To The Word – Day 158

₁UJakobe, inceku kaNkulunkulu neyeNkosi uJesu Kristu, uyakhonza kuzo izizwe eziyishumi nambili ezihlakazekileyo.

₂Bazalwane bami, nxa nehlelwa yizilingo ngezilingo, anothi kungukuthokoza kodwa, ₃nazi ukuthi ukuvivinywa kokukholwa kwenu kuveza ukukhuthazela. ₄Kepha ukukhuthazela makube nomsebenzi opheleleyo, ukuze nibe ngabapheleleyo nabangenacala abangasweli lutho. ₅Uma-ke kukhona kini oswela ukuhlakanipha, makacele kuNkulunkulu obapha bonke ngobuhle engajakadi, khona uyakuphiwa. ₆Kepha makacele ngokukholwa engangabazi ngalutho; ngokuba ongabazayo unjengedlambi lolwandle eliqhutshwa, ligujiswa ngumoya. ₇Ngakho makangasho lowo muntu ukuthi uyakwamukeliswa utho yiNkosi, ₈umuntu onhliziyombili oguquguqukayo ezindleleni zakhe zonke.

₉Umzalwane ophansi makazincome ngokuphakama kwakhe, ₁₀kepha oyisicebi makazincome ngobuphansi bakhe, ngokuba njengembali yotshani uyakudlula. ₁₁Ngokuba ilanga liphuma libalele, libunisa utshani, imbali yabo iwele phansi, nobuhle besimo sabo bunyamalale; kanjalo nesicebi siyakudlula ezindleleni zaso.

₁₂Ubusisiwe umuntu okhuthazela ekulingweni; ngokuba esevivinyekile uyakwamukeliswa umqhele wokuphila othenjisiwe yiNkosi kwabayithandayo.

₁₃Umuntu oyengwayo makangasho ukuthi: “Ngiyengwa nguNkulunkulu,” ngokuba uNkulunkulu angeyengwe ngokubi, naye uqobo akayengi muntu. ₁₄Kepha yilowo nalowo uyengwa ehuhwa ngezakhe izinkanuko, ehungwa; ₁₅uma inkanuko isithathile, ibeletha isono; nesono sesiphelelisiwe, sizala ukufa.

₁₆Ningadukiswa, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. ₁₇Izipho zonke ezinhle neziphiwo zonke ezipheleleyo zivela phezulu, zehla kuYise wokukhanya okungekho kuye ukuguquka nasithunzi sokuphenduka. ₁₈Ngokuthanda kwakhe wasizala ngezwi leqiniso, ukuze sibe ngabokuqala bezidalwa zakhe.

₁₉Niyakwazi lokho, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. Yilowo nalowo muntu makasheshe ukuzwa, aphuze ukukhuluma, aphuze ukuthukuthela; ₂₀ngokuba ulaka lomuntu alusebenzi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu. ₂₁Ngakho lahlani yonke insila nokubi okuvamileyo, namukele ngomoya omnene izwi elitshaliweyo elinamandla okusindisa imiphefumulo yenu.

₂₂Yibani ngabalenzayo izwi, ningabi ngabalizwayo kuphela, nizikhohlisa. ₂₃Ngokuba uma umuntu engolizwayo izwi engesiye olenzayo, lowo ufana nomuntu obuka ubuso bakhe bemvelo esibukweni; ₂₄ngokuba uyazibuka, amuke, akhohlwe masinyane ukuthi wayengonjani. ₂₅Kepha obukisisa emthethweni opheleleyo wenkululeko nohlala kuwo, engesiye ozwayo nje akhohlwe, kodwa engowenzayo asebenze, lowo uzakuba ngobusisiweyo ekwenzeni kwakhe.

₂₆Uma umuntu esho ukuthi uyikholwa, engabophi ulimi lwakhe kungathi ngetomu kodwa ekhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe, ukukhonza kwalowo kuyize. ₂₇Ukukhonza okumhlophe okungenabala phambi kukaNkulunkulu uBaba yilokhu ukuhambela izintandane nabafelokazi osizini lwabo nokuzigcina kungabi yicala lokwezwe.

