Matewu
23 Ngemva kwalokho uJesu wakhuluma nesiqubuthu nabafundi bakhe, wathi: 2 “Abatloli nabaFarisi bazibeke esihlalweni sakaMosi. 3 Nje-ke, zoke izinto abanitjela zona, zenzeni, kodwana ningenzi njengabo, ngombana bayakhuluma bangakwenzi abakutjhoko. 4 Babopha imithwalo ebudisi bayibeke emahlombe wabantu, kodwana bona abakazimiseli ngitjho nokuyikghwatha ngomunwabo. 5 Koke abakwenzako, bakwenzela ukubonwa babantu, ngombana benza amafilakteriya* wabo abe makhulu, nemiphetho yezambatho zabo bayenza ibe mide. 6 Bathanda iindawo ezikhethekileko eminyanyeni neenhlalo eziphambili emasinagogeni, 7 nokulotjhiswa ematatawini wokuthengisela nokubizwa babantu ngokuthi Rabi.* 8 Kodwana nina, akukafaneli nibizwe ngokuthi Rabi, ngombana munye uMfundisi wenu, noke nina nibafowabo bomunye nomunye. 9 Godu ningabizi muntu ephasini ngokuthi baba, ngombana munye uBaba wenu, ngiLoyo osezulwini. 10 Akukafaneli nibizwe nangokuthi nibarholi, ngombana munye uMrholi wenu, uKrestu. 11 Kodwana omkhulu kini noke kufuze abe sisebenzi senu. 12 Nanyana ngubani oziphakamisako uzokuthotjiswa, nozithobako uzokuphakanyiswa.
13 “Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Nivalela abantu umBuso wezulu; ngombana nina aningeni, nalabo abasendleleni eya kiwo niyabavimba. 14 ——
15 “Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Ngombana neyama ilwandle nirabhule nehlabathini bona nenze umuntu munye atjhugulukele ekolweni yobuJuda,* athi angatjhuguluka, nimenze afanelwe yiGehena* ngokuphindwe kabili kunani.
16 “Maye kini, barholi abaziimphofu, abathi, ‘Nangabe umuntu ufunga ngethempeli, akunandaba; kodwana nangabe ufunga ngegolide lethempeli, ubophekile bona asiphethe isifungo sakhe.’ 17 Nina ndlhadlha neemphofu! Kuhlekuhle ngikuphi okukhulu, ligolide namkha lithempeli elenza igolidelo licwengeke? 18 Godu nithi, ‘Nangabe umuntu ufunga nge-aldara, akunandaba; kodwana nangabe ufunga ngesipho esiphezu kwalo, ubophekile bona asiphethe isifungo sakhe.’ 19 Mphofu ndina! Kuhlekuhle ngikuphi okukhulu, sisipho namkha li-aldara elenza isiphweso sicwengeke? 20 Yeke, nanyana ngubani ofunga nge-aldara ufunga ngalo nangakho koke okukilo; 21 nomuntu ofunga ngethempeli ufunga ngalo nangaloyo ohlala kilo; 22 kanti nanyana ngubani ofunga ngezulu ufunga ngesihlalo sobukhosi sakaZimu nangaloyo ohlezi kiso.
23 “Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Ngombana ninikela kwetjhumi kweminti nedili nekhumini,* kodwana niziphayela eqadi izinto eziqakatheke khulu zomThetho, okubulungiswa, umusa nokuthembeka. Bekutlhogeka ninikele kwetjhumi, kodwana lokho akutjho ukuthi kufuze ningabi nandaba nezinye izinto. 24 Barholi abaziimphofu, nikhupha unompopoloza eenselweni zenu kodwana nigomojela ikamela!
25 “Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Ngombana nihlanza ingaphandle lekapho nesitja, kodwana ingaphakathi lazo lizele ukuba marhamaru nokuzitika. 26 MFarisi osiphofu, thoma ngokuhlwengisa ingaphakathi lekapho nelesitja, bese nengaphandle lazo lizokuhlwengeka.
27 “Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Ngombana nifana namathuna apendiweko, abonakala amahle ngaphandle khisibe ngaphakathi azele amathambo wabantu abahlongakeleko, nayo yoke imihlobo yokusilaphala. 28 Nani nibonakala nilungile ebantwini, kodwana ngaphakathi nizele ubuzenzisi nokukhohlakala.
29“Maye kini, batloli nabaFarisi, bazenzisi ndina! Ngombana nivuselela amathuna wabaphorofidi nikghabise namathuna* wabalungileko, 30 bese nithi, ‘Ngathana besiphila emihleni yabokhokho bethu, bengekhe sihlanganyele nabo ekuphalazeni iingazi zabaphorofidi.’ 31 Ngalokho, niyazifakazela ukuthi nimadodana walabo ababulala abaphorofidi. 32 Nakunjalo-ke, qedelelani lapho abokhokho benu batjhiye khona.
33 “Nina nyoka ndina, bantwana beenyoka ezinetjhefu, nizosibalekela njani isigwebo seGehena?* 34 Ngebanga lalokho, nginithumela abaphorofidi, amadoda ahlakaniphileko nabafundisi batjhatjhalazi. Abanye babo nizobabulala nibaphanyeke eengodweni, abanye nibarithe emasinagogenenu begodu nibahlunguphaze ukusuka kwelinye idorobho kuya kwelinye, 35 khona kuzobuyela phezu kwenu zoke iingazi ezilungileko eziphalazwe ephasini, kusukela eengazini zaka-Abela bekube kwezakaZakariya indodana kaBherekiya, enambulala hlangana kwethempeli ne-aldara. 36 Kwamambala ngithi kini, zoke izintwezi zizokwenzeka kilesi sizukulwana.
37 “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, mbulali wabaphorofidi nomkghadlhi ngamatje walabo abathunyelwe kuwe—kunini ngifuna ukubuthelela abantwabakho njengesikhukhukazi nasibuthelela amadzinyanaso ngaphasi kwamaphikwaso! Kodwana akhenge nivume. 38 Nje-ke, indlwenu itjhiywa nani. 39 Ngombana ngithi kini, angekhe nisangibona bekube kulapho nithi, ‘Ubusisiwe oza ngebizo lakaJehova!’ ”