To The Word – Day 211

₁Isambulo sikaJesu Kristu amnika sona uNkulunkulu ukuba abonise izinceku zakhe izinto ezimelwe ukwenzeka masinyane, ethuma ngengelosi yakhe, esibonakalisa encekwini yakhe uJohane ₂owafakaza ngezwi likaNkulunkulu nangobufakazi bukaJesu Kristu, konke akubonayo. ₃Ubusisiwe ofundayo nabo abawezwayo amazwi alesi siprofetho, bagcine okulotshiweyo kuso, ngokuba isikhathi siseduze.

₄UJohane kuwo amabandla ayisikhombisa ase-Asiya: Makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuye okhona nowayekhona nozayo, nakoMoya abayisikhombisa abaphambi kwesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi, ₅nakuJesu Kristu ufakazi othembekayo, izibulo labafileyo nombusi wamakhosi omhlaba. Kuye osithandayo nowasikhululayo ezonweni zethu ngegazi lakhe ₆nowasenza sibe ngumbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu uYise, kuye makube yinkazimulo namandla kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen. ₇Bhekani, uyeza namafu, namehlo onke ayakumbona, nabo abamgwazayo, nezizwe zonke zomhlaba ziyakulila ngaye. Yebo, Amen.

₈“Mina ngingu-Alfa no-Omega,” kusho iNkosi uNkulunkulu, “okhona nowayekhona nozayo, uMninimandla onke.”

₉Mina Johane, umfowenu nomhlanganyeli kanye nani ekuhluphekeni nasembusweni nasekubekezeleni kukaJesu, ngangisesiqhingini esithiwa iPhatmose ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yobufakazi bukaJesu. ₁₀NgangikuMoya ngosuku lweNkosi, ngezwa emva kwami izwi elikhulu kungathi elecilongo, ₁₁lithi: “Lokhu okubonayo kulobe encwadini, ukuthumele kuwo amabandla ayisikhombisa, e-Efesu, naseSmirna, nasePhergamu, naseThiyathira, naseSardesi, naseFiladelfiya, naseLawodikeya.”

₁₂Ngaphenduka ukuba ngibone izwi ebelikhuluma nami; kuthe ngiphenduka, ngabona izinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide, ₁₃nofana nendodana yomuntu ephakathi kwezinti zezibani, embethe ingubo ekhawula ezinyaweni, ezibophe ngebhande* legolide ezibeleni; ₁₄futhi ikhanda lakhe nezinwele zakhe kumhlophe njengoboya bezimvu, njengeqhwa, namehlo akhe enjengamalangabi omlilo, ₁₅nezinyawo zakhe zifana nethusi elikhazimulayo sengathi zazishiswe esithandweni, nezwi lakhe linjengenhlokomo yamanzi amaningi; ₁₆futhi wayephethe izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sakhe sokunene, nasemlonyeni wakhe kwaphuma inkemba ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili, nobuso bakhe bunjengelanga likhanya ngamandla alo.

₁₇Ngathi ukumbona, ngawa ngasezinyaweni zakhe njengofileyo; wayesebeka isandla sakhe sokunene phezu kwami, ethi: “Ungesabi; mina ngingowokuqala nowokugcina, ₁₈nophilayo; ngangifile, bheka, sengingophilayo kuze kube phakade naphakade, futhi nginezihluthulelo zokufa nezeHayidese*.

₁₉“Ngakho-ke loba okubonileyo, nokukhona, nokuzakwenzeka emva kwalokho. ₂₀Imfihlakalo yezinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa ozibonileyo esandleni sami sokunene, nezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide yile: izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa ziyizingelosi zamabandla ayisikhombisa, nezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zingamabandla ayisikhombisa.

₁“Kuyo ingelosi yebandla lase-Efesu loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo ophethe izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sakhe sokunene, ohamba phakathi kwezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide, uthi: ₂Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, nemizamo yakho, nokubekezela kwakho, nokuthi kawunakubamela ababi; wabavivinya abazisho ukuthi bangabaphostoli bengesibo, wabafumana beqamba amanga; ₃unokubekezela, wakhuthazela ngenxa yegama lami, kawukhathalanga.

