To The Word – Day 14

₁Ngokuba angithandi, bazalwane, ukuba ningazi ukuthi okhokho bethu bonke babephansi kwefu, bonke badabula ulwandle; ₂bonke baphapathizwa kuMose efwini naselwandle; ₃bonke badla kudla kunye komoya; ₄bonke baphuza kuphuza kunye komoya; ngokuba baphuza edwaleni lomoya elabalandelayo. Idwala lelo lalinguKristu. ₅Kepha iningi labo uNkulunkulu wayengathokozi ngabo; ngokuba bashaywa phansi ehlane.

₆Kepha lokho kwaba yizibonelo kithi, size singafisi okubi, njengalokho bona babekufisa. ₇Futhi ningabi ngabakhonza izithombe njengabanye kubo, njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: “Abantu bahlala phansi ukuba badle, baphuze, basukuma ukuba badlale.” ₈Futhi asingenzi ubufebe njengokuba abanye kubo benza ubufebe, bafa ngalusuku lunye abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nantathu. ₉Futhi asingayilingi iNkosi njengabanye kubo bayilinga, babhujiswa yizinyoka. ₁₀Futhi ningakhononi njengabanye kubo bakhonona, babhujiswa ngumbulali.

₁₁Kepha lezo zinto zabehlela bona kube yisibonelo; kulotshelwe ukusiyala thina, osekufikile kithi ukugcina kwezikhathi. ₁₂Ngakho-ke osuka ethi umi, akaqaphele ukuba angawi. ₁₃Anifikelwanga ukulingwa okungenjengokwabantu; kepha uNkulunkulu uthembekile, ongayikuvuma ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwamandla enu, kepha oyakuthi kanye nokulingwa anenzele indlela yokuphepha, nize nibe namandla okukuthwala.

₁₄Ngalokho-ke, bathandwa bami, kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe. ₁₅Ngikhuluma njengakwabahlakaniphileyo; qondani engikushoyo. ₁₆Isitsha sesibusiso esisibusisayo asiyiyo inhlanganyelo yegazi likaKristu na? Isinkwa esisihlephulayo asiyiyo inhlanganyelo yomzimba kaKristu na? ₁₇Ngokuba isinkwa sisinye, thina esibaningi singumzimba munye, lokhu thina sonke sihlanganyela leso sinkwa sinye. ₁₈Bhekani u-Israyeli ngokwenyama. Abadla imihlatshelo abasibo abahlanganyela ne-altare na? ₁₉Ngakho ngithini pho? Ngithi okuhlatshelwe isithombe kuyinto na? nokuthi isithombe siyinto na? ₂₀Kodwa ngithi: Lokho okuhlatshwa ngabezizwe bakuhlabela amademoni, kabakuhlabeli uNkulunkulu. Kepha angithandi ukuba nibe nenhlanganyelo namademoni. ₂₁Ningesiphuze isitsha seNkosi kanye nesitsha samademoni; ningelihlanganyele itafula leNkosi kanye netafula lamademoni. ₂₂Kumbe siyayivusela iNkosi ulaka na? Kanti sinamandla kunayo na?

₂₃Kuvunyelwe konke, kodwa akusizi konke; kuvunyelwe konke, kodwa akwakhi konke. ₂₄Akungabikho ozifunela okwakhe, kodwa akube yilowo nalowo afunele omunye. ₂₅Konke okuthengiswa esilaheni* kudleni, ningahloli lutho ngenxa kanembeza, ₂₆ngokuba umhlaba ungoweNkosi, nakho konke okukuwo. ₂₇Uma omunye kwabangakholwayo enimema, nithanda ukuya, kudleni konke okubekwa phambi kwenu, ningabuzi lutho ngenxa kanembeza. ₂₈Kepha uma umuntu ethi kini: “Lokhu kuhlatshelwe izithombe,” ningakudli ngenxa yalowo okushiloyo nangenxa kanembeza, ₂₉kangisho owakho unembeza, ngisho owalowo omunye. Ngokuba yini ukuba inkululeko yami yahlulwe ngunembeza womunye na? ₃₀Uma ngidla ngokubonga, ngihlanjalazelwani ngalokho engikubongayo na? ₃₁Ngakho-ke noma nidla, noma niphuza, noma nenzani, konke kwenzeleni udumo lukaNkulunkulu. ₃₂Ningakhubekisi nabaJuda, namaGreki, nabandla likaNkulunkulu, ₃₃njengokuba nami ngithokozisa bonke ngakho konke, ngingafuni okungisiza mina kodwa okusiza abaningi, ukuze basindiswe.

