To The Word – Day 170

₁OPawulu noThimothewu, izinceku zikaKristu Jesu, kubo bonke abangcwele kuKristu Jesu abaseFilipi, kanye nababonisi namadiyakoni:* ₂Makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu Kristu.

₃Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekunikhumbuleni kwami konke ₄ngezikhathi zonke ekunxuseni kwami konke ngani nonke, nginxusa ngokuthokoza, ₅ngenxa yokuhlanganyela kwenu evangelini, kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube manje; ₆ngethembile ngempela yona le nto ukuthi owaqala umsebenzi omuhle kinina uyakuwufeza kuze kube lusuku lukaKristu Jesu, ₇njengalokhu kufanele ukuba ngibe nomqondo onjalo ngani nonke, njengokuba nginithwele enhliziyweni yami, lokhu ekuboshweni kwami nasekulivikeleni nasekuliqiniseni ivangeli nina nonke nihlanganyele nami emseni.

₈Ngokuba uNkulunkulu ungufakazi wami wokuthi nginilangazelela kangakanani nonke ngesihe sikaJesu Kristu. ₉Ngikhulekela lokhu ukuba uthando lwenu luvame kakhulu njalo ekwazini nasekuqondeni konke, ₁₀ukuze nikwazi ukwahlukanisa, nize nibe mhlophe nabangakhubekisiyo kuze kube lusuku lukaKristu, ₁₁nigcwaliswe ngezithelo zokulunga ezingaye uJesu Kristu, kube yinkazimulo nodumo kuNkulunkulu.

₁₂Kepha ngithanda ukuba nazi, bazalwane, ukuthi lokho okwangehlelayo kugcine kwaveza ukuqhubeka kwevangeli, ₁₃kwaze kwathi izibopho zami zabonakala enqabeni yonke nakubo bonke abanye ukuthi zingenxa kaKristu ₁₄nokuthi iningi labazalwane eNkosini betholile ithemba ngezibopho zami bazuzile kakhulu isibindi sokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi.

₁₅Abanye kambe bashumayela uKristu ngomhawu nangombango kepha abanye ngenhliziyo enhle; ₁₆laba bashumayela ngothando, bazi ukuthi ngimiselwe ukuvikela ivangeli, ₁₇kepha labo bamemezela uKristu ngombango kungenganhliziyo emhlophe, bethi bazakungivusela ukukhathazeka ekuboshweni kwami. ₁₈Kunani pho? Nokho uKristu uyamenyezelwa ngezindlela zonke, noma ngokuzenzisa noma ngesiminya; kulokho-ke ngiyathokoza, yebo, ngiyakuthokoza, ₁₉ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuyakungenzela ukusindiswa ngokunxusa kwenu nangokusiza kukaMoya kaJesu Kristu, ₂₀njengokulangazela nokwethemba kwami ukuthi ayikho into engizakujabhiswa kuyo, kepha ngesibindi sonke, njengasezikhathini zonke namanje, uKristu uyakwenziwa mkhulu emzimbeni wami, nokuba kungokuphila nokuba kungokufa. ₂₁Ngokuba kimina ukuphila kunguKristu, ukufa kuyinzuzo. ₂₂Kepha uma ukuphila enyameni kuyisithelo somsebenzi kimi, angisakwazi engizakukukhetha. ₂₃Kepha ngiphakathi kokubili; nginesifiso sokumuka ngibe noKristu, ngokuba yikhona okuhle kakhulu; ₂₄kanti-ke ukuhlala enyameni kuswelekile kakhulu ngenxa yenu. ₂₅Lokhu nginalo leli themba, ngiyazi ukuthi ngiyakuhlala, yebo, ngihlale nani nonke, kube ngukuqhubeka nokuthokoza kwenu ekukholweni, ₂₆ukuze ukuzibonga kwenu ngami kuvame kuKristu Jesu ngokufika kwami futhi kini.

