isikhathi loba ngayiphi inkathi. 12 Kwavezwa kubo ukuthi babengazisebenzeli bona kodwa babesebenzela lina, bekhuluma ngalokho eselikuzwe kulabo abatshumayela izindaba ezinhle kini belomoya ongcwele ovela ezulwini.+ Izingilosi ziyafisa kakhulu ukuzizwisisa izinto lezi.

13 Ngakho lungiselelani ingqondo zenu ukwenza umsebenzi omkhulu+ njalo ligcine ingqondo zenu zisebenza kuhle,+ libeke ithemba lenu emuseni omkhulu elizawulethelwa ekwembulweni kukaJesu Khristu. 14 Njengoba lingabantwana abalalelayo, yekelani ukubunjwa yizifiso elalilazo lingakabi lolwazi 15 kodwa libe ngcwele kukho konke ukuziphatha kwenu+ njengaye oNgcwele owalibizayo 16 ngoba kubhaliwe ukuthi: “Kumele libe ngcwele ngoba mina ngingcwele.”+

17 Nxa libiza uBaba owahlulela umsebenzi womuntu ngamunye engabandlululi,+ ziphatheni ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi liyamesaba+ ngesikhathi liyizakhamizi zesikhatshana 18 ngoba liyakwazi ukuthi lanxa lakhululwa endleleni yenu yokuphila engancedi ngalutho elayitshiyelwa ngokhokho benu,* alikhululwanga* ngezinto ezonakalayo,+ ezinjengesiliva loba igolide. 19 Kodwa lakhululwa ngegazi eliligugu+ elinjengelemvana engelasici lemsulwa,+ igazi likaKhristu.+ 20 Lanxa wayevele esesaziwa umhlaba ungakasungulwa,+ wabonakaliswa ekucineni kwezikhathi ngenxa yenu.+ 21 Ngaye liyakholwa kuNkulunkulu+ owamvusa kwabafileyo+ wamupha inkazimulo+ ukuze ukholo lwenu lethemba lenu kube kuNkulunkulu.

22 Njengoba selizihlambululile ngokulalela iqiniso, osekwenze laba lothando lobuzalwane olungelakuzenzisa,+ thandanani kakhulu ngenhliziyo yonke.+ 23 Phela kasebenzisanga inhlanyelo ebolayo lapho esenza ukuthi lizalwe kutsha+ kodwa wasebenzisa inhlanyelo engaboliyo,*+ ngelizwi likaNkulunkulu ophilayo okhona kuze kube nini lanini+ 24 ngoba “bonke abantu banjengotshani njalo yonke inkazimulo yabo injengokuqhakaza kwamaluba eganga. Utshani buyabuna, iluba likhithike 25 kodwa ilizwi likaJehova* lihlala kuze kube nini lanini.”+ “Ilizwi” lelo zindaba ezinhle ezatshunyayelwa kini.+

2 Ngakho susani kini bonke ububi,+ lobuqili, lokuzenzisa, lomona kanye lawo wonke amazwi ahlabayo. 2 Njengezinsane ezisanda kuzalwa,+ wobani lesifiso esikhulu sokuthola uchago olungonakalanga* lwelizwi ukuze likhule ngalo beselithola insindiso+ 3 nxa selikunambithile* ukuthi iNkosi ilomusa.

4 Nxa lisiza kulowo olilitshe eliphilayo elaliwa ngabantu+ kodwa elikhethiweyo futhi eliligugu kuNkulunkulu,+ 5 lina elingamatshe aphilayo liba yindlu eyakhiwa ngomoya kaNkulunkulu+ ukuthi libe liqembu labaphristi elingcwele ukuze linikele imihlatshelo ngomoya kaNkulunkulu,+ leyo ayamukelayo ngoJesu Khristu.+ 6 Phela uMbhalo uthi: “Khangela! Ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhethiweyo, ilitshe lesisekelo eliyisiqokoqela* futhi eliligugu. Kakho otshengisa ukuthi ulokholo kulo ozadana* loba sekutheni.”+

