To The Word – Day 64

₁Kubhala mna Pawulos, *umthunywa kaYesu owamiselwa ngentando kaThixo, ndikunye nomwethu uTimoti. ₂Ndibhalela usapho lukaThixo, amawethu athembekileyo aseKolose, amanyene noKrestu. Ndithi: Ngamana uThixo uBawo wethu wanenzela isisa, aniphe uxolo.

₃Asinilibali emithandazweni yethu, singalibali nokumbulela uThixo uYise weNkosi yethu uYesu Krestu, ₄oko sevayo ngokukholwa nokuzinikela kwenu kuKrestu Yesu, nangokuluthanda kwenu usapho lukaThixo. ₅Ewe, siyayibulela loo nto ngenxa yedinga eninalo kwaThixo, enaqala ukuva ngalo ngodaba lwenyaniso. ₆Olu daba luvakala elizweni liphela, luvelisa iziqhamo, lunwenwe kanye ngale ndlela lenze ngayo naphakathi kwenu ukususela mhla neva naziqonda njengoko zinjalo izibele zikaThixo. ₇Le nto nayiva ngoEpafra, umncedisi wethu othandekayo, osisicaka esithembekileyo sikaKrestu ngenxa yenu. ₈Nathi ke usibalisele ngothando aniphe lona uMoya.

₉Ngenxa yeso sizathu ke, ukususela mhla seva ngani, asiphezi ukunithandazela. Siyamcela uThixo ukuba aniphe ukuyazi intando yakhe, nibe nabo bonke ubulumko nokuqonda okuvela kuMoya. ₁₀Ngoko ke niya kuba nako ukuziphatha ngendlela ethandekayo eNkosini, niyikholise ngeendlela zonke. Xa kunjalo ke ubomi benu buya kuqhama ziintlobo-ntlobo zemisebenzi elungileyo, nani nikhule ekumazini uThixo. ₁₁Wanga anganomeleza ngamandla akhe agqitha ukuqonda, ukuze nibe nako ukunyamezela ninomonde novuyo. ₁₂Bulelani kuBawo onenze nakufanela ukuba nenxaxheba kwilifa labantu bakhe ebuqaqawulini. ₁₃Wasihlangula egunyeni lobumnyama, waza wasifudusela ekulawulweni nguNyana wakhe oyintanda, ₁₄lo sifumene kuye inkululeko nokuxolelwa kwezono.

₂₁Benifudula ninxaxhile, kungekho buhlobo phakathi kwenu noThixo, ngenxa yemikhwa emibi enaniyenza, niyicinga nokuyicinga. ₂₂Kodwa ngoku uThixo udale ubuhlobo phakathi kwakhe nani ngokuphalala kwegazi likaKrestu, ukuze anisondeze ningabantu abanyuliweyo, ningenasiphako, nimsulwa phambi kwakhe. ₂₃Nani ke yithini ngcembe elukholweni, nimi ngxishi phezu kwesiseko senu, ningagungqiswa nto kwithemba eninalo ngenxa yeendaba ezimnandi. Zezi ndaba kanye ke uThixo andithume ukuba ndizivakalise, ezi zishunyayezwa uwonke-wonke phantsi kwelanga.

₂₄Kuyandonwabisa ukuhlupheka kwam ngenxa yenu. Kuba ngale ndlela ndithatha inxaxheba ngalo mzimba wam ubuthathaka ngokuzibandakanya neentlungu ezisilindeleyo zikaKrestu, ngenxa yomzimba wakhe, ibandla lakhe ke ukutsho. ₂₅Ndenziwe umlungiseleli webandla nguThixo ondinike olu xanduva ukuba ndiluthwale ngenxa yenu. Luxanduva lodaba lwakhe ekufuneke ndiluvakalise ngokupheleleyo. ₂₆Ndivakalisa loo mfihlelo yafihlwa mandulo kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana. Kodwa ke ngoku ityhilwe kubantu bakaThixo. ₂₇Yinjongo yakhe uThixo ukuyazisa kubantu bakhe le mfihlelo ixabiseke kunene, iqaqambileyo, ayilungiselele uluntu luphela. Yiyo le ke loo mfihlelo: uKrestu ungaphakathi kuni, ulithemba lewonga eniya kulifumana kuThixo. ₂₈Ngoko ke sishumayela uKrestu eluntwini. Silumkisa sifundise wonke ubani ngamava esinawo, khon' ukuze sibanikele kuThixo bonke ngabanye befezekile ngokumanywa noKrestu. ₂₉Ndibila ndisoma ukufeza olu xanduva, ndisebenza ngamandla endiwaphiwa nguKrestu ongaphakathi kum.

