INCWADI YOKUTHOMA EYA KUTHIMOTHI

1 UPowula, umpostoli kaKrestu Jesu ngomyalo kaZimu uMsindisethu nokaKrestu Jesu, ithemba lethu,+ 2 kuThimothi,*+ umntwana wamambala+ ekukholweni:

Kwanga ungaba nomusa omkhulu nesirhawu nokuthula okuvela kuZimu uBaba nakuKrestu Jesu iKosethu.

3 Njengombana ngakukhuthaza ukuthi uhlale e-Efesu lokha nangizokuya eMasedoniya, nanje ngiyakukhuthaza bona uyale abathileko ukuthi bangafundisi ifundiso ehlukileko 4 namkha balalele iindaba ezimamala+ begodu benze irhubhululo lokulandelana kwabokhokho. Izinto ezinjalo azisizi ngalitho+ kodwana zivusa imibuzo kunokobana zinikele nanyana yini evela kuZimu ngokuvumelana nokukholwa. 5 Eqinisweni, umnqopho wesinqophiswesi* lithando+ elisuka ehliziyweni ehlwengileko nakunembeza omuhle nekukholweni+ okungazenzisiko. 6 Ngokuphambuka ezintwenezi, abanye batjhugululelwe ekulumweni engasizi ngalitho.+ 7 Bafuna ukuba bafundisi+ bomthetho kodwana abazwisisi izinto abazitjhoko namkha izinto abaphikelela kizo ngamandla kangaka.

8 Nje-ke siyazi ukuthi umThetho ulungile nangabe umuntu uwusebenzisa ngokufaneleko, 9 akhumbula ukuthi umthetho awukenzelwa umuntu olungileko kodwana wenzelwe labo abanganamthetho+ nabavukelako, abangahloniphi uZimu nabazizoni, abangakathembeki* nabahlambalazako, ababulala abobaba nababulala abomma, ababulala abanye, 10 abaziphatha kumbi ngokomseme,* amadoda aziintabani,* abathumbi, abakhuluma amala, abantu abaphula isifungo, nakho koke okhunye okuphikisana nefundiso eyakhako*+ 11 ngokuvumelana neendaba ezimnandi eziphazimulako zakaZimu othabako, engiphathiswe zona.+

12 Ngithokoza uKrestu Jesu iKosethu, ongiphe amandla ngombana ungiqale njengothembekileko ngokungabela umsebenzi,+ 13 ngitjho nanyana ngaphambilini bengimhlambalazi, ngimhlunguphazi begodu ngiyindoda ehlaza.+ Nanyana kunjalo, ngatjengiswa isirhawu ngombana ngenza ngokungazi nokungabi nokukholwa. 14 Kodwana umusa omkhulu weKosethu wande ngokurarako kunye nokukholwa nethando elikuKrestu Jesu. 15 Amezwi la athembekile begodu kufuze amukelwe ngokupheleleko: UKrestu Jesu weza ephasini bona asindise izoni.+ Kizo, mina ngingesikhulu.+ 16 Nanyana kunjalo, ngarhawukelwa bona ngebanga lami soni esikhulu, uKrestu Jesu atjengise koke ukubekezela kwakhe, enze ngami isibonelo kilabo abazokubeka ukukholwa kwabo kuye bona bafumane ukuphila okungapheliko.+

17 Nje-ke idumo nephazimulo akube seKosini yanini nanini,+ engonakaliko,+ engabonakaliko,+ uZimu okukuphela kwakhe,+ bekube ngokungapheliko. Amen.

18 Isinqophiswesi* ngikupha sona, mntwanami Thimothi, ngokuvumelana neemphorofido ezenziwe ngawe ukuthi ngalokhu uragele phambili ulwa ipi yokulunga,+ 19 ubambelele ekukholweni nakunembeza omuhle,+ abanye esele bamphayele eqadi, umphumela kwaba kuphahlazekelwa mkhumbi wokukholwa kwabo. 20 UHimenewu+ no-Alekzandra baphakathi kwabo, ngibanikele kuSathana+ ukuthi bafundiswe ngesiyalo bona bangahlambalazi.

