To The Word – Day 136

₁UPawulu, umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu noKristu Jesu ithemba lethu, ₂kuThimothewu, umntanami ngesiminya ekukholweni: Makube kuwe umusa, nesihawu, nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba nakuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.

₃Njengokuba ngakutshela mhla ngiya eMakedoniya ukuthi wohlala e-Efesu, ukuze uyale abathile ngokuthi bangafundisi okwahlukileyo, ₄futhi banganaki izinganekwane nezindaba zolibo olokuzalana ezingapheliyo, ezibanga ukuphikisana kunokuba ziqhube isimiso sikaNkulunkulu esisekukholweni, ngenza njalo namanje; ₅kepha umgomo womyalo uluthando oluvela enhliziyweni emhlophe, nakunembeza omuhle, nasekukholweni okungazenzisiyo, ₆abathe abanye bephaphalazile kulokho, baphambukela ekukhulumeni okuyize, ₇befuna ukuba babe ngabafundisi bomthetho, ingani kabaqondi abakushoyo nabaqinisa ngakho begomela.

₈Siyazi kambe ukuthi umthetho muhle, nxa umuntu ewusebenzisa ngokomthetho, ₉ekwazi lokhu ukuthi umthetho awumiselwe olungileyo, umiselwe abangenamthetho namahlongandlebe, abangamesabi uNkulunkulu nabayizoni abahlazisayo nabadumazayo, nababulali bawonina, nababulala abantu, ₁₀nezifebe, nabesilisa abalalanayo, nabathumbabantu, nabaqambimanga, nabafungela amanga, noma kungakhona okunye okuphambene nesifundiso esiphilileyo, ₁₁ngokwevangeli lenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu obongekayo, engaphathiswa lona mina.

₁₂Ngiyambonga owangenzela amandla, uKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu, ngokuba wathi ngikholekile, engimisa enkonzweni, ₁₃noma kade ngingohlambalazayo, nozingelayo, nohluphayo; kodwa ngahawukelwa ngokuba ngakwenza ngokungazi, ngokungakholwa. ₁₄Kepha umusa weNkosi yethu wavama kakhulu kanye nokukholwa nothando olukuKristu Jesu.

₁₅Likholekile leli zwi, lifanele impela ukwamukelwa ukuthi uKristu Jesu weza ezweni ukusindisa izoni, engingesikhulu kuzo; ₁₆kepha ngahawukelwa ngalokhu ukuze uJesu Kristu abonakalise kimi engingesikhulu konke ukubekezela kwakhe, ngibe yisibonelo kwabazakukholwa nguye, baze babe nokuphila okuphakade. ₁₇Kuyo iNkosi yaphakade engabhubhiyo, engenakubonwa, uNkulunkulu yedwa, makube ludumo nenkazimulo kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen.

₁₈Lo myalo ngiwuthwesa wena mntanami Thimothewu njengeziprofetho ezandulelayo ngawe, ukuze ulwe ukulwa okuhle ngazo, ₁₉unokukholwa nonembeza omuhle, okuthe abanye bekulahlile, bafelwa umkhumbi wokukholwa, ₂₀abakubona oHimenewu no-Aleksandru engibanikele kuSathane, ukuze balaywe ukuba bangahlambalazi.

₁Ngakho-ke kuqala kukho konke ngiyala ukuba ukunxusa, nokukhuleka, nokucela, nokubonga kwenzelwe abantu bonke, ₂amakhosi nabo bonke abakhulu, ukuze sihlale kahle nangokuthula, ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu nangesizotha esipheleleyo. ₃Lokhu kuhle, kuyabongeka emehlweni kaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu ₄othanda ukuba abantu bonke basindiswe, bafinyelele ekulazini iqiniso. ₅Ngokuba munye uNkulunkulu, munye nomlamuleli phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, umuntu uKristu Jesu, ₆owazinikela abe yinhlawulo yabo bonke, kube ngubufakazi besikhathi esiyiso, ₇engamiselwa khona mina ukuba ngibe ngummemezeli nomphostoli – ngikhuluma iqiniso, angiqambi amanga – yebo, umfundisi wabezizwe ekukholweni naseqinisweni.