₂₇Kuphela hambani ngokufanele ivangeli likaKristu, kuze kuthi, noma ngiza nginibona noma ngingekho, ngizwe izindaba zenu zokuthi nimi niqinile emoyeni munye, nangomphefumulo munye nilwela inkolo yevangeli, ₂₈ningethuswa ngalutho ngabamelene nani, okuyisiboniso sokubhubha kubona kepha ngesokusindiswa kwenu; lokhu-ke kuvela kuNkulunkulu. ₂₉Ngokuba ngenxa kaKristu nina nabelwa ngomusa, angisho ukukholwa kuye kuphela kepha nokuhlupheka ngenxa yakhe, ₃₀nikukho khona lokho kulwa enakubona kimina, nakalokhu nizwa ukuthi kukimina.

₁Ngakho-ke uma kukhona induduzo kuKristu, uma kukhona ukududuzeka kothando, uma kukhona inhlangano kaMoya, uma kukhona isisa nesihawu, ₂gcwalisani ukuthokoza kwami ukuba nibe nomqondo munye, ninothando lunye, nibe nhliziyonye, niqonde into inye; ₃ningenzi lutho ngombango nangodumo lwezwe; kepha ngokuthobeka nishaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunani, ₄yilowo nalowo angabheki okwakhe, kepha yilowo abheke nokwabanye. ₅Mawube kini lowo mqondo owawukhona nakuKristu Jesu ₆owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu, ₇kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu; ₈wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni kwesiphambano. ₉Ngalokho-ke uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu, wamnika igama eliphezu kwamagama onke, ₁₀ukuze kuthi ngegama likaJesu amadolo onke aguqe, awabasezulwini, nawabasemhlabeni, nawabangaphansi komhlaba, ₁₁nezilimi zonke zivume ngokuthi UJESU KRISTU UYINKOSI, kube yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uYise.

₁₂Ngakho-ke, bathandiweyo bami, njengalokho nilalele ngezikhathi zonke, kungesikho nxa ngikhona kuphela, kodwa ikakhulu manje nxa ngingekho, fezani ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela, ₁₃ngokuba nguNkulunkulu osebenza kini nokuthanda nokwenza njengentando yakhe. ₁₄Yenzani konke ngokungakhononi nokungangabazi, ₁₅ukuze nibe ngabangasolekiyo nabangenacala, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abangenasici phakathi kwesizukulwane esiyisigwegwe nesiphambeneyo, enikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezinkanyiso ezweni, ₁₆nibambelele ezwini lokuphila, ngize ngibe nokuzibonga ngosuku lukaKristu ngokuthi angigijimelanga ize, angisebenzelanga ize. ₁₇Yebo, nokuba nginikelwa emhlatshelweni nasenkonzweni yokukholwa kwenu, ngiyathokoza, ngithokoza kanye nani nonke; ₁₈ngokunjalo-ke thokozani nani, nithokoze kanye nami.

₁₉Kepha ngiyethemba eNkosini uJesu ukuthuma uThimothewu kini masinyane, ukuze nami ngename nxa sengazi izindaba zenu. ₂₀Ngokuba anginamuntu onenhliziyo enjengeyakhe, onganakekela izindaba zenu ngobuqotho; ₂₁ngokuba bonke bafuna okwabo, abafuni okukaJesu Kristu. ₂₂Kepha niyakwazi ukuthembeka kwakhe ukuthi ukhonzile kanye nami ngenxa yevangeli njengomntwana kuyise. ₂₃Yena-ke ngiyethemba ukumthuma masinyane, uma sengibonile ukuthi okuqondene nami kophelelaphi; ₂₄kepha ngiyethemba eNkosini ukuthi nami ngizakuza eduzane.