2 Yeke kokuthoma ngikhuthaza bona ukuncenga, imithandazo, ukubawela abanye nokuthokoza kwenzelwe yoke imihlobo yabantu, 2 kwenzelwe namakhosi nabo boke abaseenkhundleni eziphakemeko+ ukuthi siragele phambili siphila ngokuthula ngokuzinikela okupheleleko kuZimu nokuzimisela.+ 3 Lokhu kulungile begodu kuyamukeleka phambi koMsindisethu, uZimu,+ 4 loyo intandwakhe kukobana yoke imihlobo yabantu isindiswe+ begodu ifikelele elwazini elinembileko leqiniso. 5 Ngombana kunoZimu munye+ nomlamuli munye+ hlangana kwakaZimu nabantu,+ umuntu, uKrestu Jesu,+ 6 owazinikela bona abe sihlengo esikhambelanako sabo boke,*+ lokhu ngikho okuzokufakazelwa ngesikhathi sakho esifaneleko. 7 Kungakho ngomnqopho wobufakazobu+ ngakhethwa bona ngibe mtjhumayeli nompostoli+ ngikhuluma iqiniso, angileyi amala, umfundisi weentjhaba+ endabeni yokukholwa neyeqiniso.

8 Yeke ngifisa ngathi kizo zoke iindawo amadoda angaragela phambili athandaza, aphakamise izandla ezithembekileko,+ ngaphandle kwelaka+ nokuphikisana.+ 9 Ngokufanako, abafazi kufuze bazikghabise ngezambatho ezifaneleko, ngokuhlonipheka nangokwahlulela okuhle,* ingasi ngeendlela zokuluka iinhluthu nangegolide namkha ngamaparele namkha ngezambatho ezibiza khulu,+ 10 kodwana ngendlela efanele abafazi abathi bazinikele kuZimu,+ ngemisebenzi emihle.

11 Umfazi kufuze athule begodu azithobe+ nakafundiswako. 12 Angimvumeli umfazi bona afundise namkha alawule indoda kodwana kufuze ahlale athulile.+ 13 Ngombana u-Adamu wabunjwa qangi, kwalandela u-Eva.+ 14 Godu, u-Adamu akhenge akhohliswe kodwana umfazi nguye owakhohliswa ngokupheleleko+ begodu waba siseqamthetho. 15 Nanyana kunjalo, uzokuhlala avikelekile ngokubeletha abantwana,+ kwaphela nakaragela phambili ekukholweni, ethandweni, ekucwengekeni nekwahluleleni okuhle.*+

3 Amezwi la athembekile: Nangabe umuntu ufuna ukuba ngumdala ebandleni,*+ ufisa umsebenzi omuhle. 2 Nje-ke umdala ebandleni* kufuze angasoleki, abe yindoda enomfazi munye, elinganiselako emikghwenayo, enokwahlulela okuhle,*+ ehlelekileko, eyamukela iimvakatjhi,+ efanelekela ukufundisa,+ 3 engasisidakwa,+ engasisisilwi,* enganakani,+ engathandi ukuphikisana,+ engathandi imali,+ 4 indoda eyengamele* umndenayo kuhle, enabantwana abathobekileko, abaziphatha kuhle nabahloniphako+ 5 (ngombana nangabe umuntu akakwazi ukwengamela* umndenakhe, uzolitlhogomela njani ibandla lakaZimu?), 6 kungabi mumuntu osanda ukutjhuguluka,+ bona angazikhakhazisi, awele esahlulelweni esikhutjhelwe uDeveli. 7 Godu kufuze akhulunyelwe kuhle babantu bangaphandle+ bona angahlaziseki begodu athiywe nguDeveli.

8 Iinceku ezisizako nazo kufuze zizimisele, zingakhohlisi, zingazinikeli ewayinini elinengi, zingabi nomrhobholo wokufumana inzuzo ngokungathembeki,+ 9 zibambe ifihlo ecwengileko yokukholwa ngonembeza ohlwengileko.+

10 Godu kufuze zihlolwe qangi bona ziyafaneleka na; ngemva kwalokho zingasebenza njengabasizi njengombana kungekho ezimangalelwa ngakho.+

11 Ngokunjalo nabafazi kufuze bazimisele, bangabi barhwayeli,+ balinganisele emikghwenabo, bathembeke ezintweni zoke.+

12 Iinceku ezisizako kufuze zibe madoda anomfazi munye, zengamele abantwabazo nemindenazo ngendlela efaneleko. 13 Ngombana amadoda enza umsebenzawo ngendlela efaneleko azizuzela ubujamo obuhle netjhaphuluko ekulu yokukhuluma ekukholweni okukuKrestu Jesu.