₈Ngalokho ngithanda ukuba amadoda akhuleke ezindaweni zonke, ephakamisa izandla ezingcwele, engenalulaka nokuphikisana.

₉Ngokunjalo nabesifazane mabagqoke izingubo ezifaneleyo, bazihlobise ngokuhlonipha nokuqonda, kungabi ngezinwele ezalukiweyo, nangegolide, nangamaparele,* nangezambatho ezinemali eningi, ₁₀kepha njengokufanele abesifazane abashoyo ukuthi besaba uNkulunkulu bahlobe ngemisebenzi emihle.

₁₁Owesifazane makafunde ukuthula nokuthobeka konke. ₁₂Kepha angimvumeli owesifazane ukuba afundise, nokuba abuse phezu kwendoda; kodwa makazithulele. ₁₃Ngokuba u-Adamu wabunjwa kuqala, emva kwalokho u-Eva. ₁₄Futhi u-Adamu kakhohliswanga, kepha owesifazane wathi ekhohlisiwe, waphambuka; ₁₅kepha uyakusindiswa ngokuzala abantwana, uma behlala ekukholweni nasothandweni nasebungcweleni kanye nokuqonda.

₁Likholekile leli zwi elithi: Uma umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, unxanela umsebenzi omuhle. ₂Ngakho umbonisi umelwe abe ngongasolekiyo, indoda emfazi munye, abe ngozikhuzayo, oqondileyo, oziphatha ngokufaneleyo, ongenisa izihambi, onesu lokufundisa, ₃ongesilo ixhwele lewayini, ongesiso isilwi, kepha omnene, ongaxabaniyo, onganxaneli imali, ₄ophatha kahle indlu yakhe, abantwana bakhe bemthobela ngenhlonipho yonke – ₅kepha uma umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaliphatha kanjani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na? – ₆angabi ngosanda kukholwa, funa ngokukhukhumala ayele ekulahlweni kukaSathane. ₇Kumelwe futhi ukuba abe nobufakazi obuhle kwabangaphandle, funa ayele esihlambeni nasesihibeni sikaSathane.

₈Ngokunjalo namadiyakoni* kufanele abe nesizotha, angabi ndimimbili, angabi ngabanaka kakhulu iwayini, angahaheli inzuzo embi, ₉ephethe imfihlakalo yokukholwa kunembeza omhlophe. ₁₀Nalabo mabaqale bahlolwe, andukuba babe ngamadiyakoni, uma bengasoleki.

₁₁Ngokunjalo nabesifazane mababe nesizotha, abangahlebi, abazithibayo, abathembekayo ezintweni zonke.

₁₂Amadiyakoni mawabe ngamadoda amfazi munye, abusa kahle abantwana bawo nemizi yawo. ₁₃Ngokuba amadiyakoni akhonze kahle azizuzela ukuma kahle nesibindi esikhulu ekukholweni okukuKristu Jesu.

₁₄Lokhu ngikulobela khona ngithemba ukuza kuwe masinyane; ₁₅kepha uma ngilibala, khona uyakwazi ukuthi kumelwe ukuba abantu bahambe kanjani endlini kaNkulunkulu eyibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nesisekelo seqiniso. ₁₆Kuvunyiwe ukuthi inkulu imfihlakalo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu yokuthi:

₁Kepha uMoya usho ngokuchachileyo ukuthi ngezikhathi zokugcina abanye bayakuhlubuka ekukholweni, benaka omoya abadukisayo nezifundiso zamademoni, ₂ngokuzenzisa kwabaqamba amanga abashiswe uphawu kunembeza wabo, ₃benqabela ukuganana, bethi akuzilwe ukudla akudalayo uNkulunkulu ukuba kwamukelwe ngokubonga yibo abakholwayo nabalaziyo iqiniso. ₄Ngokuba konke okudalwe nguNkulunkulu kuhle; akulahlwa lutho, uma kwamukelwa ngokubonga, ₅ngokuba kungcweliswa ngezwi likaNkulunkulu nomkhuleko.

₆Nxa ubeka lezo zinto kubazalwane, uyakuba yisikhonzi esihle sikaKristu Jesu, wondliwa ngamazwi okukholwa nesifundiso esihle osilandeleyo; ₇kepha wale izinganekwane ezingcolileyo nezezalukazi. Kepha zijwayeze ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu. ₈Ngokuba ukujwayeza umzimba kusiza ingcosana, kepha ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kusiza ezintweni zonke, kunesithembiso salokhu kuphila nalokho okuzayo.

