1Kuba ndithanda ukuba nikwazi ukuba kukhulu kwako ukuzama endikuzamayo ngenxa yenu, nabo baseLawodike, nabo bonke abangabubonanga ubuso bam ngokwenyama; 2ukuze zithuthuzelwe iintliziyo zabo, bebandakanyiwe ngothando, kusingise kuyo yonke indyebo yokuqonda okuqinisekileyo, kusingise ekwazini imfihlelo kaThixo uYise, 3nekaKristu, ekufihlwe kuye bonke ubutyebi bobulumko nobokwazi.
Ukumanyana noKristu nesilumkiso ngentanda-bulumko obungento yanto
4Nditsho ke, ukuze kungabikho bani unilukuhlayo ngentetho egudileyo. 5Kuba nangona ndingekhoyo ngenyama, khona ngomoya ndinani, ndivuya, ndibona ulungelelwano lwenu, nokuzimaseka kokukholwa kwenu kuKristu.
6Njengokuba ngoko namamkelayo uKristu Yesu iNkosi, hambani kuye, 7néndelé nakhelwé kuye, naqiniswa ngokholo, njengoko nafundiswayo nafezeka kulo, ninombulelo.
8Lumkani, kungabikho bani unithimbayo ngayo intanda-bulumko, nangokulukuhla okungento yanto, ngokwesithethe sabantu, ngokweziqalelo zehlabathi, kungengokukaKristu. 9Ngokuba kuhleli kuye konke ukuzaliseka kobuThixo ngokomzimba; 10kanjalo nigqibelèle kuye, oyintloko yabo bonke ubulawuli negunya; 11enathi kuye nalùswa nokwalùswa ngolwaluko olungenakwenziwa ngazandla, ngako ukuhluba umzimba wenyama, ngalo ulwaluko lukaKristu; 12ningcwatywe naye elubhaptizweni; enathi nikuye, navuswa nokuvuswa naye, ngokukholwa kwenu kukusebenza kukaThixo, owamvusa kubo abafileyo.
13Nani, nífile nje ziziphoso nakukungaluki kwenyama yenu, unidlise ubomi ndawonye naye, enixolele zonke iziphoso. 14Ewucimile umbhalo wesandla owalana nathi, owawumelene nathi ngayo imimiselo, uwususile ke kanye, ngokuwubethelela emnqamlezweni; 15ebabhunyule obalawuli nomagunya, wabenza isibonelo ekuhleni, ememelela ngabo ekuwo umnqamlezo.
16Makungabikho mntu ngoko unigwebayo ngento edliwayo, nangento eselwayo, nangendawo yomthendeleko, nangenyanga ethwasileyo, nangeesabatha; 17ezisisithunzi sezinto eziza kuza; ke sona isiqu sesikaKristu. 18Makungabikho namnye unilahlekanisa nomvuzo wenu, ethanda ukwenjenjalo ngokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokunqula izithunywa zezulu, engena ezintweni angazibonanga, efumana wakhukhumaliswa yiyo ingqiqo yenyama yakhe, 19engabambe yona iNtloko, ekuphuma kuyo ukuthi umzimba wonke ukhule ngokukhulisa kukaThixo, uncedwa, ubandakanywa ngako konke ukuxhomekelelana kwamalungu nemisipha.
20Ukuba ngoko nafa noKristu, nakhululeka kuzo iziqalelo zehlabathi, yini na ukuba ningè nisadla ubomi ngokwabehlabathi, 21nimiselwe imimiselo (eyokuthi, Musa ukuphatha, musa ukungcamla, musa ukuchukumisa, 22kanti zonke ezi zinto zezonakaliswa kukudliwa), nenze ngokwemithetho neemfundiso zabantu? 23Okunene zizinto ezo ezidunyelwe bubulumko ngokunqula okuzithandelayo, nangokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokubandezela umzimba, kodwa kungengambeko yanelisa inyama.
