KWEBEFILIPI 3

₁Kokugcina bazalwana, thabani eKosini. Ukubuyelela ukunitlolela ebenginitlolele khona phambilini akungikhathazi, kodwana kukulondeka kini. ₂Yelelani izinja, niyelele iinsebenzi ezimbi, yelelani labo ababacwiyi. ₃Ngithi esisokileko, iye, thina esilotjha ngoMoya kaZimu. Sizikhakhazisa ngoKrestu Jesu, asinathemba enyameni, ₄nanyana nami nginazo iinzathu zokuba nethemba enyameni. Nakube kukhona odlumbana bona uneenzathu zokwethembela enyameni, zami-ke zingaphezulu. ₅Ngasokwa elangeni lobunane, ngililunga lesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, ekorweni yakwaBhenjamini, ngimHebheru obelethwe maHebheru; ngehlangothini lomthetho khona ngimFarisi. ₆Ngokokutjhisekela, ngingowazumana nebandla, nakukulungisiswa ngokomthetho, ngimsulwa. ₇Kodwana koke ebengikubala njengenzuzo, namhlanjesi sengikuthatha njengokulahlekelwa ngebanga lakaKrestu. ₈Ngaphezu kwalapho, ngithatha koke njengokulahlekelwa ngebanga lokuqakatheka okukhulu kokwazana noKrestu Jesu iKosami. Ngebanga lakhe ngilahlekelwe ngikho koke, yeke koke lokho ngikuthatha njengeenzibi ukuze ngizuze uKrestu, ₉ngifunyanwe ngimunye naye. Angisenakho ukulunga okungekwami okuvela emthethweni kodwana okuvela ngokukholwa kuKrestu, okukulunga okuvela kuZimu nokudzimelele ekukholweni. ₁₀Ngifuna ukwazi uKrestu namandla wokuvuka kwakhe ekufeni kanye nokuhlanganyela ekuhluphekeni kwakhe ngokuba njengaye ekufeni kwakhe, ₁₁nakube ngingahle ngifikelele ekuvusweni kwabafileko.

₁₂Ingasi bona sele ngikufumene lokho namkha sele ngifikile emnqopheni, kodwana ngihlabela phambili kobana ngikwenze kube ngekwami ngombana uKrestu Jesu ungenze ngaba ngewakhe. ₁₃Bazalwana angitjho bona sengikuzuzile lokho, kodwana yinye into engiyenzako: Ngikhohlwa okungemva kwami, ngihlabele phambili ngamandla kilokho okuphambi kwami. ₁₄Yeke ngihlabela phambili nginqophe esiphethweni kobana ngizuze umvuzo wokubizwa kwezulwini okungekwakaZimu ngoKrestu Jesu.

₁₅Akuthi soke-ke thina esesikhulile eKosini sibe nomkhumbulo onjalo. Yeke nakube nicabanga ngokwahlukileko ngananyana yini, nalokho uZimu uzanambululela khona. ₁₆Kwaphela asibambeleleni kilokho esele sinakho.

₁₇Bazalwana, hlanganyelani nabanye ekulandeleni isibonelo sami, niqale labo abaphila ngokwesibonelo esanibonisa sona. ₁₈Abanengi njengombana ngakhe nganitjela ngabo phambilini, nanje engisanitjela ngabo ngeenyembezi, baphila njengezitha zesiphambano sakaKrestu. ₁₉Isiphetho sabo kubhujiswa; uzimabo sisisu nedumo labo lisemanyalenabo, imikhumbulwabo inamathele ezintweni zephasi. ₂₀Kodwana thina ikhaya lethu lisezulwini, lapha silindele khona uMsindisi, iKosi uJesu Krestu. ₂₁Uzakutjhugulula imizimba yethu ethobekileko ukuze ifane nomzimba wephazimulwakhe ngamandla amenza akghone ukwenza koke bona kube ngaphasi kwelawulo lakhe.