₁Ndifuna niyazi indlela endabulaleka nzima ngayo ngenxa yenu nabantu baseLawodike, kwanabo bangazanga bandibona ngamehlo. ₂Ndifuna bahlale bomelele, bemanyene ngothando, ukuze bafikelele ekuqinisekeni ngokupheleleyo ngengqondo, beyiqiqa imfihlelo kaThixo. Loo mfihlelo ke nguKrestu ngenkqu. ₃Nguye uvimba wendyebo kaThixo yobulumko nokuqonda.

₄Ndinixelela le nto nje, ndifuna ze ningalahlekiswa bani ngeentetho ezilahlekisayo, nokokuba zivakala kakuhle kangakanani na. ₅Nakuba ndingekho siqu apho, ndikho kodwa ngomoya, ndaye ndivuya kuba ndiyiphawule indlela enimi ngxishi ngayo, ningagungqi ekukholweni kuKrestu.

₆Ngoko ke, njengoko namamkelayo uKrestu Yesu iNkosi, hlalani nimanyene naye. ₇Iingcambu zenu mazendele, nakheke kuye, nomelele ngokomelela elukholweni njengoko nafundiswayo, niphuphume ngumbulelo.

₈Zilumkeleni, ningathatheki iingqondo yimilavuzo engaphethe nto, engasekelwanga ngoKrestu, esekelwe ngezithethe neemfundiso zabantu, nangamagunya alawula ehlabathini. ₉Kuba kaloku ubume bobomi bukaThixo bukho ngokupheleleyo kuKrestu ongumntu; ₁₀yaye ke nimanywe naye nje, niphiwe ubomi obupheleleyo. Kaloku yena yintloko: liphantsi kwakhe lonke igunya namandla.

₁₁Nakuba nimanyene naye naluswe ngolwaluko olungelulo olwabantu nje, kodwa olulolukaKrestu: lona kukukhululwa komntu kwigunya lesimo esidala. ₁₂Kaloku ekubhaptizweni kwenu nangcwatywa kunye naye, kwangokunjalo navuswa kunye naye ngokuzinikela kumandla kaThixo asebenzayo, yena wamvusayo uKrestu ekufeni. ₁₃Nangona nanifile ngenxa yeziphoso zenu, nto leyo icaciswa kukungaluki kwenu, uThixo univuse kunye noKrestu, waza wazixolela zonke izono zethu. ₁₄Usicime mpela isityholo setyala lethu lokwaphula imiqathango yomthetho. Incwadi leyo yesityholo uyisuse kwaphela, wayibethelela emnqamlezweni. ₁₅Uboyisile oomagunya nooziphathamandla, wabenza intlekisa esidlangalaleni, bekumngcelele wabathinjwa aboyisiweyo.

₁₆Ngoko ke makungabikho bani unixoxisayo ngento emaniyitye, okanye niyisele, nangemisitho yokuthwasa kwenyanga *neyoMhla wokuPhumla. ₁₇Ezi zinto zazisisithunzi nje sento eyayilindelekile – inkqu yayo nguKrestu. ₁₈Musani ke ukuqhathwa ngabantu abazenza bhetele, beqhayisa ngemibono nangentobeko ethile, benqula izithunywa zezulu. Abantu abanjalo bafumana bezingca nje, bebambelele ezintweni ezibonakalayo zengqondo yabo. ₁₉Baphuncukile kwintloko enguKrestu. Kanti ke umzimba namalungu nemisipha unxibelelana nentloko ukuze wondleke ubambene, ukhule ngendlela kaThixo.