₁Bazalwane bami, ukukholwa kwenu yiNkosi yethu yenkazimulo uJesu Kristu makungabi nokukhetha abantu. ₂Ngokuba uma kungena esinagogeni* lenu umuntu onendandatho yegolide nezingubo ezicwebezelayo, kungene nompofu onezingubo ezimbi, ₃nimbheke ogqokile izingubo ezicwebezelayo, nithi: “Hlala lapha wena kulendawo enhle,” besenithi kompofu: “Yima lapho wena,” noma: “Hlala phansi kwesenabelo sezinyawo zami,” ₄anikhethi yini, nibe ngabahluleli abanezizindlo ezimbi na?

₅Yizwani, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu akakhethanga yini abampofu ezweni babe ngabacebileyo ekukholweni nezindlalifa zombuso awuthembisa bona abamthandayo na? ₆Kepha nina namdumaza ompofu. Abacebileyo abanicindezeli yini, abanihuduleli emacaleni na? ₇Abahlambalazi igama elihle enibizwa ngalo na?

₈Kepha uma nigcina umthetho wobukhosi ngokombhalo wokuthi: “Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena,” nenza kahle; ₉kodwa uma nikhetha abantu, nenza isono, nilahlwa ngumthetho njengabaweqayo. ₁₀Ngokuba ogcina wonke umthetho kepha akhubeke kowodwa, unecala kuyo yonke. ₁₁Ngokuba yena owathi: “Ungaphingi,” wathi futhi: “Ungabulali,” uma-ke ungaphingi kepha ubulale, ungoweqa umthetho.

₁₂Khulumani kanjalo, nenze kanjalo njengokufanele abayakwahlulelwa ngomthetho wenkululeko. ₁₃Ngokuba ukwahlulelwa okungenasihawu kuyakumehlela ongenzi isihawu; isihawu sizigabisa ekwahlulelweni.

₁₄Kusizani, bazalwane bami, uma umuntu ethi unokukholwa, kepha engenayo imisebenzi na? Ukukholwa kungamsindisa na? ₁₅Uma umzalwane noma umzalwanekazi behamba ze, beswela ukudla kwemihla ngemihla, ₁₆kusho omunye kini kubo ukuthi: “Hambani nibe nokuthula, nifudumale; nisuthe,” kepha ningabaphi lokho okudingwa ngumzimba, lokhu kusizani na? ₁₇Kanjalo-ke nokukholwa, uma kungenayo imisebenzi, kufile ngokwakho.

₁₈Kepha omunye uyakuthi: “Wena unokukholwa, mina nginemisebenzi,” ngibonise ukukholwa kwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, nami ngizakukukhombisa ukukholwa ngemisebenzi yami. ₁₉Wena uyakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu munye na? Wenza kahle; namademoni ayakholwa, athuthumele.

₂₀Kepha wena muntu ongelutho uyathanda ukuqonda ukuthi ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kuyize na? ₂₁U-Abrahama ubaba wayengalungisiswa yini ngemisebenzi enikela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka e-altare na? ₂₂Uyabona ukuthi ukukholwa kwasebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe nokuthi ukukholwa kwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi, ₂₃kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “Kepha u-Abrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga,” wabizwa ngokuthi umhlobo kaNkulunkulu. ₂₄Niyabona ukuthi umuntu uyalungisiswa ngemisebenzi, kungengokukholwa kuphela.

₂₅Kanjalo-ke noRahabi isifebe wayengalungisiswa ngemisebenzi yini, ezamukele izithunywa eziphumisa ngenye indlela na? ₂₆Ngokuba njengalokhu umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, kanjalo nokukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.

₁Ningabi ngabafundisi abaningi, bazalwane bami, nazi ukuthi siyakwamukeliswa ukwahlulelwa okukhulu. ₂Ngokuba sonke siyakhubeka ngokuningi; uma umuntu engakhubeki ngazwi, lowo uyindoda epheleleyo enamandla okubamba nomzimba wonke kungathi ngetomu.

