1 KWABASEKORINTE 8

₁Ke ngoku malunga nokutyiwa kwenyama yedini elenzelwa *izithixo: Kakade sonke “sinolwazi,” njengoko kusitshiwo, kodwa olu “lwazi” lungenza ukuba umntu akhukhumale, kanti uthando lona luyakha. ₂Umntu oba unolwazi, okunene akakabi nalo ulwazi olululo. ₃Ke umntu omthandayo uThixo, uThixo unobudlelane naye.

₄Hee, mandithethe ke ngokumalunga nokutyiwa kwenyama yedini elenzelwa izithixo. Ewe, siyazi ukuba akukho nto isisithixo ehlabathini; siyazi nokuba mnye kuphela uThixo, akukho wumbi. ₅Kambe bakho ekuthiwa bangoothixo nokuba basezulwini okanye basehlabathini. Ewe, baninzi ababizwa ngokuthi “thixo” okanye ngokuthi “nkosi.” Nokuba kunjalo ke, ₆kuthi mnye uThixo. Yena nguThixo uYise owadala izinto zonke, esikholo yena thina. Inye kuthi neNkosi. Yona nguYesu Krestu, ezabakho ngaye zonke izinto, esikho ngaye nathi.

₇Kodwa oku akwaziwa ngabantu bonke. Abanye nangoku basenesazela ngezithixo. Bona ke, xa batya inyama yedini, bayitya ilidini, sithi ke isazela sabo esibuthathaka sibadle. ₈Kodwa asinako ukumkholisa uThixo ngento esiyityayo okanye esingayityiyo. Akukho nto iya kusilungela ngakuba singatyanga, kungekho nto iya kusonakalela ngakuba sityile.

₉Nakuba kunjalo ke lumkani, hleze ilungelo lenu lokutya nayiphi na inyama libe sisikhubekiso kwabo bangekakhululeki ezithetheni. ₁₀Kaloku xa athe wakubona umntu ongekakhululeki ezithetheni wena “unolwazi” usitya inyama endlwini yezithixo, akayi kusuka aye kuyitya naye, kodwa yena ayitye ilidini elenzelwe izithixo? ₁₁Ngaloo ndlela ke umwenu ongekakhululeki ncam, owafelwa nguKrestu, wotshabalala ngenxa “yolwazi” lwakho olo. ₁₂Kanti xa nisenjenjalo ukona amawenu ngokuwakhubekisa, nona uKrestu. ₁₃Ngenxa yale nto ke ndithi: Ukuba ukutya kuyamkhubekisa umwethu, andisayi kutya nyama naphakade, ukuze ndingamkhubekisi umwethu.