Ilitje eliphilako nesizwe esikhethiweko
1Ngalokho-ke lahlani boke ubumbi nobuqili, ukuzenzisa, umona nayo yoke ihlebo. 2Njengamasana langazelelani ibisi elicwebileko lokommoya ukuze ngalo nikhule esindisweni, 3nakube seninandiphile bona iKosi ilungile.
4Bandamelani kiyo, ililitje eliphilako, elininwe babantu kodwana kuZimu likhethekile begodu liligugu; 5nani-ke njengamatje aphilako, nakhelwe endlini yokommoya kobana nibe buphristi obucwengileko, ninikele imihlabelo yokommoya eyamukelekako kuZimu ngoJesu Krestu. 6Ngitjho ngombana umtlolo uthi:
“Qala, ngibekile eZiyoni ilitje,
iye, ilitje lejika elikhethekileko neliligugu;
loyo okholwa kilo angekhe adaniswe.”
7Nje-ke kini nina enikholwako liligugu, kodwana kilabo abangakholwako,
“Ilitje abakhi abalininako,
seliphenduke laba yihloko yejika”,
8begodu
“Lililitje elibakhubako,
iye, ilitje elibawisako.”
Bayakhubeka ngombana akhange balalele ilizwi njengombana bebajanyiselwe ukwenza.
9Kodwana nina nisisizwe esikhethiweko, ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esicwengileko, abantu ekungebakaZimu kobana nitjhumayele imisebenzi yamandla yaloyo owanibiza bona niphume ebumnyameni nize ekukhanyeni kwakhe okukarisako. 10Phambilini beningasibo abantu, kodwana kwanjesi nisisizwe sakaZimu. Nakhe naswela umusa, kodwana kwanjesi niwamukelisiwe.
Niziinceku zakaZimu
11Bathandekako, ngiyanincenga njengemiqhamuka namathunjwa kobana nitjhide eenkanukweni zenyama ezilwa nomphefumulo. 12Philani ipilo elungileko hlangana nabangakholwako ukuze kuthi nanyana banisola ngokwenza okumbi, babone imisebenzenu emihle badumise uZimu ngelanga lamatlhuwo.
13Ngebanga leKosi, thobelani zoke iinjamiso ezijanyiswe ziimphathimandla, nanyana kungezekosi njengombana ingekulu, 14namkha zababusi abathunywe ngiyo kobana bahlunguphaze labo abenza okumbi nokudumisa labo abenza okuhle 15ngombana injalo intando kaZimu, yeke ngokwenza okuhle kufuze nithulise ukungazi kweendlhayela. 16Njengabatjhaphulukileko, philani njengabatjhaphulukileko, nokho ningasebenzisi ukutjhaphuluka kwenu bona kube sibhibho sokumbi, kodwana philani njengeenceku zakaZimu. 17Hloniphani boke abantu, nithande abazalwana, nesabe uZimu benihloniphe umbusi.
Isibonelo sokuhlupheka kwakaKrestu
18Nina nsebenzi, thobelani abaphathi benu ngayo yoke ihlonipho, ingasi labo abanomusa nesineke kwaphela, kodwana nalabo ababukhali 19ngombana kuhle ukubekezelela ubuhlungu bokuphathwa ngokungakafaneli ngebanga lakaZimu. 20Nakube niyanyamezela nanidulwako ngokwenza okumbi, lokho kunivuza ngani? Kodwana naninyamezelela ukuhlutjhwa ngebanga lokwenza okuhle, lokho kuyathokozeka kuZimu. 21Kokwakho, nabizelwa khona lokho ngombana noKrestu wahlupheka ngebanga lenu, wanitjhiyela isibonelo bona nilandele emtlhaleni wakhe.
22“Ongazange enze isono,
akhange kufunyanwe ikohliso emlonyenakhe.”
23Kwathi athukwa, akhange azibuyiselele; kwathi ahlutjhwa, akhange asongele; kodwana wazibeka kiloyo ogweba ngokulungileko. 24Yena ngokwakhe wathwala izono zethu emzimbenakhe emthini ukuze sife esonweni siphile ekulungeni. Ngemivuvu yakhe naphiliswa 25ngombana beninjengezimvu ezidurhileko, kodwana kwanjesi seniphendukele kuMelusi nomnakekeli wemiphefumulwenu.
