To The Word – Day 71

₁UPawulu, umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, noThimothewu umzalwane ₂kubo abaseKolose, abangcwele nabazalwane abakholwayo kuKristu; makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu.

₃Simbonga njalonjalo uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, nxa sinikhulekela, ₄lokhu sizwile ngokukholwa kwenu kuKristu Jesu nangothando eninalo kubo bonke abangcwele, ₅ngenxa yethemba enibekelwe lona ezulwini, enezwa ngalo ngaphambili ngezwi leqiniso levangeli ₆elifikile kini, njengalokhu likhona ezweni lonke lithela izithelo, landa, njengokuba kunjalo naphakathi kwenu, kusukela osukwini enezwa ngalo, nazi umusa kaNkulunkulu ngeqiniso, ₇njengalokho nafunda ku-Ephafra othandekayo oyinceku kanye nathi, oyisikhonzi esithembekayo sikaKristu ngenxa yenu; ₈okunguyena futhi wasitshela ngothando lwenu ngoMoya.

₉Ngalokho nathi, kusukela osukwini esezwa ngalo, asiyeki ukunikhulekela nokuninxusela ukuba nigcwaliswe ngokwazi intando yakhe ngokuhlakanipha konke nokuqonda okungomoya, ₁₀nihambe ngokufanele iNkosi, niyithokozise ngakho konke, nithela izithelo emisebenzini yonke elungileyo, nikhula ekumazini uNkulunkulu, ₁₁niqiniswe nokuqiniswa konke ngokwamandla enkazimulo yakhe, kuze kube ngukubekezela konke nokubheka kade ngokujabula; ₁₂nibonga uYise owanenza nifanele isabelo sefa labangcwele ekukhanyeni, ₁₃owasikhulula emandleni obumnyama nowasibeka embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe; ₁₄okukuyo sinokuhlengwa, ukuthethelelwa kwezono, ₁₅yona ingumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongenakubonwa, izibulo lezidalwa zonke, ₁₆ngokuba kwadalelwa kuyo konke okusezulwini nasemhlabeni, okubonwayo nokungenakubonwa, nokuba kuyizihlalo zobukhosi, nokuba kuyimibuso, nokuba kuyizikhulu, nokuba kuyiziphathimandla; konke kwadalwa ngayo, kwadalelwa yona; ₁₇yona ingaphambi kwakho konke, nezinto zonke zimi ngayo; ₁₈yona iyinhloko yomzimba, ngisho ibandla, engukuqala, izibulo kwabafileyo, ukuze yona ibe ngowokuqala ezintweni zonke, ₁₉ngokuba kwaba kuhle kuye ukuba ukugcwala konke kuhlale kuyo ₂₀nokuba ngayo abuyisane nakho konke esenzile ukuthula ngegazi lesiphambano sayo, yebo ngayo, nokuba kuyizinto ezisemhlabeni nokuba ngezisezulwini.

₂₁Nani ekade ningabafokazi nezitha engqondweni ngemisebenzi emibi, ₂₂nokho manje usebuyisene nani emzimbeni wenyama yayo ngokufa ukuba animise ningcwele, ningenasisihla nacala phambi kwakhe, ₂₃uma kambe nihlala ekukholweni, nisekeliwe nigxilile, ningagudluzwa ethembeni levangeli enalizwayo, elashunyayelwa kukho konke okudaliweyo okuphansi kwezulu, engenziwa isikhonzi salo mina Pawulu.

₂₄Kalokhu ngiyathokoza ezinhluphekweni zami ngenxa yenu ngokugcwalisa okusileleyo osizini lukaKristu enyameni yami ngenxa yomzimba wakhe, oyibandla; ₂₅engenziwa isikhonzi salo ngokwesimiso sikaNkulunkulu enganikwa sona maqondana nani ukuba ligcwaliswe izwi likaNkulunkulu, ₂₆ngisho imfihlakalo ebifihlakele selokhu kwaqala izikhathi nezizukulwane, kepha kalokhu yambuliwe kwabangcwele bakhe; ₂₇okubona uNkulunkulu athanda ukubazisa ukuthi iyini ingcebo yenkazimulo yaleyo mfihlakalo phakathi kwabezizwe, enguKristu phakathi kwenu, ithemba lenkazimulo; ₂₈okunguye esimshumayelayo, siluleka wonke umuntu, sifundisa wonke umuntu ngokuhlakanipha konke, ukuze simise wonke umuntu ephelele kuKristu, ₂₉engikusebenzelayo futhi, ngilwa ngokusebenza kwakhe okusebenza kimi ngamandla.