₁Umpristi omkhulu wayesethi: “Nembala lokhu kunjalo na?”

₂Yena wathi: “Madoda, bazalwane, nani bobaba, lalelani. UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo wabonakala kubaba u-Abrahama eseMesopotamiya, engakakhi eHarana, ₃wathi kuye: ‘Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho, uye ezweni engizakukukhombisa lona.’

₄“Khona waphuma ezweni lamaKaledi, waya wakha eHarana. Kwathi esefile uyise, uNkulunkulu wamsusa lapho, wamhlalisa kuleli zwe enakhe kulo nina manje. ₅Kepha akamnikanga ifa kulo, ngisho nelingangonyawo, wathembisa kodwa ukuthi uzakumnika lona libe ngelakhe nelenzalo yakhe emva kwakhe, engakabi namntwana. ₆UNkulunkulu wakhuluma kanje, wathi: ‘Inzalo yakhe izakuba ngumfokazi ezweni lezizwe; bayakuyenza izigqila, bayiphathe kabi iminyaka engamakhulu amane. ₇Kepha leso sizwe abayakuba yizigqila kuso ngiyakusahlulela mina, washo uNkulunkulu, andukuba baphume, bangikhonze kule ndawo.’ ₈Wayesemnika isivumelwano sokusoka; kanjalo-ke wazala u-Isaka, wamsoka ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili; u-Isaka wazala uJakobe, uJakobe wazala okhokho abayishumi nambili.

₉“Okhokho baba nomhawu ngoJosefa, bathengisa ngaye, wasiwa eGibithe; kodwa uNkulunkulu wayenaye, ₁₀wamkhipha kuzo zonke izinhlupheko zakhe, wamupha umusa nokuhlakanipha phambi kukaFaro inkosi yaseGibithe; yena wammisa abe ngumbusi eGibithe nakuyo yonke indlu yakhe.

₁₁“Kepha kwafika indlala kulo lonke iGibithe nakwaKhanani, nokuhlupheka okukhulu; obaba kabafumana ukudla. ₁₂UJakobe esezwile ukuthi kukhona ukudla eGibithe, wathuma obaba ngokokuqala; ₁₃kwathi ngokwesibili uJosefa waziwa ngabafowabo; kwabonakala kuFaro isizwe sakubo kaJosefa. ₁₄UJosefa wayesethumela wabiza uJakobe uyise nabakubo bonke, abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu. ₁₅UJakobe wehlela eGibithe; wafa yena nawobaba. ₁₆Bayiswa eSikemi, babekwa ethuneni alithenga u-Abrahama ngenani lesiliva kumadodana kaHamori eSikemi.

₁₇“Kepha sesisondele isikhathi sesithembiso uNkulunkulu asisho ku-Abrahama, banda abantu, baba baningi eGibithe, ₁₈kwaze kwavela enye inkosi eGibithe ebingamazi uJosefa. ₁₉Yona yasiphatha ngobuqili isizwe sakithi, yabahlupha obaba ngokubalahlisa izingane zabo zingaphili.

₂₀“Ngaleso sikhathi kwazalwa uMose, waba muhle kuNkulunkulu; wondliwa izinyanga ezintathu endlini kayise; ₂₁eselahliwe, indodakazi kaFaro yamthola, yazondlela yena ukuba abe yindodana yayo. ₂₂UMose wafundiswa ukuhlakanipha konke kwabaseGibithe; waba namandla ngamazwi nangemisebenzi yakhe.