14 Ngikutlolela izintwezi nanyana nginethemba lokuza kuwe esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo 15 bona nakungenzeka ngiriyade, wazi indlela ekufuze uziphathe ngayo emndenini kaZimu,+ okulibandla lakaZimu ophilako, isika nesisekelo seqiniso. 16 Kwamambala, kuyavunywa bona ifihlo ecwengileko yokuzinikela kuZimu le yikulu: ‘Wabonakaliswa enyameni,+ kwathiwa ulungile emmoyeni,+ wabonakala eengilozini,+ kwatjhunyayelwa ngaye eentjhabeni,+ kwakholelwa kuye ephasini,+ wamukelwa phezulu ngephazimulo.’

4 Nanyana kunjalo, ilizwi eliphefumulelweko* litjho ngokukhanyako ukuthi esikhathini esizako kuzokuba nesikhathi lapho abanye bazokuwa ekukholweni, balalele amezwi aphefumulelweko akhohlisako*+ neemfundiso zamadimoni 2 nangokuzenzisa kwabantu abakhuluma amala,+ labo unembezabo owomelele ngasuthi utjhiswe ngesimbi yokubeka itshwayo. 3 Bavimbela ukutjhada,+ bayala nabantu bona bangadli ukudla+ uZimu akudalele bona kudliwe+ ngokuthokoza ngilabo abakholwako+ nabazi iqiniso ngokunembileko. 4 Ngombana koke okudalwe nguZimu kuhle,+ akukho ekufuze kwaliwe+ nangabe kufumaneka ngokuthokoza 5 ngombana kucwengiswa ngelizwi lakaZimu nangokuthandazelwa.

6 Ngokunikela abafowethu iselulekwesi, uzokuba sisebenzi esihle sakaKrestu Jesu, esondliwe ngamezwi wokukholwa nangefundiso elungileko oyilandele eduze.+ 7 Kodwana zale iindaba ezimamala ezihlambalazako,+ njengalezo ezikhulunywa bafazi abadala. Ngakwelinye ihlangothi, zibandule ngomnqopho wokuzinikela kuZimu. 8 Ngombana ukubandula umzimba kuzuzisa kancani kodwana ukuzinikela kuZimu kuzuzisa ezintweni zoke njengombana kunesithembiso sokuphila kwanje nokuphila okuzako.+ 9 Amezwi lawo athembekile begodu kufuze amukelwe ngokupheleleko. 10 Kungebangeli sisebenza budisi, sizikhandla+ ngombana sibeke ithemba lethu kuZimu ophilako, oMsindisi+ wayo yoke imihlobo yabantu,+ khulukhulu abathembekileko.

11 Ragela phambili nokunikela imiyalo le begodu uyifundise. 12 Ungavumeli muntu aqalele phasi ubutjha bakho. Kunalokho, yiba sibonelo sabathembekileko ekukhulumeni, ekuziphatheni, ethandweni, ekukholweni nekubeni msulwa. 13 Ragela phambili nokuzinikela ekufundeni tjhatjhalazi,+ ekukhuthazeni nekufundiseni bengifike. 14 Ungasiliseleli isipho esikuwe owanikelwa sona ngesiphorofido lokha isihlopha sabadala sikubeka izandla.+ 15 Cabangisisa ngezintwezi; udzimelele kizo bona ituthukwakho ibe sebaleni kiwo woke umuntu. 16 Hlala uzitjhejile wena nokufundisa kwakho.+ Ragela phambili ezintwenezi ngombana ngokwenza lokhu uzokusindisa kokubili wena nabakulalelako.+

5 Ungayikgharameji indoda edala.+ Kunalokho, iphathe njengobaba, amasokana njengabafowenu, 2 abafazi abadala njengabomma, iintombi njengabodade, ngabo boke ubumsulwa.