₄“Kepha nginalokhu ngawe ukuthi uluyekile uthando lwakho lwakuqala; ₅ngakho khumbula lapho uwe khona, uphenduke, wenze imisebenzi yakuqala; uma kungenjalo, ngiyeza kuwe, ngilususe uthi lwesibani sakho endaweni yalo, uma ungaphenduki. ₆Kepha unalokhu ukuthi uyayizonda imisebenzi yamaNikolawu engiyizondayo nami.

₇“Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo ngiyakumnika ukuba adle kuwo umuthi wokuphila oseParadisi* likaNkulunkulu.

₈“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla laseSmirna loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo owokuqala nowokugcina, owayefile kepha osephila, uthi: ₉Ngiyakwazi ukuhlupheka kwakho nobumpofu bakho – kanti ucebile – nenhlamba yabathi bangabaJuda bengesibo, kodwa beyisinagoge* likaSathane. ₁₀Ungesabi lokho ozakuhlupheka ngakho. Bheka, uSathane uzakuphonsa abanye kini etilongweni ukuba nilingwe, futhi niyakuhlupheka izinsuku eziyishumi. Thembeka kuze kube sekufeni, ngokunika umqhele wokuphila.

₁₁“Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo akasoze oniwa ngukufa kwesibili.

₁₂“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla lasePhergamu loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo onenkemba ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili, uthi: ₁₃Ngiyazi lapho wakhe khona: lapho kukhona isihlalo sobukhosi sikaSathane; nokho ulibambisisile igama lami, kawuphikanga inkolo yami nasemihleni ka-Antipase, ufakazi wami, othembekayo wami, owabulawa phakathi kwenu lapho uSathane wakhe khona.

₁₄“Nokho kukhona okuyingcosana enginakho ngawe, ngokuba unabo lapho ababambisisa isifundiso sikaBalami owafundisa uBalaki ukuphonsa isikhubekiso phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli sokuba badle okuhlatshelwe izithombe nokuba bafebe. ₁₅Futhi-ke nawe unabo ababambisisa isifundiso samaNikolawu ngokunjalo. ₁₆Ngakho-ke phenduka; uma kungenjalo, ngiyeza kuwe masinyane, ngiyakulwa nabo ngenkemba yomlomo wami.

₁₇“Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo ngiyakumnika okwemana* elifihliweyo, ngimuphe itshe elimhlophe, nasetsheni kulotshiwe igama elisha elingaziwa muntu, ngolamukelayo kuphela.

₁₈“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla laseThiyathira loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu ekushoyo iNdodana kaNkulunkulu enamehlo anjengamalangabi omlilo, nezinyawo zayo zifana nethusi elikhazimulayo, ithi: ₁₉Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, nothando, nokukholwa, nokukhonza, nokubekezela kwakho, nokuthi imisebenzi yakho yokugcina miningi kuneyokuqala.

₂₀“Kepha nginalokhu ngawe ukuthi uvumela owesifazane uJezabeli ozisho ukuthi ungumprofethikazi, afundise, adukise izinceku zami ukuba zifebe, zidle okuhlatshelwe izithombe; ₂₁ngamnika isikhathi sokuba aphenduke, kepha kavumi ukuphenduka ekufebeni kwakhe. ₂₂Bheka, ngiyamphonsa embhedeni, nabaphinga naye ngibaphonsa ekuhluphekeni okukhulu, uma bengaphenduki emisebenzini yakhe; ₂₃ngiyakubulala abantwana bakhe ngokufa; amabandla onke ayakwazi ukuthi nginguye ophenya izinso nezinhliziyo, futhi ngiyakumnika yilowo nalowo wenu ngokwemisebenzi yakhe. ₂₄Kodwa ngithi kinina eniseleyo eThiyathira, nonke eningenaso lesi sifundiso, eningakwaziyo okujulileyo kukaSathane njengabakushoyo: Kangiphonsi phezu kwenu omunye umthwalo; ₂₅kepha lokho eninakho, kubambisiseni ngize ngifike.