7 Yikho yena uligugu kini ngoba lingamakholwa kodwa kulabo abangakholwayo, “ilitshe elaliwa ngabakhi+ selibe lilitshe eliyisiqokoqela,”*+ 8 “lelitshe elikhubayo kanye ledwala eliwisa abantu.”+ Bayakhubeka ngoba abalilaleli ilizwi. Lesi yiso isiphetho abasibekelweyo. 9 Kodwa lina “lingabantu abakhethiweyo, iqembu labaphristi abangamakhosi, isizwe esingcwele,+ abantu okumele babe yimpahla yakhe eqakathekileyo+ ukuze limemezele yonke indawo ubuhle* obumangalisayo”+ balowo owalibiza lisebumnyameni waliletha ekukhanyeni kwakhe okukhazimulayo.+ 10 Kuqala lalingasibantu kodwa khathesi selingabantu bakaNkulunkulu,+ lalingenzelwanga isihawu kodwa khathesi selenzelwe isihawu.+

11 Bathandekayo abayizihambi labayizakhamizi zesikhatshana,+ ngilikhuthaza ukuthi liqhubeke lixwaya izifiso zenyama+ ezilwa lani.*+ 12 Qhubekani liziphethe kuhle phakathi kwezizwe+ ukuze nxa sebelisola ngokuthi lenza okubi, bazibonele ngawabo imisebenzi yenu emihle,+ besebekhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngosuku lokuhlolwa nguye.

13 Ngenxa yeNkosi, zehliseni kukho konke okusungulwe ngabantu,+ lizehlise kuloba yiphi inkosi+ ngoba iphezu kwenu, 14 lakubabusi* ngoba bathunywe yiyo ukuthi bajezise abenza okubi njalo bancome abenza okuhle.+ 15 Phela kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuthi ngokwenza okuhle lithulise inkulumo yokungazi yabantu abangelangqondo.+ 16 Philani njengabantu abakhululekileyo,+ lingasebenzisi inkululeko yenu ukuvala* izenzo ezimbi+ kodwa yisebenziseni njengezigqili zikaNkulunkulu.+ 17 Hloniphani abantu bemihlobo yonke,+ lithande bonke abazalwane,+ lesabe uNkulunkulu+ njalo lihloniphe inkosi.+

18 Zinceku zehliseni emakhosini enu liwaphe yonke inhlonipho ewafaneleyo,+ hatshi lawo azwisisayo lalawo enza okuhle kuphela kodwa lalawo okunzima ukuwathokozisa. 19 Kuyamukeleka ukuthi umuntu aqinisele ebunzimeni* njalo ahlutshwe yena engelacala ngenxa yokufuna ukuba lomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.+ 20 Kambe kunceda ngani ukuqinisela nxa litshayelwa ukuthi lonile?+ Kodwa nxa liqinisela ekuhluphekeni ngenxa yokwenza okuhle, uNkulunkulu uyakwamukela lokho.+

21 Phela le yiyo indlela elabizelwa kuyo ngoba ngitsho loKhristu walihluphekela,+ elitshiyela isibonelo ukuze liwalandele eduze amanyathelo akhe.+ 22 Yena kenzanga sono+ lobuqili kabutholakalanga emlonyeni wakhe.+ 23 Wathi ethethiswa+ kazange aphindisele ngokuthethisa.+ Wathi esebunzimeni+ kazange asongele muntu kodwa wathembela kulowo owahlulela+ ngendlela elungileyo. 24 Yena wathwala izono zethu+ emzimbeni wakhe lapho ebethelwa esigodweni*+ ukuze sife ezonweni, siphile kokulungileyo njalo “lasiliswa ngamanxeba akhe.”+ 25 Phela lina lalinjengezimvu ezihlanhlathayo+ kodwa khathesi selibuyele kumelusi+ ongumbonisi wemiphefumulo yenu.*