₃Uma-ke sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamahashi ukuba asilalele, siqondisa nomzimba wonke wawo. ₄Bhekani nemikhumbi, ingaka nje, iqhutshwa yimimoya enamandla, iqondiswa ngephini elincinyane, lapho umshayeli efuna ukuyiqondisa khona. ₅Lunjalo nolimi; luyisitho esincane, kanti luyazigabisa kakhulu. Bhekani umlilo omncane uvuthisa ihlathi elingaka; ₆nolimi lungumlilo, ulimi lumi luyizwe lokungalungi phakathi kwezitho zethu, lungcolisa umzimba wonke, luthungela ukuphila konke, luthungelwa yisihogo.

₇Ngokuba yonke imvelo yezilwane, neyezinyoni, neyezikhasayo, neyeziselwandle iyathanjiswa, yebo, yathanjiswa ngemvelo yabantu; ₈kepha ulimi akakho kubantu onamandla okuluthambisa; lungububi obuyaluzayo, lugcwele isihlungu esibulalayo.

₉Ngalo sibonga iNkosi uBaba, nangalo siqalekisa abantu abenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu; ₁₀emlonyeni munye kuphuma ukubusisa nokuqalekisa. Akufanele, bazalwane bami, ukuba lokho kube kanjalo. ₁₁Umthombo uyakhipha yini amnandi nababayo emgodini munye na? ₁₂Umkhiwane, bazalwane bami, ungaba namandla yini okuthela izithelo zomnqumo, noma umvini amakhiwane na? Amanzi kasawoti angeveze amnandi.

₁₃Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo nowaziyo phakathi kwenu na? Makakhombise ngenkambo enhle imisebenzi yakhe ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha. ₁₄Kepha uma ninomhawu obabayo nombango ezinhliziyweni zenu, ningazibongi, ningaliqambeli iqiniso. ₁₅Lokhu kuhlakanipha akusikho okwaphezulu kodwa kungokomhlaba, kungokwemvelo, kungokwamademoni; ₁₆ngokuba lapho kukhona umhawu nombango, kukhona isiyaluyalu nezenzo zonke ezimbi.

₁₇Kepha ukuhlakanipha okwaphezulu okokuqala kumhlophe, andukuba kube nokuthula, nokuva, nokulalela, kugcwele isihawu nezithelo ezinhle; akunakungabaza, akunakuzenzisa. ₁₈Kepha isithelo sokulunga sihlwanyelwa ngokuthula kubo abakwenzayo ukuthula.

₁Zivelaphi izimpi, nokulwa kuvelaphi phakathi kwenu na? Akuveli yini lapho ezinkanukweni zenu ezilwayo ezithweni zenu na? ₂Niyafisa, nokho aninalutho; niyabulala ninomhawu, nokho anizuzi lutho; niyalwa nenza impi. Aninalutho, ngokuba ningaceli; ₃niyacela, nokho anamukeliswa, ngokuba nicela kabi, ukuze nikuchithele ezinkanukweni zenu.

₄Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na? Ngakho lowo othanda ukuba ngumhlobo wezwe, umi eyisitha sikaNkulunkulu. ₅Niyacabanga yini ukuthi umbhalo usho ngeze ukuthi: “Umoya awuhlalisa kithi unxanela ngokomhawu,” na? ₆Kodwa unika umusa ngokwenezela; ngakho uthi: “UNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.”

₇Ngakho thobelani uNkulunkulu, kepha nimelane noSathane, khona uyakunibalekela; ₈sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina. Hlanzani izandla nina zoni, nihlambulule izinhliziyo nina bonhliziyombili. ₉Yibani lusizi, nidabuke, nikhale; ukuhleka kwenu makuphenduke ukudabuka, nokujabula kube ngukujabha. ₁₀Zithobeni ebusweni beNkosi, khona iyakuniphakamisa.

