NgokukaMathewu 23

₁UJesu wakhuluma ezixukwini nakubafundi bakhe, ₂wathi: “Izazimthetho nabaFarisi bahleli esihlalweni sikaMose. ₃Ngakho-ke konke abanitshela khona kwenzeni, nikugcine, kodwa ningakwenzi abakwenzayo. Ngokuba bayakhuluma, kodwa bangakwenzi abakushoyo. ₄Babopha imithwalo enzima, bayibeke emahlombe abantu, kodwa bona abafuni ngisho ukuyithinta ngomunwe wabo.

₅“Yonke imisebenzi yabo bayenza ukuba babukwe ngabantu. Amabhande abo abawabopha ebunzini uma bekhuleka bawenza abe banzi, benze izinsephe ezinkulu. ₆Bathanda ukuhlala ezindaweni eziqavile emadilini, nasezihlalweni eziphambili emasinagogeni, ₇nokubingelelwa ezigcawini, nokubizwa ngabantu ngokuthi: ‘Rabi.’

₈“Kepha-ke nina maningabizwa ngokuthi: ‘Rabi,’ ngokuba munye umfundisi wenu, nina nonke ningabazalwane. ₉Ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi: ‘Baba,’ ngokuba munye uyihlo, osezulwini. ₁₀Futhi ningabizwa ngokuthi ningabaholi, ngokuba munye umholi wenu, nguKhristu. ₁₁Omkhulu kini makabe yisikhonzi senu. ₁₂Kepha yilowo nalowo oziphakamisayo uzakuthotshiswa, nalowo ozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.

₁₃“Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu! Nani aningeni, kodwa abangenayo anibavumeli ukuba bangene. ₁₄Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nidla izindlu zabafelokazi, nenze imikhuleko emide nizenzisa! Ngakho-ke niyakwemukeliswa ukulahlwa okukhulu.

₁₅“Maye, kinina zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba niwela ulwandle, nidabule amazwe ukuba nithole abe munye ophendukela enkolweni yenu, athi esephendukile, nimenze indodana yesihogo ngokuphindiwe kunani!

₁₆“Maye, kini baholi abayizimpumputhe, enithi: ‘Umuntu ofunga ithempeli akusho lutho lokho, kodwa lowo ofunga igolide lasethempelini uzibophile!’ ₁₇Ziwula, zimpumputhe, kanti yikuphi okukhulu phakathi kwegolide nethempeli elingcwelisa igolide na? ₁₈Nibuye nithi: ‘Yilowo ofunga i-althare akulutho lokho, kodwa ofunga umnikelo ophezu kwalo uzibophile.’

₁₉“Zimpumputhe, yikuphi okukhulu phakathi komnikelo ne-althare elingcwelisa umnikelo na? ₂₀Ngakho-ke ofunga i-althare, ufunga lona nakho konke okuphezu kwalo. ₂₁Ofunga ithempeli, ufunga lona nohleli kulo. ₂₂Nofunga izulu ufunga isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu, nohlezi phezu kwaso.

₂₃“Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba ninikela okweshumi kwesinkuntshane, nokwentshungu, nokodonqa, kodwa nikushaye indiva okudingwa ngumthetho: ubulungiswa, isihawu, nokukholwa! Benifanele ukwenza lokho, kodwa ningakuyeki nalokhu komthetho. ₂₄Baholi abayizimpumputhe, nikhetha impukane kwenikuphuzayo, kodwa ningwinye ikameli.

₂₅“Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nihlanza ingaphandle lenkezo nesitsha, kodwa ngaphakathi kugcwele impango nobugovu. ₂₆MFarisi oyimpumputhe, hlanza kuqala ingaphakathi lenkezo, ukuze kuhlanzeke nengaphandle layo.

₂₇“Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nifana namathuna acakiweyo, abonakala emahle ngaphandle kanti ngaphakathi agcwele amathambo abafileyo nokungcola konke! ₂₈Kanjalo nani; ingaphandle lenu libonakala kubantu lilungile, kanti ingaphakathi lenu ligcwele ukuzenzisa nobubi.

₂₉“Maye, kini zazimthetho nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nakha amaliba abaphrofethi, nihlobise amathuna abalungileyo! ₃₀Nithi: ‘Ukuba sasikhona emihleni yobaba, sasingayukuhlanganyela nabo ekuchitheni igazi labaphrofethi.’ ₃₁Ngakho-ke nizifakazela nina ukuthi ningamadodana alabo ababulala abaphrofethi. ₃₂Salani senikufeza lokhu okwaqalwa ngoyihlomkhulu.

₃₃“Zinyoka, nzalo yamabululu, niyakukubalekela kanjani ukulahlwa esihogweni na? ₃₄Ngalokho-ke bhekani, ngithumela kini abaphrofethi, abahlakaniphileyo nezazimthetho. Abanye niyakubabulala, abanye nibabethele, abanye nibashaye emasinagogeni enu, nibaxoshe imizi ngemizi. ₃₅Liyakubizwa kini lonke igazi labalungileyo elachithwa emhlabeni, kusukela egazini lika-Abela olungileyo, kuze kube kwelikaZakhariya indodana kaBharakiya, enambulala phakathi kwethempeli ne-althare. ₃₆Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: konke lokhu kuyakwehlela phezu kwalesi sizukulwane.

₃₇“Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaphrofethi, ubakhande ngamatshe labo abathunyelwe kuwe, kukaningi kangakanani ngilangazelela ukuqoqa abantwana bakho, ngibakhusele phansi kwamaphiko njengesikhukhukazi sikhusele amachwane aso phansi kwamaphiko aso, kodwa anivumanga. ₃₈Bhekani nje, indlu yenu enisele nayo, isisele dengwane. ₃₉Ngokuba ngithi kini: anisayukubuye ningibone, nize nithi: ‘Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.’ ”