₉Likholekile leli zwi, lifanele impela ukwamukelwa, ₁₀ngokuba sikhandlekela lokho, siyashikashikeka, ngokuba sithembele kuNkulunkulu ophilayo onguMsindisi wabantu bonke, ikakhulu wabakholwayo.

₁₁Woyala ngalezo zinto, ufundise ngazo.

₁₂Makungabikho muntu odelela ubusha bakho, kepha yiba yisibonelo kwabakholwayo ngezwi, nangenkambo, nangothando, nangokukholwa, nangokuhlanzeka. ₁₃Nakekela ukufunda, nokuyala, nokufundisa, ngize ngifike. ₁₄Ungasidebeseli isiphiwo esikuwe, owasiphiwa ngezwi lokuprofetha nangokubekwa izandla ngamalunga.

₁₅Nakekela lezo zinto, ume kuzo, ukuze ukuqhubeka kwakho kuqhame kubo bonke. ₁₆Ziqaphele wena kanye nesifundiso, ume kulezo zinto; ngokuba ngokwenza lokho uyakuzisindisa wena nabakuzwayo.

₁Ungayikhaci indoda endala, kodwa yiyale njengoyihlo, namadoda amasha njengabafowenu, ₂abesifazane abadala njengawonyoko, nabesifazane abasha njengawodadewenu ngenhlanzeko epheleleyo.

₃Yazisa abafelokazi abangabafelokazi ngoqobo. ₄Kepha uma umfelokazi enabantwana noma enabazukulwane, labo-ke mabafunde kuqala ukuhlonipha indlu yakwabo, babuyisele okufaneleyo kubazali babo, ngokuba kuyabongeka lokho phambi kukaNkulunkulu. ₅Lowo ongumfelokazi ngoqobo osele eyedwa uthembele kuNkulunkulu, uhlala ekunxuseni nasekukhulekeni ubusuku nemini, ₆kepha lowo ozinikela ekutamaseni ufile esekhona. ₇Yala ngalezo zinto, ukuze bangabi nokusoleka. ₈Kepha-ke uma umuntu engabondli abakubo, kakhulu abakwakhe, ukulahlile ukukholwa, mubi kunongakholwayo.

₉Makangafakwa esibalweni umfelokazi, uma engaphansi kweminyaka engamashumi ayisithupha, owabe ngumfazi wendoda inye, ₁₀ebongwa ngemisebenzi emihle, uma ondlile abantwana, uma engenisile izihambi, uma egezile izinyawo zabangcwele, uma esizile abahluphekayo, uma ekhuthalele umsebenzi wonke omuhle.

₁₁Kepha abafelokazi abasha ubenqabe; ngokuba uma sebetamasile bedela uKristu, bafuna ukugana; ₁₂banokulahlwa, ngokuba bechithile ukukholwa kwabo kokuqala. ₁₃Futhi-ke bafunda nokuvilapha, bezula izindlu ngezindlu, bengavilaphi kuphela, kepha behleba, bezigaxa ngokungekwabo, bekhuluma okungafanele. ₁₄Ngakho-ke ngithanda ukuba abafelokazi abasha bagane, bazale abantwana, baphathe indlu yabo, bangasiniki isitha ithuba lokuthuka. ₁₅Ngokuba nakalokhu abanye sebechezukele kuSathane.

₁₆Uma owesifazane okholwayo enabafelokazi, makabasize, ibandla lingasindwa, ukuze lisize abafelokazi boqobo.

₁₇Amalunga aphatha kahle akuthiwe afanele ukutuswa ngokuphindiweyo, ikakhulu lawo akhuthalela izwi nokufundisa. ₁₈Ngokuba umbhalo uthi: “Ungayifaki isifonyo inkabi ebhulayo,” futhi: “Isisebenzi siyifanele inkokhelo yaso.”

₁₉Icala eliqondene nelunga ungalemukeli, kungekho ofakazi ababili noma abathathu. ₂₀Abonayo ubasole phambi kwabo bonke, ukuze nabanye besabe.

