UPawulu ubaxwayisa ngokulunga okungokomuntu
1Elokugcina, bazalwane bami, thokozani eNkosini. Ukunilobela khona lokho angikwenqeni, kepha nina kuyanigcina.
2Xwayani izinja, nixwaye izisebenzi ezimbi, nixwaye abokusika. 3Ngokuba singukusoka thina esikhonza ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu, sizibonga kuKristu Jesu, singethembi enyameni, 4nakuba nami bengingaba nokwethemba enyameni. Uma omunye umuntu ecabanga ukuthi unokwethemba enyameni, mina kakhulu; 5ngasokwa ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili ngingowohlanga luka-Israyeli, owesizwe sakwaBenjamini, umHeberu wamaHeberu, ngokomthetho umFarisi; 6ngokokushisekela ngingowazingela ibandla, ngokokulunga okusemthethweni ngingongasolekiyo.
Ukulunga okukuKristu kuyinzuzo
7Kanti-ke lokho okwakuyinzuzo kimi ngakushaya indiva ngenxa kaKristu. 8Yebo impela, konke ngikushaya indiva ngobukhulu bokumazi uKristu Jesu iNkosi yami, engilahlekelwe yikho konke ngenxa yakhe, ngikushaya izibi, ukuze ngizuze uKristu, 9ngifunyanwe kuyena, ngingenakho ukulunga okungokwami okuya ngomthetho kodwa lokho okuya ngokukholwa nguKristu, ngisho ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngokukholwa, 10ukuze ngimazi yena, namandla okuvuka kwakhe, nokuhlanganyela ezinhluphekweni zakhe, ngimfuze ngokufa kwakhe, 11uma mhlawumbe ngingaze ngifinyelele ekuvukeni kwabafileyo, 12kungesikho ukuthi sengibambile nokuthi sengiphelelisiwe, kepha ngijonga ukuba kumbe ngingakubamba yini lokho nami engabanjelwa khona nguKristu Jesu. 13Bazalwane, angisho ukuthi mina uqobo sengikubambile; kepha kunye engikwenzayo: ngikhohlwa okungasemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili, 14ngijonge emgomeni, emklomelweni wokubizwa okukhulu kwaphezulu nguNkulunkulu kuJesu Kristu.
UPawulu ubaluleka ngokumlandela yena
15Ngakho-ke thina sonke esiphelele masibe nokuqonda okunjalo; kepha uma kokuthile niqonda ngokunye, nalokho uNkulunkulu uyakunambulela khona, 16kuphela ukuthi kwesesifinyelele kukho, sihambe ngawo lowo mkhondo.
17Ngilingiseni, bazalwane, nibabhekisise abahamba njengathi esiyisibonelo kini. 18Ngokuba abaningi, enganitshela kaningi ngabo namanje nginitshela nangezinyembezi, bahamba beyizitha zesiphambano sikaKristu, 19abakuphela kwabo ngukubhujiswa, abankulunkulu wabo yisisu, nodumo lwabo lusehlazweni labo, abangabanaka okomhlaba. 20Kepha thina singabombuso wasezulwini, lapho futhi silindela khona ukuba kuvele uMsindisi, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, 21oyakuguqula isimo somzimba wethu wokuthotshiswa, ufane nomzimba wakhe wenkazimulo, ngamandla angazihlelela ngawo konke phansi kwakhe.