₁₁Ningahlebani, bazalwane. Ohleba umzalwane, noma ahlulele umzalwane wakhe, uhleba umthetho, ahlulele umthetho; kepha uma wahlulela umthetho, awusiye owenza okomthetho kodwa ungumahluleli. ₁₂Munye ongummisimthetho nomahluleli; nguyena onamandla okusindisa nokubhubhisa; kepha ungubani wena omahlulelayo umakhelwane na?

₁₃Minani nina enithi: “Namuhla noma ngomuso siyakuya kulona noma kulowaya muzi, siqede khona umnyaka, sithengiselane, sizuze,” ₁₄anikwazi okwangomuso; kuyini ukuphila kwenu na? Ngokuba niyinkungu ebonakala isikhashana, ibisinyamalala. ₁₅Nga nisho nithi: “Uma iNkosi ithanda, siphila, siyakwenza lokhu nalokho.” ₁₆Kepha manje niyazibonga ngokuzigabisa kwenu; konke ukuzigabisa okunjalo kubi. ₁₇Ngakho owaziyo ukwenza okuhle engakwenzi kuyisono kuye.

₁Minani nina bacebileyo; khalani, nilile ngezinhlupheko eziyakunehlela. ₂Ingcebo yenu ibolile, nezingubo zenu zidliwe yizinundu; ₃igolide lenu nesiliva kugwalile, nokugwala kwakho kuyakuba ngufakazi ngakini, kudle inyama yenu njengomlilo. Niqongelele ingcebo ezinsukwini zokuphela. ₄Bhekani, umvuzo wezisebenzi ezavuna amasimu enu eniwugodlileyo uyakhala, nokukhala kwabavunileyo kungenile ezindlebeni zeNkosi Sebawoti. ₅Nibusile emhlabeni, natamasa; ninonisile izinhliziyo zenu ngosuku lokuhlaba. ₆Nilahlile, nabulala olungileyo; akamelani nani.

₇Ngakho bekezelani, bazalwane, ize ifike iNkosi. Bhekani, umlimi uyalindela isithelo somhlaba esiyigugu, ebekezelela sona, size sithole imvula yokuqala neyamuva. ₈Bekezelani nani, niqinise izinhliziyo zenu, ngokuba ukufika kweNkosi kusondele. ₉Ningavungamelani, bazalwane, ukuba ningahlulelwa; bhekani, umahluleli umi ngaseminyango.

₁₀Bazalwane, misani abaprofethi ababekhuluma egameni leNkosi babe yisibonelo sokuhlupheka nokubekezela. ₁₁Bhekani, babusisiwe abakhuthazelayo; nizwile ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe, nibonile impetho yeNkosi ukuthi iNkosi inesihe esikhulu nesihawu.

₁₂Kepha phezu kwakho konke, bazalwane bami, ningafungi; ningafungi izulu noma umhlaba noma esinye isifungo; kodwa uyebo wenu makabe nguyebo, noqhabo uqhabo, ukuze ningaweli ekwahlulelweni.

₁₃Kukhona ohluphekayo phakathi kwenu na? Makakhuleke; kukhona owenamileyo na? Makahube. ₁₄Kukhona ogulayo phakathi kwenu na? Makabize amalunga ebandla, amkhulekele, amgcobe ngamafutha egameni leNkosi. ₁₅Umkhuleko wokukholwa uyakumsindisa ogulayo, iNkosi imvuse; noma enzile izono, uzakuthethelelwa zona. ₁₆Ngakho, vumani izono omunye komunye, nikhulekelane ukuba niphulukiswe. Umkhuleko oqinileyo wolungileyo unamandla kakhulu.

₁₇U-Eliya wayengumuntu efana nathi; wakhuleka nokukhuleka ukuba lingani; alinanga emhlabeni iminyaka emithathu nezinyanga eziyisithupha. ₁₈Wabuye wakhuleka; izulu lana imvula, nomhlaba wathela izithelo zawo.

₁₉Bazalwane bami, uma omunye kini eduka eqinisweni, omunye ambuyise, ₂₀yazini ukuthi obuyisile isoni ekudukeni kwendlela yaso uyakusindisa umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni, asibekele izono eziningi.