3 Tlhogomela* abahlolokazi, ababahlolokazi kwamambala.*+ 4 Kodwana nangabe kunomhlolokazi onabantwana namkha abazukulu, abafunde qangi ukuphila ngokuzinikela kuZimu emndeninabo+ begodu batlhogomele ababelethi babo nababelethi bababelethi babo ngasuthi bayabakoloda+ ngombana lokhu kuyamukeleka kuZimu.+ 5 Nje-ke umfazi omhlolokazi kwamambala, otjhiywe anganalitho ubeke ithemba lakhe kuZimu,+ uragela phambili ancenga begodu athandaza ubusuku nemini.+ 6 Kodwana loyo ozinikela ekwaneliseni iimfiso zakhe zenyama, ufile ngitjho nanyana aphila. 7 Yeke ragela phambili unikela iinqophiswezi* bona bangasoleki. 8 Eqinisweni nangabe umuntu akabondli labo okungebakhe, khulukhulu labo abamalunga womndenakhe, ukuphikile ukukholwa begodu mumbi khulu kunomuntu ongakholwako.+

9 Umhlolokazi kufuze afakwe erhelweni nangabe akasingaphasi kweminyaka ema-60 ubudala, nangabe bekathembekile endodenakhe,* 10 aziwa ngemisebenzi emihle,+ akhulise abantwana,+ wamukela iimvakatjhi,+ wahlanza iinyawo zabacwengileko,+ wasiza abasesizini,+ wazikhandla kiyo yoke imisebenzi emihle.

11 Ngakwelinye ihlangothi, ungabafaki erhelweni abahlolokazi abasesebatjha ngombana iimfiso zomseme nazingena hlangana kwabo noKrestu, bangafuna ukutjhada. 12 Bazokufumana isahlulelo ngombana balahle isithembiso sabo sokuthoma. 13 Ngesikhathi esifanako bafunde nokuba mavila, babhodabhoda imizi; ingasi ukuba mavila kwaphela kodwana bayahleba, bangena neendabeni zabanye abantu,+ bakhuluma izinto okungakafuzi bazikhulume. 14 Ngalokho, ngifisa bona abahlolokazi abasesebatjha batjhade,+ babe nabantwana,+ batlhogomele umuzi bona banganikeli umphikisi ithuba lokunyefula. 15 Eqinisweni, abanye sebaphambukisiwe bona balandele uSathana. 16 Nangabe umfazi okholwako uneenhlobo ezibahlolokazi, akabasize bona ibandla lingadisibezeki, likghone ukusiza labo ababahlolokazi kwamambala.*+

17 Abadala abengamela ngendlela ehle+ kufuze baqalwe njengabafanelwe kuhlonitjhwa ngokubuyelelweko,+ khulukhulu labo abasebenza budisi ekukhulumeni nekufundiseni.+ 18 Ngombana umtlolo uthi, “Lokha ikunzi nayibhulako ungayivali umlomo”+ godu “Isisebenzi sifanelwe mrholwaso.”+ 19 Ungakwamukeli ukumangalelwa kwendoda edala* ngaphandle kobufakazi babantu ababili namkha abathathu.+ 20 Basole+ phambi kwabo boke ababukeleko labo abonomukghwa wokwenza isono,+ kube siyeleliso kwabanye.* 21 Ngikuyala phambi kwakaZimu noKrestu Jesu neengilozi ezikhethiweko bona ulandele iinqophiswezi ngaphandle kwebandlululo namkha ukukhetha.+

22 Ungarhabi ukubeka izandla zakho kinanyana ngubani;+ ungabi mhlanganyeli ezonweni zabanye; hlala umsulwa.

23 Ungasaseli amanzi kwaphela kodwana sela newayini elincani ngebanga lamathumbakho nangokugula kwakho kanengi.

24 Izono zabanye abantu zaziwa tjhatjhalazi, zirholela ngokunqophileko esahlulelweni kodwana zabanye zibonakala ngokukhamba kwesikhathi.+ 25 Ngendlela efanako, imisebenzi emihle yaziwa tjhatjhalazi+ begodu leyo engasinjalo angekhe ihlale ifihlekile.+

6 Labo abangaphasi kwejogi lobugqila abahlale baqala abanikazi babo njengabafanelwe yihlonipho ekulu+ bona igama nefundiso kaZimu kungahlanjalazwa.+ 2 Ngaphezu kwalokho, labo abanabanikazi abakholwako bangabanyazi ngombana babafowethu. Kunalokho, kufuze babasebenzele ngokuzimisela okungezelelweko ngombana labo abafumana inzuzo yomsebenzabo omuhle makholwa athandekako.