₁Ngokuba ngiyathanda ukuba nazi ukuthi kukhulu kangakanani ukulwa enginakho ngenxa yenu nabaseLawodikeya nabo bonke abangabonanga ubuso bami ngamehlo, ₂ukuze izinhliziyo zabo ziduduzwe, behlanganisiwe othandweni babe nengcebo yonke yokwazi okuphelele, bazisise imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu enguKristu, ₃okufihlwe kuye amagugu onke okuhlakanipha nowokwazi. ₄Ngikusho lokhu, ukuze kungabikho muntu onikhohlisa ngamazwi okuyenga. ₅Ngokuba noma ngingekho ngomzimba, nokho ngikhona kini ngomoya ngithokoza, ngibona inhlelo yenu nokuqina kokukholwa kwenu kuKristu.

₆Ngakho-ke njengalokho nimamukele uKristu Jesu iNkosi, hambani nikuye, ₇nigxilile, nakhiwe kuye, niqinisiwe ekukholweni, njengalokho nifundisiwe, nivame ukubonga.

₈Xwayani funa kube khona onithumbayo ngokuhlakanipha nangenkohliso eyize njengokwemvelo yabantu, njengezifundiso zokucathula kwezwe, kungenjengokukaKristu.

₉Ngokuba kuhlala kuye ngokomzimba ukugcwala konke kobuNkulunkulu; ₁₀nigcwalisiwe kuye, yena oyinhloko yemibuso yonke namandla, ₁₁enasokela kuye futhi ngokusoka okungenziwanga ngezandla ngokukhumula umzimba wenyama, ngokusoka kukaKristu; ₁₂nimbelwe kanye naye ngombhapathizo, okungawo futhi navuswa kanye naye ngokukholwa ngamandla kaNkulunkulu owamvusa kwabafileyo.

₁₃Nani-ke ebenifile ngeziphambeko nangokungasoki kwenyama yenu wanenza nibe ngabaphilayo kanye naye esithethelela zonke izono zethu; ₁₄esehlangule incwadi yecala lethu, emelana nathi ngemiyalo yayo, wayeyisusa ngokuyibethela esiphambanweni; ₁₅ebaphucile ababusi nabanamandla izikhali wabathela ngehlazo obala, ebanqoba ngaso.

₁₆Ngakho makungabikho muntu onilahla ngokudla nesiphuzo, noma ngemikhosi, noma ukwethwasa kwenyanga, noma amasabatha, ₁₇okuyisithunzi nje salokhu obekuzakuza; kepha umzimba ngokaKristu. ₁₈Makungabikho muntu onamuka umvuzo wenu, othanda ukuzenza othobile ekhonza izingelosi, ephike ngemibono yakhe, ezikhukhumeza ngeze ngengqondo yakhe yenyama, ₁₉engabambeleli kuye oyinhloko, okungaye umzimba wonke usizwa, uhlanganiswa ngamalungu nemisipha, ukhula ngokukhula kukaNkulunkulu.

₂₀Uma nifile kanye noKristu nakhululwa ezifundisweni zokucathula kwezwe, yini ukuba okungathi nisaphila ngokwezwe nithobele izifundiso zokuthi: ₂₁“Ungaphathi, ungezwa ngolimi, ungathinti,” ₂₂okuphela konke ngokudliwa ngokweziyalezo nezifundiso zabantu ₂₃ezinegama lokuhlakanipha kambe ngokuzikhethela inkonzo, nangokuzithoba, nangokuhlupha umzimba; akusizi lutho maqondana nokuzithiba kwenyama.

₁Ngakho uma navuswa kanye noKristu, funani okwaphezulu, lapho ekhona uKristu, ehlezi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu; ₂nakani okwaphezulu, ninganaki okusemhlabeni. ₃Ngokuba nafa, ukuphila kwenu kufihliwe noKristu kuNkulunkulu; ₄nxa ebonakaliswa uKristu ongukuphila kwethu, khona-ke nani niyakubonakaliswa kanye naye ekukhazimuleni.

₅Ngakho-ke bulalani amalungu enu asemhlabeni, ubufebe, nokungcola, nokuhuheka, nokukhanuka, nesangabe, okungukukhonza izithombe, ₆okuza ngakho ulaka lukaNkulunkulu, ₇ekade nihamba kukho nani, lapho nisahlezi kukho; ₈kepha kalokhu nani manilahle konke lokho, ulaka, nokuthukuthela, nobubi, nokuhlambalaza, nokukhuluma amahlazo aphuma emlonyeni wenu; ₉ningaqambelani amanga, lokhu nikhumule umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe, ₁₀nembethe omusha, owenziwa musha abe nokwazi ngokomfanekiso walowo owamdalayo, ₁₁lapho kungekho mGreki namJuda, ukusoka nokungasoki, owezizwe noma umSkithe, isigqila noma okhululekileyo, kepha uKristu uyikho konke, ukubo bonke.