3 Lani makhosikazi, zehliseni kubomkenu+ ukwenzela ukuthi nxa bekhona abangalilaleliyo ilizwi, bacine sebekholwa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwamakhosikazi abo kungelalizwi elikhulunyiweyo+ 2 ngoba sebezibonele ngawabo ukuziphatha kwenu okumsulwa+ lokuthi liyahlonipha kakhulu. 3 Ukuceca kwenu akungabi ngokwangaphandle, okokweluka inwele lokokugqoka izinto ezenziwe ngegolide+ kumbe izigqoko ezinhle 4 kodwa akube ngokomuntu ofihlakeleyo wenhliziyo, oceciswe ngezinto ezingonakaliyo eziyikuthula lomoya omnene.+ Lokho yikho okuqakatheke kakhulu phambi kukaNkulunkulu 5 ngoba abesifazana basendulo ababengcwele futhi bethembele kuNkulunkulu babejayele ukuceca ngalindlela, bezehlisa kubomkabo, 6 njengoSara owayelalela u-Abrahama, embiza ngokuthi nkosi.+ Nxa lina liqhubeka lisenza okuhle njalo lingakhulelwa yikwesaba,+ liba ngabantwabakhe.

7 Lani madoda qhubekani lihlala labo ngokwazi.* Baqakathekiseni* abesifazana+ njengezitsha ezibuthakathaka kulani, njengoba labo bezindlalifa kanye lani+ zomusa omkhulu wokuphila. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi imithandazo yenu ingavinjwa.

8 Okokucina, lonke kufanele libe ngqondonye,*+ libe lesisa esikhulu, lithande abazalwane ngenhliziyo yonke, libe lozwelo kakhulu+ futhi lithobeke.+ 9 Lingabuyiseli okubi ngokubi+ kumbe ukuthethisa ngokuthethisa.+ Kodwa buyiselani ngokubusisa+ ngoba labizelwa endleleni le ukuze lithole ilifa eliyisibusiso.

10 Phela “loba ngubani othanda ukuphila futhi ofuna ukubona amalanga amahle, kumele abambe ulimi lwakhe lungakhulumi okubi+ njalo angaqili abanye ngomlomo wakhe. 11 Kafulathele okubi+ enze okuhle,+ adinge ukuthula futhi azimisele ukukulondoloza+ 12 ngoba amehlo kaJehova* akhangele abalungileyo, lendlebe zakhe ziyabalalela nxa bethandaza bencenga+ kodwa uJehova* uyabazonda labo abenza okubi.”+

13 Kambe ukhona yini ongalilimaza nxa litshisekela okuhle?+ 14 Liyathokoza lanxa lingaze lihlupheke ngenxa yokwenza okulungileyo.+ Loba kunjalo, lingakwesabi lokho abakwesabayo* njalo lingakhathazeki.+ 15 Vumani ezinhliziyweni zenu ukuthi uKhristu uyiNkosi lokuthi ungcwele, lihlale lilungele ukuzivikela phambi komuntu wonke ofuna ngenkani ukuthi limtshele isizatho sethemba elilalo, kodwa lokho likwenze ngobumnene+ langenhlonipho enkulu.+

16 Hlalani lilomzwangedwa omuhle,+ ukwenzela ukuthi nxa kukhulunywa loba yini embi ngani, labo abakhuluma kubi ngani bayangeke+ ngenxa yokuziphatha kwenu okuhle okutshengisa ukuthi lingabalandeli bakaKhristu.+ 17 Phela kungcono ukuthi lihluphekele ukuthi lenza okuhle+ nxa kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuthi akuvumele, kulokuhluphekela ukuthi lenza okubi.+ 18 UKhristu wafela izono kwaba kanye kuphela,+ umuntu olungileyo efela abangalunganga+ ukuze alikhokhele alise kuNkulunkulu.+ Wabulawa elomzimba wenyama+ kodwa wavuswa eselomzimba womoya.+ 19 Wathi ekulesosimo wahamba wayatshumayeza imimoya ejele,+ 20 leyo eyayingazange imlalele uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi elindile futhi ebekezela* ngosuku lukaNowa+ kusakhiwa umkhumbi,+ lapho abantu abalutshwana, okutsho imiphefumulo engu-8,* abasinda khona bavikelwa emanzini.+