₂₆“Onqobayo nogcina imisebenzi yami kuze kube sekupheleni lowo ngiyakumnika amandla phezu kwezizwe; ₂₇uyakuzibusa ngentonga yensimbi, ziphahlazwe njengezitsha ezibunjiweyo, njengalokhu nami ngamukelisiwe nguBaba; ₂₈futhi ngiyakumnika inkanyezi yokusa. ₂₉Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.

₁“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla laseSardesi loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo onawoMoya abayisikhombisa bakaNkulunkulu nezinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa, uthi: Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho ukuba unegama lokuthi uyaphila, kanti ufile. ₂Vuka ulinde, uqinise okuseleyo obekuzakufa, ngokuba angifumananga imisebenzi yakho iphelelisiwe phambi kukaNkulunkulu wami; ₃ngakho-ke khumbula ukuthi wamukele wezwa kanjani, kugcine, uphenduke. Ngokuba uma ungalindi, ngiyakuza kuwe njengesela, kawusoze walazi ihora engiyakuza ngalo kuwe.

₄“Kepha-ke unamagama ayingcosana eSardesi alabo abangangcolisanga izingubo zabo; bayakuhamba nami bembethe okumhlophe, ngokuba bafanele. ₅Onqobayo uyakwembathiswa kanjalo izingubo ezimhlophe, negama lakhe angisoze ngalesula encwadini yokuphila, negama lakhe ngiyakulivuma phambi kukaBaba naphambi kwezingelosi zakhe. ₆Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.

₇“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla laseFiladelfiya loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo ongcwele, oqinisileyo, onesihluthulelo sikaDavide, ovula kungavali muntu, novalayo kungavuli muntu, uthi: ₈Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho; bheka, ngimisile phambi kwakho umnyango ovuliweyo, ongenakuvalwa muntu, ngokuba unamandla amancane, kanti waligcina izwi lami, kawuliphikanga igama lami. ₉Bheka, ngiyakubakhipha esinagogeni* likaSathane abazishaya abaJuda bengesibo, kepha beqamba amanga; bheka, ngiyakubenza ukuba beze bakhuleke phambi kwezinyawo zakho, bazi ukuthi ngikuthandile. ₁₀Ngokuba ulilondile izwi lokubekezela kwami, nami-ke ngiyakukulonda ngehora lokulingwa eliyakufika ezweni lonke lokulinga bonke abakhileyo emhlabeni.

₁₁“Ngiyeza masinyane; bambisisa lokho onakho, ukuze kungabikho muntu okwamuka umqhele wakho. ₁₂Onqobayo ngiyakumenza abe yinsika ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wami, futhi akasoze aphuma khona; ngiyakuloba negama likaNkulunkulu wami phezu akhe, negama lomuzi kaNkulunkulu wami, iJerusalema elisha elehla ezulwini kuNkulunkulu wami, negama lami elisha. ₁₃Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.

₁₄“Nakuyo ingelosi yebandla laseLawodikeya loba ukuthi:

“Nakhu akushoyo u-Amen, ufakazi othembekayo noqinisileyo, ukuqala kokudaliweyo kukaNkulunkulu, uthi: ₁₅Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho ukuthi kawubandi, kawushisi. Sengathi ngabe uyabanda noma ushise. ₁₆Ngakho-ke njengalokhu usivivi, ungashisi ungabandi, ngiyakukuhlanza uphume emlonyeni wami. ₁₇Ngokuba uthi: ‘Ngicebile, kangiswele lutho,’ kanti kawazi ukuthi ungolusizi, nowokuhawukelwa, nompofu, nophuphuthekayo, nohamba ze; ₁₈ngiyakululeka ukuba uthenge kimi igolide elihlanzwe ngomlilo ukuze ucebe, nezingubo ezimhlophe ukuze wembathe, kungabonakali ihlazo lobuze bakho nomuthi wamehlo wokugcoba amehlo akho ukuba ubone.