₁₂Ngakho-ke njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubheka kade, ₁₃nibekezelelane, nithethelelane, uma umuntu enensolo komunye; njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani. ₁₄Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho sokuphelela.

₁₅Ukuthula kukaKristu makubuse ezinhliziyweni zenu, enabizelwa futhi kukho emzimbeni munye; futhi yibani ngababongayo. ₁₆Izwi likaKristu alihlale phakathi kwenu, livame, nifundisane ngokuhlakanipha konke, niyalane ngamahubo, nangezihlabelelo, nangamaculo okomoya, nimhubele uNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zenu ngokubonga. ₁₇Konke enikwenzayo, noma kungezwi noma kungomsebenzi, kwenzeni konke egameni leNkosi uJesu, nimbonge uNkulunkulu uYise ngaye.

₁₈Bafazi, thobelani amadoda enu njengokufanele eNkosini.

₁₉Madoda, thandani omkenu, ningabacasukeli.

₂₀Bantwana, lalelani abazali benu ezintweni zonke, ngokuba lokho kuyathandeka eNkosini.

₂₁Boyise, ningabathukuthelisi abantwana benu ukuba bangadangali.

₂₂Zinceku, lalelani ezintweni zonke labo abangamakhosi enu ngokwenyama, kungengokuthenga amehlo njengabathokozisa abantu kodwa ngobuqotho benhliziyo, niyesabe iNkosi. ₂₃Konke enikwenzayo kwenzeni ngenhliziyo, kungathi kwenzelwa iNkosi, qha abantu, ₂₄nazi ukuthi niyakwamukela umvuzo wefa eNkosini. Khonzani iNkosi uKristu. ₂₅Ngokuba lowo owenza ukungalungi uyakwamukeliswa ukungalungi akwenzileyo; akukho ukukhetha umuntu.

₁Makhosi, zenzeleni izinceku zenu okulungileyo nokufaneleyo; nazi ukuthi nani nineNkosi ezulwini.

₂Qiniselani ekukhulekeni, nilinde kukho ninokubonga. ₃Nathi nisikhulekele, ukuze uNkulunkulu asivulele umnyango wezwi ukuba sikhulume imfihlakalo kaKristu engiboshwe ngenxa yayo, ₄ukuze ngiyibonakalise njengalokhu ngifanele ukukhuluma. ₅Hambani ngokuhlakanipha kubo abangaphandle, nithengisise isikhathi. ₆Ukukhuluma kwenu makube nomusa njalo, kuyolisiwe ngosawoti, ukuze nazi enifanele ukubaphendula ngakho bonke abantu.

₇Konke okuqondene nami uyakunazisa khona uThikhiku, umzalwane othandekayo nesikhonzi esikholekileyo oyinceku kanye nami eNkosini, ₈engimthumile kini ngakho lokhu ukuba nazi ukuthi sihlezi kanjani, aduduze izinhliziyo zenu, ₉kanye no-Onesimu, umzalwane okholekileyo nothandekayo, ongomunye wakini; bazakunazisa konke okwalapha.

₁₀Uyakhonza kini u-Aristarku oyisiboshwa kanye nami, noMarku umzala kaBarnaba, enayalezwa ngaye – uma efika kini mamukeleni – ₁₁noJesu othiwa uJustu; yibo bodwa abangabokusoka abasebenzela umbuso kaNkulunkulu kanye nami, abakade beyinduduzo kimi. ₁₂Uyakhonza kini u-Ephafra ongomunye wakini, inceku kaKristu Jesu, enilwela njalo emikhulekweni, ukuze nime niphelele niqinisekile entandweni yonke kaNkulunkulu. ₁₃Ngokuba ngingufakazi wakhe wokuthi uyanisebenzela kakhulu nina, nabaseLawodikeya, nabaseHiyerapholi. ₁₄Uyakhonza kini uLuka inyanga ethandekayo, noDema. ₁₅Khonzani kubazalwane abaseLawodikeya, nakuNimfa, nasebandleni lakwakhe.

₁₆Nxa le ncwadi isifundiwe kini, bhekani ukuba ifundwe nasebandleni labaseLawodikeya; nani niyifunde leyo evela eLawodikeya.

₁₇Nimtshele u-Arkiphu, nithi: “Qaphela inkonzo oyitholile eNkosini, ukuze uyifeze.”

₁₈Yilokhu ukukhonza kwami ngesandla sami, mina Pawulu. Khumbulani izibopho zami. Umusa mawube nani.