21 Lokhu kumela ubhabhathizo olulisindisa ngokuvuswa kukaJesu Khristu (hatshi ngokususa ukungcola okusenyameni, kodwa ngokucela umzwangedwa omuhle kuNkulunkulu).+ 22 UJesu usesandleni sokudla sikaNkulunkulu.+ Phela waya ezulwini njalo izingilosi leziphathamandla kanye lamandla kwabekwa ngaphansi kwakhe.+

4 Njengoba uKhristu wahlupheka enyameni,+ lani hlomani ngesimo sengqondo* esinjengesakhe* ngoba umuntu osehlupheke enyameni usezilahlile izono+ 2 ukuze okwesikhathi esiseleyo esaphila enyameni angaqhubeki ephilela izifiso zabantu+ kodwa aphilele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.+ 3 Ngesikhathi esadlulayo laba lesikhathi eseneleyo sokwenza intando yabantu bomhlaba,+ liphatheka ezenzweni zokuxhwala,* lasezinkanukweni ezedlulisa amalawulo, lasekunatheni kakhulu, lasemadilini* axokozelayo, lasemibuthanweni yokubhudla utshwala kanye lasekukhonzeni izithombe okwenyanyekayo.*+ 4 Kuyabamangalisa kakhulu ukuthi kaliqhubeki ligijima labo endleleni yabo yokuziphatha okwenyanyekayo, yikho bekhuluma kubi ngani.+ 5 Kodwa abantu laba bazalandisa kulowo olungele ukwahlulela abaphilayo labafileyo.+ 6 Yikho phela izindaba ezinhle zatshunyayelwa lakwabafileyo+ ukuze kuthi lanxa besahlulelwa enyameni ngokubona kwabantu, baphile ngendlela evumelana lomoya ngokubona kukaNkulunkulu.

7 Kodwa ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekuseduze. Ngakho zisebenziseni kuhle ingqondo zenu,+ lihlale lilungele* ukuthandaza.+ 8 Phezu kwakho konke thandanani kakhulu+ ngoba uthando lusibekela izono ezinengi.+ 9 Yamukelanani* kungela kukhonona.+ 10 Kusiya ngesipho ngamunye asamukeleyo kasisebenzise ukuncedisa abanye njengoba lingabaphathi abahle bomusa omkhulu kaNkulunkulu obonakaliswa ngezindlela ezehlukeneyo.+ 11 Okhulumayo kakhulume angathi ukhuluma amazwi kaNkulunkulu, onceda abanye kakwenze lokho angathi uthembele emandleni avela kuNkulunkulu+ ukuze uNkulunkulu akhazinyuliswe ezintweni zonke+ ngoJesu Khristu. Inkazimulo lamandla ngokwakhe kuze kube nini lanini. Ameni.

12 Bathandekayo, lingamangaliswa yibunzima obunjengomlilo eliphakathi kwabo,+ angathi lehlelwe yizilingo ezingajayelekanga. 13 Kodwa qhubekani lithokoza+ ngenxa yokuthi lani liyahlanganyela kuzo inhlupho zikaKhristu+ ukuze lithabe njalo lithokoze kakhulu lasekwembulweni kwenkazimulo yakhe.+ 14 Liyathokoza+ nxa lithethiswa ngenxa yebizo likaKhristu ngoba umoya wenkazimulo, wona umoya kaNkulunkulu uhlezi phezu kwenu.