₁₉“Bonke engibathandayo ngiyabasola, ngibalaye; ngakho-ke shisekela uphenduke. ₂₀Bheka, ngimi ngasemnyango ngingqongqotha; uma umuntu ezwa izwi lami, avule umnyango, ngiyakungena kuye, ngidle naye, naye adle nami.

₂₁“Onqobayo ngiyakumnika ukuba ahlale nami esihlalweni sami sobukhosi, njengalokho nami nganqoba, ngahlala noBaba esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi.

₂₂“Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.”

₁Emva kwalokho ngabona, bheka-ke, umnyango uvulekile ezulwini, nezwi lokuqala engalizwayo linjengelecilongo likhuluma nami, lithi: “Yenyukela lapha, ngikutshengise okumelwe ukuba kube khona emva kwalokhu.” ₂Masinyane ngaba kuMoya. Bheka, isihlalo sobukhosi sasimi ezulwini nohlezi phezu kwesihlalo sobukhosi; ₃nohleziyo wayefana netshe lejaspi* nesardiyu* ukubukeka kwakhe, nothingo lwenkosikazi luhaqe isihlalo sobukhosi lufana nesimaragidu* ukubukeka kwalo. ₄Nesihlalo sobukhosi sasihaqiwe yizihlalo zobukhosi ezingamashumi amabili nane, naphezu kwezihlalo zobukhosi kwakuhlezi amalunga angamashumi amabili nane, embethe izingubo ezimhlophe, enemiqhele yegolide emakhanda awo. ₅Nasesihlalweni sobukhosi kwaphuma imibani, namazwi, nokuduma; nezibani zomlilo eziyisikhombisa zavutha phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, ezingoMoya abayisikhombisa bakaNkulunkulu; ₆nangaphambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi kukhona okunjengolwandle lwengilazi lufana nekristalu,* nangaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi nasekuzungezeni isihlalo sobukhosi kukhona izidalwa ezine zigcwele amehlo ngaphambili nangasemuva. ₇Isidalwa sokuqala sasifana nengonyama, nesidalwa sesibili sasifana nethole, nesidalwa sesithathu sasinobuso obunjengobomuntu, nesidalwa sesine sasifana nokhozi olundizayo. ₈Nezidalwa ezine, yileso naleso kuzo, zinamaphiko ayisithupha; emaceleni onke nangaphakathi zigcwele amehlo; kazikhawuli imini nobusuku ukuthi:

₉Kuthi lapho izidalwa zimnika inkazimulo nodumo nokubonga ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, yena ophilayo kuze kube phakade naphakade, ₁₀amalunga angamashumi amabili nane awa phansi phambi kwakhe ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, akhuleka kuye ophilayo kuze kube phakade naphakade, aphonsa imiqhele yawo phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, ethi:

₁Ngase ngibona esandleni sokunene sakhe owayehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi incwadi ilotshiwe ngaphakathi nangaphandle, inamathelisiwe ngezimpawu eziyisikhombisa. ₂Ngase ngibona ingelosi enamandla imemeza ngezwi elikhulu, ithi: “Ngubani ofanele ukuvula le ncwadi nokuqaqa izimpawu zayo na?” ₃Kwakungekho namunye ezulwini, nasemhlabeni, nangaphansi komhlaba owayenamandla okuyivula incwadi, abuke kuyo. ₄Ngakhala kakhulu ngokuba kungafunyanwanga namunye ofanele ukuyivula leyo ncwadi, abuke kuyo. ₅Omunye wamalunga wayesethi kimi: “Ungakhali; bheka, inqobile iNgonyama yesizwe sakwaJuda, iMpande kaDavide, ukuba ivule incwadi nezimpawu zayo eziyisikhombisa.”