₂₃“Kuthe eseneminyaka engamashumi amane ezelwe, kwafika enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba abamele abafowabo, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli. ₂₄Wabona umuntu ephathwa kabi, wamvikela, wamphindisela ohlushwayo, wambulala owaseGibithe. ₂₅Ubethemba ukuthi abafowabo bayakuqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubanika ukusindiswa ngesandla sakhe; kepha abakuqondanga. ₂₆Nangangomuso wafika kubo belwa, wazama ukubalamula, babuyisane, wathi: ‘Madoda, ningabazalwane; niphathanelani kabi na?’

₂₇“Kepha lowo owayemona umakhelwane wakhe wamhlohloloza wathi: ‘Ubekwe ngubani ube ngumbusi nomahluleli phezu kwethu na? ₂₈Usufuna ukungibulala nami, njengalokho ubulele owaseGibithe izolo na?’ ₂₉Khona uMose wabaleka ngenxa yalelo zwi, waba ngumfokazi ezweni lakwaMidiyani, lapho azala khona amadodana amabili.

₃₀“Kwathi sekuphelele iminyaka engamashumi amane, kwabonakala kuye ehlane lentaba yaseSinayi ingelosi iselangabini lomlilo esihlahleni. ₃₁UMose ekubona wamangala ngalowo mbono; esasondela ukuba abhekisise, kwafika izwi leNkosi, lathi: ₃₂‘NginguNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama noka-Isaka nokaJakobe.’ UMose wathuthumela, akaba nasibindi sokubhekisisa.

₃₃“INkosi yayisithi kuye: ‘Khumula izicathulo ezinyaweni zakho, ngokuba indawo omi kuyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele. ₃₄Ngikubonile nokukubona ukuhlushwa kwesizwe sami esiseGibithe, ngizwile ukububula kwaso; sengehlile ukuba ngibakhiphe. Woza kalokhu, ngizakukuthumela eGibithe.’

₃₅“UMose lowo abamalayo bethi: ‘Ubekwe ngubani ube ngumbusi nomahluleli na?’ nguyena amthumayo uNkulunkulu ngesandla sengelosi eyabonakala kuye esihlahleni, abe ngumbusi nomhlengi. ₃₆Yena lowo wabakhipha enza izimangaliso nezibonakaliso ezweni laseGibithe, naseLwandle Olubomvu, nasehlane iminyaka engamashumi amane.

₃₇“Nguye uMose lowo owathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: ‘UNkulunkulu uyakunivusela umprofethi kubafowenu onjengami.’ ₃₈Nguye lowo owayesebandleni ehlane kanye nengelosi eyakhuluma naye entabeni yaseSinayi kanye nawobaba, nowamukela amazwi okuphila, ukuze aninike wona.

₃₉“Kepha obaba abavumanga ukumlalela, kodwa bamhlohloloza, babuyela emuva eGibithe ngezinhliziyo zabo, ₄₀bathi ku-Aroni: ‘Senzele onkulunkulu abazakuhamba phambi kwethu; ngokuba uMose lowo owasikhipha ezweni laseGibithe, asazi ukuba wehlelwe yini.’ ₄₁Benza ithole ngaleyo mihla, baletha umhlatshelo esithombeni, bajabula ngemisebenzi yezandla zabo. ₄₂Kepha uNkulunkulu wabafulathela, wabadedela ukuba bakhonze ibandla lezulu, njengokuba kulotshiwe encwadini yabaprofethi ukuthi:

₄₄“Kwakukhona itende lobufakazi kobaba ehlane njengalokho akuyalayo yena owakhuluma noMose ukuba alenze ngomfanekiso abewubonile; ₄₅obaba benoJoshuwa balamukela, balingenisa ezweni lezizwe azixoshayo uNkulunkulu ebusweni bawobaba, kwaze kwaba semihleni kaDavide ₄₆owathola umusa ebusweni bukaNkulunkulu, wacela ukufunela uNkulunkulu kaJakobe idokodo. ₄₇Kepha nguSolomoni owamakhela indlu.