₂₁Ngiyaqinisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu noKristu Jesu nezingelosi ezikhethiweyo ukuba ulonde lezo zinto ngokungazinqumeli, ungenzi lutho ngokukhetha.

₂₂Ungasheshi ubeke izandla noma kubani, futhi ungahlanganyeli izono zabanye, uzigcine ube mhlophe.

₂₃Ungabe usaphuza amanzi odwa, kepha phuza iwayini eliyingcosana ngenxa yesisu sakho nobuthakathaka bakho obuvamileyo.

₂₄Izono zabanye abantu zisobala, zibandulela ekwahlulelweni; kepha abanye ziyabalandela. ₂₅Ngokunjalo nemisebenzi emihle isobala; naleyo engenjalo ingesitheke.

₁Bonke abayizigqila phansi kwejoka mabathi abanumzane babo bafanele ukutuswa impela, ukuze igama likaNkulunkulu nesifundiso kungahlanjalazwa. ₂Abanabanumzane abakholwayo bangabadeleli, ngokuba bengabazalwane, kodwa kube yikhona bebakhonza kakhulu, ngokuba bengabakholwayo nabathandekayo labo abasizakala ngomsebenzi wabo.

Wofundisa lezo zinto, uyale ngazo.

₃Uma kukhona umuntu ofundisa okwahlukileyo, engawalandeli amazwi aphilileyo eNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu nesifundiso esiya ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu, ₄ukhukhumele lowo engaqondi lutho, kumphethe ukubuzana nokuphikisana ngamazwi okuvela kukho umhawu, nombango, nokuhlambalaza, nokuzindla okubi, ₅nokuxabana kwabantu abangqondo yabo yonakele, abamukwe iqiniso, bethi ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kuyindlela yenzuzo.

₆Yebo, ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kanye nokwaneliswa kuyinzuzo enkulu, ₇ngokuba asilethanga lutho ezweni; kusobala ukuthi singemuke nalutho futhi; ₈kepha uma sinokudla nezambatho, asaneliswe yikho. ₉Kepha abafuna ukuceba bayela ekulingweni, nasesihibeni, nasezinkanukweni eziningi zobuwula ezilimazayo, ezishonisa abantu ekufeni nasekubhujisweni. ₁₀Ngokuba ukuthanda imali kuyimpande yakho konke okubi; abanye ngokuyifisa badukelwa ukukholwa, bazigwaza ngeminjunju eminingi.

₁₁Kepha wena muntu kaNkulunkulu, balekela lezo zinto; jonga ukulunga, nokumesaba uNkulunkulu, nokukholwa, nothando, nokubekezela, nobumnene. ₁₂Yilwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa, ubambelele ekuphileni okuphakade owabizelwa kukho, wavuma ukuvuma okuhle phambi kofakazi abaningi. ₁₃Ngiyakuyala phambi kukaNkulunkulu ophilisa konke, naphambi kukaKristu Jesu owavuma ukuvuma okuhle phambi kukaPontiyu Pilatu, ₁₄ukuba ugcine umyalo ungenabala, ungenakusoleka, kuze kube sekubonakaleni kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ₁₅ayakukubonakalisa ngezikhathi zakhe uSomandla obongekayo, oyedwa, iNkosi yamakhosi, uMbusi wababusi, ₁₆yena yedwa onokungafi, ehlala ekukhanyeni okungenakusondelwa kukho, ongazange abonwe muntu, nongebonwe; makube kuye udumo namandla aphakade. Amen.

₁₇Yala abacebileyo kuleli zwe lamanje ngokuthi bangakhukhumali, bangathembeli engcebeni engemiyo, kepha mabathembele kuNkulunkulu osicebisa ngakho konke, sithokoze ngakho, ₁₈benze okuhle, bacebe ngemisebenzi emihle, baphane, babelane, ₁₉bezibekelela isisekelo esihle sesikhathi esizayo, ukuze babambe ukuphila okuyikho.

₂₀Thimothewu, londa kahle okubekiweyo kuwe, ugweme ukukhuluma okuyize nokuphikisana kwalokho okuthiwa ukwazi kungesikho, ₂₁okuthi abanye bekuvuma, baduka ekukholweni.

Umusa mawube nani.