15 Lanxa kunjalo, akungabi lamuntu phakathi kwenu ohlupheka ngenxa yokuba ngumbulali loba ukuba lisela loba ukwenza okubi kumbe ukuthanda ukungenela indaba zabantu.+ 16 Nxa ekhona ohlupheka ngenxa yokuthi ungumKhristu, akungamyangisi lokho+ kodwa kaqhubeke ekhazimulisa uNkulunkulu, ebizwa ngebizo lakhe 17 ngoba sekuyisikhathi esibekiweyo sokuthi ukwahlulela kuqalise endlini kaNkulunkulu.+ Nxa kuqalisa ngathi,+ pho bazaphetha ngani abangazilaleliyo izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu?+ 18 “Nxa kunzima ukuthi umuntu olungileyo asindiswe, kuzakwenzakalani emuntwini ongamesabiyo uNkulunkulu lakulowo oyisoni?”+ 19 Ngakho labo abahlupheka ngenxa yokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kabaqhubeke bebeka impilo zabo* ezandleni zoMdali othembekileyo, ngapha besenza okuhle.+

5 Ngiyabancenga-ke* abadala abaphakathi kwenu njengoba lami ngingumdala njengabo lofakazi wenhlupheko zikaKhristu futhi ngizahlanganyela enkazimulweni ezavezwa,+ ngithi kubo: 2 Yelusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu+ eliwugcinisiweyo, libe ngababonisi bawo.* Lokho kwenzeni ngenhliziyo yonke phambi kukaNkulunkulu,+ hatshi ngokubanjwa ngamandla njalo lingakwenzeli ukuthola inzuzo yokungathembeki+ kodwa lizimisele. 3 Lingazenzi amakhosi phezu kwalabo abalilifa likaNkulunkulu+ kodwa libe yizibonelo emhlambini.+ 4 Lapho umelusi omkhulu+ esebonakalisiwe, lizakwamukela umqhele wenkazimulo ongabuniyo.+

5 Lani majaha zehliseni emadodeni amadala.*+ Lanxa kunjalo, lonke gqokani ukuthobeka, lithobeke* komunye lomunye ngoba uNkulunkulu umelana labaziphakamisayo kodwa ulomusa omkhulu kwabathobekileyo.+

6 Ngakho zithobeni ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esilamandla ukuze aliphakamise ngesikhathi esifaneleyo,+ 7 liphosele kuye konke okulikhathazayo+ ngoba yena ulendaba lani.+ 8 Zisebenziseni kuhle ingqondo zenu, liqaphele!+ Isitha senu uDeveli siyahambahamba njengesilwane esibhongayo esidinga esingamudla.+ 9 Kodwa melanani laye+ liqinile ekukholweni, lisazi ukuthi inhlupho eliphakathi kwazo zehlela bonke abazalwane benu abasemhlabeni.+ 10 Loba kunjalo, lizakuthi selihlupheke okwesikhatshana, uNkulunkulu ogcwele umusa omkhulu futhi owalibizela enkazimulweni yakhe engapheliyo+ limanyene loKhristu, yena ngokwakhe uzaqedisa ukuqeqetshwa kwenu. Uzaliqinisa+ alenze libe lamandla+ njalo alimise phezu kwesisekelo esiqinileyo. 11 Amandla kawabe ngawakhe kuze kube nini lanini. Ameni.

12 Ngilibhalele amazwi amalutshwana ngisebenzisa uSilivanu*+ umfowethu engimbona ethembekile, ukuze ngilikhuthaze njalo ngilinike ubufakazi obuliqiniso bokuthi lo yiwo sibili umusa omkhulu kaNkulunkulu. Manini kuwo liqine. 13 Uyalibingelela owesifazana oseBhabhiloni okhethiweyo njengani. Lendodana yami uMakho+ iyalibingelela. 14 Bingelelanani ngokuqabuzana kothando.

Ukuthula akube kini lonke elimanyene loKhristu.