Ragela phambili ufundisa izintwezi begodu unikela iinkhuthazwezi. 3 Nangabe kunomuntu ofundisa enye ifundiso engavumelani nesinqophiso esizuzisako,+ esivela eKosinethu uJesu Krestu begodu engavumelani nefundiso ekhambisana nokuzinikela kuZimu,+ 4 ukhukhumele ngokuzigqaja begodu akunanto ayizwisisako.+ Uthanda ukuphikisana nokunghanghisana ngamezwi.+ Izintwezi zibangela umona, umbango, ukurhwayela,* iinsolo ezimbi, 5 ukuphikisana okungapheliko ngezinto ezingatjho litho ngabantu abonakeleko emkhumbulweni+ nabangasanaqiniso, bacabanga ukuthi ukuzinikela kuZimu yindlela yokufumana inzuzo.+ 6 Eqinisweni, ukuzinikela kuZimu nokwaneliseka kunenzuzo ekulu.+ 7 Ngombana azange size nalitho ephasini, begodu angekhe sikhambe nalitho.+ 8 Nje-ke, nasinokudla nezambatho,* sizokwaneliswa ngilokho.+

9 Kodwana labo abazimisele ukunjinga bawela esilingweni nesithiyweni+ neemfisweni ezinengi ezinganangqondo nezilimazako ezidosela abantu ekutjhatjalalisweni nekonakaleni.+ 10 Ngombana ukuthanda imali kumsuka wayo yoke imihlobo yezinto ezilimazako, ngokulwela ukwanelisa ithandwelo abanye baphambukisiwe ekukholweni bazibangela ubuhlungu obunengi.*+

11 Kodwana wena muntu kaZimu, zibalekele izintwezi. Lwela ukufumana ukulunga, ukuzinikela kuZimu, ukukholwa, ithando, ukukghodlhelela nommoya ophasi.+ 12 Yilwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa; bambelela ekuphileni okungapheliko owabizelwa khona begodu wenza isimemezelo esihle satjhatjhalazi phambi kwabofakazi abanengi.

13 Phambi kwakaZimu, owenza bona koke kuhlale kuphila naphambi kwakaKrestu Jesu, yena njengofakazi owenza isimemezelo esihle satjhatjhalazi phambi kwakaPontiyasi Pilatu,+ ngiyakuyala 14 bona ulalele umyalo ngendlela emsulwa nengasolekiko bekube kulapho kubonakala iKosethu uJesu Krestu,+ 15 uMbusi othabileko nokukuphela kwakhe uzozibonakalisa ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleko. Yena uMbusi walabo ababusa njengababusi neKosi yalabo ababusa njengamakhosi,+ 16 nguye kwaphela ongafiko,+ ohlala emkhanyweni okungekhe kwatjhidelwa kiwo,+ okungekho muntu owakhe wambona namkha ongambona.+ Idumo namandla angapheliko akube kuye. Amen.

17 Yala abanjingileko ephasini lagadesi bona bangazikhukhumezi nokuthi bangabeki ithemba labo ebunjingeni obungakaqinisekiswa+ kodwana balibeke kuZimu, osinikela ngokunjingileko zoke izinto esizithabelako.+ 18 Batjele benze okuhle, banjinge emisebenzini emihle, baphane,* bakulungele ukuhlanganyela izinto nabanye,+ 19 bazibulungele ngokuphephileko isisekelo esihle sengomuso+ bona bakakarele ukuphila kwamambala.+

20 Thimothi, kuvikele lokho ophathiswe khona,+ uzigegede iinkulumo ezililize ezonakalisa okucwengileko neempikiswano ezibizwa kungakafaneli ngokuthi “zililwazi.”+ 21 Ngokubukisa ngelwazi elinjalo, abanengi baphambukile ekukholweni.

Kwanga umusa omkhulu ungaba nawe.