₄₈“Kodwa oPhezukonke akahlali ezindlini ezenziwe ngezandla njengokusho komprofethi ukuthi:

₅₁“Nina bantamo zilukhuni, abangasokile ezinhliziyweni nasezindlebeni, nimelana njalo noMoya oNgcwele; njengoyihlo ninjalo nani. ₅₂Ngumuphi kubaprofethi oyihlo abangamzingelanga na? Bababulala ababememezela ngaphambili ukuza koLungileyo, eseningabakhapheli nababulali bakhe, ₅₃nina enamukela umthetho ngokuyala kwezingelosi, kepha aniwugcinanga.”

₅₄Kwathi bekuzwa lokho, bahlabeka ezinhliziyweni, bamgugudela amazinyo. ₅₅Kepha yena egcwele uMoya oNgcwele wagqolozela ezulwini, wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, noJesu emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, ₅₆wathi: “Bheka, ngibona izulu livuliwe, neNdodana yomuntu imi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.”

₅₇Base bekhamuluka ngezwi elikhulu, bavala izindlebe, batheleka kuye kanyekanye, ₅₈bamkhiphela ngaphandle komuzi, bamkhanda ngamatshe. Ofakazi babeka izingubo zabo ngasezinyaweni zensizwa egama layo linguSawulu.

₅₉UStefanu bamkhanda ngamatshe ekhuleka ethi: “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.” ₆₀Wayeseguqa phansi, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: “Nkosi, ungababaleli lesi sono.” Eseshilo lokho walala ubuthongo.

₁Kepha ukukholwa kungukuqiniseka ngezinto ezithenjwayo, kuyiqiniso ngezinto ezingabonwayo. ₂Ngokuba okhokho bafakazelwa ngakho.

₃Ngokukholwa siqonda ukuthi izwe lonke ladatshulwa ngezwi likaNkulunkulu, kuze kuthi okubonwayo akuvelanga kokubonwayo.

₄Ngokukholwa u-Abela wanikela kuNkulunkulu ngomhlatshelo omuhle kunoKayini, athola ngakho ubufakazi bokuthi ulungile, uNkulunkulu uqobo efakaza ngezipho zakhe; nangakho usakhuluma, noma efile.

₅Ngokukholwa u-Enoke wathathwa, ukuze angaboni ukufa, akabe esafunyanwa, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wayemthabathile. Ngokuba engakathathwa ufakazelwe ukuthi wayethokozisa uNkulunkulu; ₆kepha-ke ngaphandle kokukholwa akwenzeki ukumthokozisa; ngokuba ozayo kuNkulunkulu umelwe ukukholwa ukuthi ukhona nokuthi ungumvuzi walabo abamfunayo.

₇Ngokukholwa uNowa exwayisiwe ngezinto ebezingakabonwa, esaba uNkulunkulu, wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe, okungakho walahla izwe, waba yindlalifa yokulunga okuvela ngokukholwa.

₈Ngokukholwa u-Abrahama walalela ebizwa ukuba aphume aye endaweni abezakuyamukeliswa ibe yifa lakhe; waphuma engazi lapho eya khona. ₉Ngokukholwa waba ngumfokazi ezweni lesithembiso kwangathi ngelezizwe, ehlala ematendeni, beno-Isaka noJakobe, beyizindlalifa kanye naye zaleso sithembiso, ₁₀ngokuba wayebheke umuzi onezisekelo, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.

₁₁Ngokukholwa naye uSara uqobo wathola amandla okukhulelwa esedlulelwe yisikhathi, ngokuba wathi ukholekile owethembisayo. ₁₂Ngakho-ke kwavela koyedwa, yena enjengosewafa, abangangezinkanyezi zezulu ngobuningi, bengangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle esingenakubalwa.

₁₃Bonke laba bafa bekholiwe, bengazamukeliswanga izithembiso, kepha bezibonile, bezithakazele zikude, bevumile ukuthi bangabafokazi nezihambi emhlabeni. ₁₄Ngokuba abasho kanjalo babonakalisa ukuthi bafuna izwe lakubo. ₁₅Uma kambe bebecabanga ngalelo ababephuma kulo, bebeyakuba nethuba lokubuyela kulo; ₁₆kepha manje balangazelela elihle kunalelo, okungukuthi elasezulwini. Ngalokho uNkulunkulu akanamahloni ngabo ukuba abizwe ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wabo, ngokuba ubalungisele umuzi.

