1Njengoko kaloku navuswa kunye noKrestu, yibani nomdla kwizinto zasezulwini, apho akhoyo uKrestu, ehleli kwiwonga alinikwe nguThixo. 2Iingqondo zenu zimiliseleni kwizinto zaphezulu, kungabi kwizinto zalo mhlaba. 3Kaloku nafa; ngoko ke ubomi benu busafihlakele kunye noKrestu kuThixo. 4UKrestu bubomi benu; ngoko ke, akubonakaliswa yena, nani niya kubonakala ningoomaqhuzu kunye naye.
Ubomi obudala nobutsha
5Ngoko ke yitshitshiseni iphele kuni imikhwa yeli hlabathi: ukurheletya, ukungcola, ukutshiseka, iinkanuko, nokunyoluka okukwalunqulo-zithixo. 6Izimilo ezinje zizondwa yingqumbo kaThixo. 7Nani ke ngokuyâ naningekaguquki naniziphethe ngolu hlobo.
8Kodwa ke ngoku zilumleni kuzo zonke ezi zinto: ingqumbo, iphuku, ububi, ukuthuka, nokuthetha krwada. 9Ngoku nisilahlileyo isimo esidala sanukuxokisana. 10Kaloku ngoku nambethe isimo esitsha, athe chu kuhle ukusihlaziya uThixo, ukuze sifuze yena mdali waso, nokuze nani nimazi ngokupheleleyo. 11Apho ke akusekho mahluko phakathi komGrike nomJuda, owalukileyo nongalukanga, abangaphucukanga nabaphantsi, ikhoboka nokhululekileyo; kuba uKrestu uyinto yonke, ekubo bonke.
12Ningabantu bakaThixo abanyuliweyo abathandiweyo nina, abakhe ngenkqu. Ngoko ke nxibani ezifanele abakhe: inceba, ububele, ukuthobeka, ubulali, nomonde. 13Nyamezelanani, nixolelane. Ukuba omnye ukhalazela omnye xolelanani kwanjengokuba nayo iNkosi yanixolelayo.
14Ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezi zinto yongezani uthando, lona lubopha izinto zonke zibe yimbumba egqibeleleyo. 15Uxolo eniluphiwa nguKrestu malube lulo olugweba iintliziyo zenu, kuba uThixo wanibizela kolu xolo ukuze nibe ngamalungu omzimba omnye. Phuphumani ke ngumbulelo. 16Maluhlale ngokupheleleyo ezintliziyweni zenu udaba lukaKrestu. Fundisanani, niyalane ngobulali. Culani iindumiso, nihlabele amaculo, nivuma iingoma zoMoya, nibulela uThixo ngentliziyo. 17Nantoni na ke eniyenzayo, nokuba niyathetha, nokuba niyenza, yenzeleni egameni leNkosi uYesu, nibulela uThixo uYise ngayo.
Intlalo yosapho olungamaKrestu
18Nina makhosikazi, bathobeleni ngokuzinikela abayeni benu, kuba yimfanelo yenu yobuKrestu leyo.
19Nina madoda, bathandeni abafazi benu, ningabi ngqwabalala.
20Bantwana, bathobeleni abazali benu maxa onke, kuba yeyona nto iyikholisayo iNkosi leyo.
21Bazali, nina musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana bade bakruquke.
22Nina zicaka, bathobeleni abaphathi benu balapha emhlabeni kuzo zonke izinto. Thembekani emsebenzini naxa ningajongwanga; ewe, sebenzani ngokungathi nikhonza iNkosi ngenkqu, ningajonge kunconywa ngabantu. 23Nayiphi na into eniyenzayo yenzeni ngomxhelo ngokungathi niyenzela iNkosi, aniyenzeli bantu. 24Ze nikhumbule ukuba iNkosi iya kunivuza ngelifa eligcinele abantu bayo. Kaloku uKrestu yeyona Nkosi nikhonza yona. 25Kodwa yena umenzi wobubi uya kuvuzwa ngokwemisebenzi yakhe emibi; kuba uThixo ugweba wonke ubani engakhethi buso.