₆Ngase ngibona ngaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi nezidalwa ezine nangaphakathi kwamalunga kumi iWundlu kungathi lihlatshiwe, linezimpondo eziyisikhombisa namehlo ayisikhombisa angoMoya abayisikhombisa bakaNkulunkulu abathunyelwe emhlabeni wonke. ₇Leza, layithabatha esandleni sokunene sakhe owayehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi. ₈Kuthe seliyithabathile incwadi, izidalwa ezine namalunga angamashumi amabili nane awa phansi phambi kweWundlu, kuyilelo nalelo linehabhu* nezitsha zegolide zigcwele impepho eyimikhuleko yabangcwele. ₉Ahlabelela igama elisha, athi:

₁₁Ngase ngibona, ngezwa izwi lezingelosi eziningi zihaqe isihlalo sobukhosi, nezidalwa, namalunga, nomumo wazo wawuyizigidi zezigidi nezinkulungwane zezinkulungwane, ₁₂zithi ngezwi elikhulu:

₁₃Nakho konke okudaliweyo okusezulwini, nokusemhlabeni, naphansi komhlaba, naselwandle, nakho konke okukukho, ngakuzwa kuthi:

₁Ngase ngibona lapho iWundlu livula olunye lwezimpawu eziyisikhombisa, ngezwa esinye sezidalwa ezine sisho njengezwi lokuduma, sithi: “Woza!” ₂Ngabona, bheka, nanto ihhashi elimhlophe, nohlezi phezu kwalo ephethe umnsalo wanikwa umqhele, waphuma engonqobayo nokuyakunqoba.

₃Nalapho livula uphawu lwesibili, ngezwa isidalwa sesibili sithi: “Woza!” ₄Kwase kuphuma elinye ihhashi elibomvu, nohlezi phezu kwalo waphiwa ukususa ukuthula emhlabeni, ukuze babulalane, wanikwa nenkemba enkulu.

₅Kuthe selivula uphawu lwesithathu, ngezwa isidalwa sesithathu sithi: “Woza!” Ngase ngibona, bheka, nanto ihhashi elimnyama nohlezi phezu kwalo ephethe isilinganiso ngesandla sakhe. ₆Ngase ngizwa kungathi izwi phakathi kwezidalwa ezine lithi: “Imbenge kakolweni ngodenariyu* nezimbenge ezintathu zebhali* ngodenariyu, kepha amafutha newayini ungakoni.”

₇Nalapho livula uphawu lwesine, ngezwa izwi lesidalwa sesine sithi: “Woza!” ₈Ngase ngibona, bheka, nanto ihhashi elimpofu nohlezi phezu kwalo, igama lakhe lalingukuFa, neHayidese* lalandelana naye; base benikwa amandla phezu kokwesine komhlaba ukuba babulale ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangokufa, nangezilwane zomhlaba.

₉Nalapho selivula uphawu lwesihlanu, ngabona phansi kwe-altare imiphefumulo yababebulewe ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yobufakazi ababe nabo. ₁₀Bamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, bathi: “Koze kube nini, Mbusi ongcwele noqinisileyo, ungahluleli, uphindisele igazi lethu kulaba abakhileyo emhlabeni na?” ₁₁Base benikwa, kwaba yilowo nalowo ingubo ende emhlophe, kwashiwo kubo ukuba baphumule isikhashana, baze baphelele abayizinceku kanye nabo nabazalwane babo ababezakubulawa njengabo.

₁₂Ngase ngibona lapho livula uphawu lwesithupha, kwaba khona ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba, nelanga laba mnyama njengendwangu yesaka loboya, nenyanga yonke yaba njengegazi, ₁₃nezinkanyezi zezulu zawela emhlabeni njengomkhiwane uvuthulula umphobo wawo, nxa uzanyazanyiswa ngumoya omkhulu, ₁₄nezulu lagoqwa njengomqulu wencwadi usongwa, nezintaba zonke neziqhingi zasuswa ezindaweni zazo.

₁₅Namakhosi omhlaba nezikhulu, nezinduna, nabacebileyo, nabanamandla, nezigqila zonke, nabakhululekileyo bacasha emihumeni nasemaweni ezintaba; ₁₆base bethi ezintabeni nasemaweni: “Welani phezu kwethu, nisisithe ebusweni balowo ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi nasolakeni lweWundlu, ₁₇ngokuba usuku olukhulu lolaka lwabo selufikile; ngubani-ke onamandla okuma na?”