₁₇Ngokukholwa u-Abrahama evivinywa wanikela ngo-Isaka, yebo, yena owayamukele izithembiso, wanikela ngozelwe yedwa wakhe, ₁₈okwathiwa kuye: “Inzalo yakho iyakubizwa ngo-Isaka,” ₁₉ethi uNkulunkulu unamandla okuvusa nakwabafileyo; ngokulinganisa wabuye wamthola futhi evela khona.

₂₀Ngokukholwa u-Isaka wabusisa oJakobe no-Esawu ngezinto ebezizakuza.

₂₁Ngokukholwa uJakobe esezakufa wabusisa leyo naleyo yamadodana kaJosefa, wakhuleka encikile esihlokweni sodondolo lwakhe.

₂₂Ngokukholwa uJosefa esezakufa wakhuluma ngokuphuma kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, wayaleza ngamathambo akhe.

₂₃Ngokukholwa uMose esezelwe wafihlwa ngabazali bakhe izinyanga ezintathu, ngokuba bembona engumntwana omuhle; abawesabanga umyalo wenkosi.

₂₄Ngokukholwa uMose esekhulile wala ukubizwa ngokuthi indodana yendodakazi kaFaro; ₂₅kunalokho wakhetha ukuphathwa kabi kanye nabantu bakaNkulunkulu kunokuba athokoze isikhashana esonweni, ₂₆ethi ukuthukwa ngenxa kaKristu kuyimfuyo enkulu kunengcebo yaseGibithe, ngokuba wayebheke umvuzo. ₂₇Ngokukholwa washiya iGibithe engesabi ulaka lwenkosi; ngokuba wakhuthazela sengathi uyambona ongabonwayo. ₂₈Ngokukholwa wamisa iPhasika nokufafaza ngegazi, ukuze umbhubhisi angathinti amazibulo abo.

₂₉Ngokukholwa badabula uLwandle Olubomvu kungathi kusemhlabathini owomileyo, okwathi abaseGibithe bekulinga lokho, baminza.

₃₀Ngokukholwa izingange zaseJeriko zawa, sezizungeziwe izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.

₃₁Ngokukholwa, uRahabi isifebe, akabhubhanga kanye nabangalalelanga, esezamukele izinhloli ngokuthula.

₃₂Ngisezakuthini futhi na? Isikhathi kambe sizakungishiya, uma ngibalisa ngoGideyoni, noBaraki, noSamsoni, noJefta, noDavide, noSamuweli nabaprofethi, ₃₃abathi ngokukholwa banqoba imibuso, basebenza ukulunga, bazuza izithembiso, bavimba imilomo yezingonyama, ₃₄bacima amandla omlilo, baphepha osikweni lwenkemba, baphiwa amandla ebuthakathakeni, baba yiziqhwaga empini, baxosha izimpi zabezizwe. ₃₅Abesifazane bamukeliswa abafileyo babo bevusiwe; abanye bahlushwa, kabavuma ukukhululwa, ukuze bathole ukuvuka okuhle; ₃₆abanye balingwa ngokujivazwa nokushaywa, yebo, nokuboshwa nokufakwa etilongweni; ₃₇bakhandwa ngamatshe, banqunywa ngesaha, balingwa, babulawa ngenkemba, bazulazula bembethe izikhumba zezimvu nezezimbuzi, beswela, behlushwa, bephathwa kabi, ₃₈izwe elingabafanele bona, behamba emahlane, nasezintabeni, nasemihumeni, nasemigedeni yomhlaba.

₃₉Labo bonke, befakazelwe ngokukholwa, abazuzanga isithembiso, ₄₀ngokuba uNkulunkulu wayesibonele okuhle kunalokho, ukuze bangapheleliswa ngaphandle kwethu.