NgokukaMathewu 18

₁Ngaleso sikhathi abafundi basondela kuJesu, bathi: “Ngubani omkhulu embusweni wezulu na?”

₂Wayesebiza umntwana, wammisa phakathi kwabo, ₃wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Uma ningaphenduki, nibe njengabantwana, anisoze nangena embusweni wezulu. ₄Ngakho-ke yilowo nalowo oyakuzithoba njengalo mntwana nguyena omkhulu embusweni wezulu. ₅Nalowo oyakwamukela umntwana onje abe munye ngegama lami uyangamukela mina. ₆Kodwa okhubekisa abe munye kulaba abancinyane abakholwa yimi, kungcono kuye ukuba itshe lokusila ligaxwe entanyeni yakhe, azikiswe ekujuleni kolwandle.

₇“Maye kulo izwe ngenxa yezikhubekiso! Ngokuba izikhubekiso zimelwe ukufika, kepha maye kumuntu esiza ngaye isikhubekiso! ₈Kepha uma isandla sakho sikukhubekisa, kumbe unyawo lwakho, kunqume, ukulahle; kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini noma unyonga kunokuba uphonswe emlilweni ophakade unezandla zombili nezinyawo zombili. ₉Noma iso lakho likukhubekisa, likhiphe, ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uneso linye kunokuba uphonswe esihogweni somlilo unamehlo omabili. ₁₀Bhekani ningadeleli namunye kulaba abancinyane, ngokuba ngithi kini: Izingelosi zabo ezulwini zibona njalo ubuso bukaBaba osezulwini. ₁₁Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu ize ukusindisa okulahlekileyo.

₁₂“Nithini na? Uma umuntu enezimvu eziyikhulu, kuduke enye kuzo, akazishiyi ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ezintabeni, ahambe ayofuna edukileyo, na? ₁₃Athi uma eyithola, ngiqinisile ngithi kini, uthokoza ngayo kakhulu kunangezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ezingadukanga. ₁₄Kanjalo akusiyo intando kaYihlo osezulwini ukuba kubhubhe noyedwa kulaba abancinyane.

₁₅“Kepha uma umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole ninodwa naye. Uma ekuzwa, woba umzuzile umfowenu. ₁₆Kodwa uma engakuzwa, thatha futhi abe munye noma bebabili kanye nawe ukuba onke amazwi aqiniswe ngomlomo wawofakazi ababili noma abathathu. ₁₇Uma enqaba ukubezwa, tshela ibandla; uma enqaba ukuzwa nalo ibandla, makabe kuwe njengowezizwe nomthelisi.

₁₈“Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke eniyakukubopha emhlabeni koba kuboshiwe ezulwini, nakho konke eniyakukukhulula emhlabeni koba kukhululiwe ezulwini.

₁₉“Futhi ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Uma ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana noma ngaluphi udaba abalucelayo, bayakulwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini. ₂₀Ngokuba lapho kubuthene ababili noma abathathu egameni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.”

₂₁Khona kwasondela uPetru, wathi kuye: “Nkosi, umfowethu uyakungona kangaki, ngimthethelela, na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”

₂₂UJesu wathi kuye: “Angisho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube kasikhombisa kodwa kuze kube kamashumi ayisikhombisa aphindwe kasikhombisa.

₂₃“Ngalokho umbuso wezulu ufaniswa nomuntu oyinkosi obethanda ukubalisana nezinceku zakhe. ₂₄Kwathi eseqale ukubala, kwalethwa kuye enye enecala lamatalenta* ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi. ₂₅Kepha ingenalutho lokukhokha, inkosi yayala ukuba kuthengiswe ngayo, nangomkayo, nangabantabayo, nangakho konke enakho, kukhokhwe. ₂₆Ngalokho inceku yawa phansi, yakhuleka kuyo, yathi: ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakukukhokhela konke.’ ₂₇Inkosi yaleyo nceku inesihe yayikhulula, yayithethelela icala.

₂₈“Kepha kwathi isiphuma leyo nceku, yafumana enye yezinceku ezikanye nayo enecala kuyo lawodenariyu* abayikhulu, yayibamba, yayiklinya, yathi: ‘Khokha icala lakho.’

₂₉“Khona inceku ekanye nayo yawa phansi, yayincenga yathi: ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakukukhokhela.’ ₃₀Kepha ayivumanga, kodwa yahamba, yayifaka etilongweni, ize ilikhokhe lelo cala.

₃₁“Izinceku ezikanye nayo zathi ukubona okwenzekileyo, zadabuka kakhulu, zaya zabika enkosini yazo konke okwenzekileyo. ₃₂Khona inkosi yayo yayibiza, yathi kuyo: ‘Nceku embi, lonke lelo cala ngikuthethelele lona ngokuba wangincenga; ₃₃nga ungayihawukelanga yini inceku ekanye nawe, njengokuba nami ngikuhawukele, na?’ ₃₄Inkosi yayo yathukuthela, yayinikela kubaphathi betilongo, ize ikhokhe lonke icala layo.

₃₅“Kanjalo naye uBaba osezulwini uyakwenza kini, uma ningathetheleli ngezinhliziyo zenu kube yilowo nalowo umfowabo.”