₂₀Kaloku nafa kunye noKrestu, nakhululeka ekulawulweni ziimpembelelo zeli phakade. Ngani ke ukuba niziphathe ngokwabantu beli phakade? Kutheni ukuba nibe ngoothoba-sikutyele, niphulaphula nje xa kusithiwa: ₂₁“Sanukuyiphatha le, sanukuyingcamla leya, enye sanukuyichukumisa”? ₂₂Xa zizonke ezi zinto ziyonakala zakuba zisetyenzisiwe. Injalo ke imithetho neemfundiso zabantu. ₂₃Okunene le nkqubo yokuzenza ngcwele, nokuzicinezela, kunye nokungcungcuthekisa umzimba, ibonakala ngathi inobulumko, kodwa iyoyiswa kukulwa inkanuko yemvelo.

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.

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.

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.

₁Nina basemagunyeni, izicaka zenu ziphatheni kakuhle, ngobulungisa. Ze nikhumbule ukuba nani nineNkosi esezulwini.

₂Zingisani ukuthandaza, niphaphile, ninombulelo kuThixo. ₃Nam nindikhumbule emthandazweni, ukuze uThixo andivulele ithuba lokushumayela, ndivakalise udaba olungoKrestu obelukade lungaziwa mntu. Ndikhonkxiwe nje kaloku yiloo nto. ₄Ze nindithandazele ukuze ndiyithethe icace le mfihlelo, njengoko ndimelwe kukwenjenjalo.

₅Yilumkeleni indlela eniziphatha ngayo phambi kwabo bangakholwayo, nilisebenzise kakuhle ithuba eninalo. ₆Incoko yenu mayisoloko imnandi, inika umdla. Fundani ukucebisana kakuhle nomntu ngamnye enidibana naye.

₇Umwethu oyintanda, uTikiko okholekileyo, umncedi nogxa wam emsebenzini weNkosi, uza kunibalisela ngemeko yam apha. ₈Yiyo le nto ndimthumela kuni nje, ndifuna aze kunixelela ngempilo yethu, anivuselele. ₉Uza kuba ehamba no-Onesimo, ikholwa eliyintanda lakuni. Bonixelela ke zonke iindaba zalapha.

₁₀Uyanibulisa uAristarko ongumbanjwa kunye nam, kwanoMarko umzala kaBharnabha. (Beseniwufumene umyalezo ngaye, ngoko ke xa athe wafika mamkeleni azive esekhaya.) ₁₁NoYesu onguYusto uyabulisa. Ngâba kuphela kumakholwa amaJuda abândincedisáyo emsebenzini wokuvakalisa ulawulo lukaThixo. Futhi ke bayintuthuzelo kum. ₁₂Uyabulisa uEpafra, isicaka sikaKrestu Yesu, okwangowakuni. Uthe rhoqo ukunithandazela ukuba nime ningahexi, nikhule, nizinikele ngokupheleleyo ekwenzeni intando kaThixo. ₁₃Nam ndiyangqina ukuba akaphumli esebenzela nina nabaseLawodike nabantu baseHirapoli. ₁₄Nomhlobo wethu othandekayo ugqirha uLuka uyabulisa, ngokunjalo noDemas.

₁₅Ndibuliseleni kumawethu aseLawodike, nakuNimfa nebandla elo lihlanganela endlwini yakhe. ₁₆Xa seniyifundile le leta yigqithiseleni kwibandla laseLawodike, ifundwe nakhona. Ngokukwanjalo ke nani ze niyifunde laa leta yaseLawodike. ₁₇Gqithisani lo myalezo kuArkipo: “Nakanjani na, umsebenzi owawunikwa yiNkosi wenze ngokufezekileyo.”

₁₈Umbuliso lo ubhalwa ndim mna Pawulos. Khumbulani ukuba ndikhonkxiwe! Ubabalo lukaThixo malube nani.