₂₅Kodwa ngibone ukuthi kudingekile ukuba ngithume kinina u-Ephafrodithu, umzalwane nesisebenzi nebutho kanye nami, nesithunywa senu, isikhonzi ekusweleni kwami, ₂₆lokhu wayenilangazelela nonke, eyaluza ngokuba nizwile ukuthi wayegula. ₂₇Ngokuba nempela wayegula ephansi kokufa; kepha uNkulunkulu wamhawukela, kungeyena yedwa, wangihawukela nami, ukuze ngingabi nalusizi phezu kosizi. ₂₈Ngalokho ngakhuthalela kakhulu ukumthuma, ukuze kuthi nxa senimbona futhi nithokoze, kimi kunciphe usizi. ₂₉Ngakho-ke mamukeleni eNkosini ngokuthokoza konke, abanjalo-ke nibaphathe ngokubatusa, ₃₀ngokuba ngenxa yomsebenzi kaKristu wacishe wafa ezidela amathambo, ukuze agcwalise okusileleyo ekungikhonzeni kwenu.

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.

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.

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.

₁Ngalokho, bazalwane bami abathandekayo nabalangazelelwayo, ntokozo yami nomqhele wami, yimani niqinile kanjalo eNkosini, bathandwa.

₂Ngiyamyala u-Evodiya, ngiyamyala noSintike ukuba babe nokuqonda kunye eNkosini. ₃Yebo, ngiyakunxusa nawe mana wami oqotho, yelekelela labo besifazane, lokhu babambisana nami evangelini, kanye noKlemente nezinye izisebenzi zami abamagama abo asencwadini yokuphila.

₄Thokozani eNkosini njalonjalo; ngiyaphinda ngithi: Thokozani! ₅Ukubekezela kwenu akwaziwe ngabantu bonke; iNkosi iseduze. ₆Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kepha kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngokukhuleka nokunxusa kanye nokubonga. ₇Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqonda konke kuyakulondoloza izinhliziyo zenu nemicabango yenu kuKristu Jesu.

₈Elokugcina, bazalwane, konke okuyiqiniso, konke okuhloniphekayo, konke okulungileyo, konke okumhlophe, konke okuthandekayo, konke okutusekayo, noma kukhona okuhle, noma kukhona okubongekayo, zindlani ngalokho; ₉enakufunda, nakwamukela, nakuzwa, nakubona kimi, kwenzeni lokho; khona uNkulunkulu wokuthula uyakuba nani.

₁₀Kepha-ke ngathokoza kakhulu eNkosini, ngokuba manje senize navuselela ukunginakekela kwenu; beninginakekela kambe, kepha anibanga nathuba. ₁₁Akusikho ukuthi ngisho maqondana nokuswela, ngokuba mina ngifundile ukuba nganeliswe noma ngihlezi kanjani. ₁₂Ngiyakwazi ukuba phansi, ngiyakwazi nokubusa; kukho konke nasezintweni zonke ngifundisiwe: ukusutha, nokulamba, nokubusa, nokuswela. ₁₃Nginamandla ukwenza konke ngaye ongiqinisayo.

₁₄Nokho nenze kahle ngokuhlanganyela nami ekuhluphekeni kwami. ₁₅Niyazi nani nina baseFilipi ukuthi ekuqaleni kwevangeli ekuphumeni kwami eMakedoniya kwakungekho bandla nelilodwa elahlanganyela nami endabeni yokupha nokwamukela, kuphela nina nodwa, ₁₆ngokuba naseThesalonika nathumela kanye nakabili ngokuswela kwami. ₁₇Akusikho ukuthi ngifuna isipho, kodwa ngifuna isithelo esiyakwandisa okubalelwa nina. ₁₈Kepha nginakho konke ngokweqileyo; nganelisiwe sengamukelisiwe ngu-Ephafrodithu okuvela kinina, iphunga elimnandi, umhlatshelo omuhle nothokozisayo kuNkulunkulu. ₁₉UNkulunkulu wami uzakugcwalisa ukuswela konke kwenu njengokwengcebo yakhe ekukhazimuleni kuKristu Jesu.

₂₀KuNkulunkulu noBaba wethu makube ludumo kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen.

₂₁Ngikhonzeleni kwabangcwele bonke abakuKristu Jesu. Abazalwane abanami bakhonza kinina. ₂₂Abangcwele bonke bayakhonza kini, ikakhulu abendlu kaKesari.

₂₃Umusa weNkosi uJesu Kristu mawube nomoya wenu.