KWABASEFILIPI

1 UPawulu noThimothewu, izinceku zikaKristu Jesu, kubo bonke abangcwele abaseFilipi + abamunye noKristu Jesu, kanye nababonisi nezinceku ezikhonzayo: +

2 Kwangathi ningathola umusa omkhulu* nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu Kristu.

3 Ngibonga uNkulunkulu wami njalo lapho nginikhumbula 4 kukho konke ukuninxusela nonke. Ngininxusela ngenjabulo + 5 ngenxa yomnikelo eniwenzele* izindaba ezinhle kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube manje. 6 Ngoba ngiyaqiniseka ngale nto, ukuthi lowo owaqala umsebenzi omuhle kini uzowenza aze awuqede + kuze kube usuku lukaKristu Jesu. + 7 Kulunge ngokuphelele kimi ukuba ngicabange ngale ndlela ngani nonke, ngenxa yokuthi nisenhliziyweni yami, nina eningabahlanganyeli nami emseni omkhulu, lapho ngisejele + nasekuvikeleni nasekumiseni ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle. +

8 UNkulunkulu ungufakazi wami wokuthi nginikhumbule kanjani nonke ngoba nginithanda njengoba uKristu Jesu enithanda. 9 Yilokhu engiqhubeka ngikuthandazela, ukuthi sengathi uthando lwenu lungagcwala kakhulu + ulwazi olunembile + nokuqonda okuphelele; + 10 ukuba niqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu, + ukuze ningabi nasici futhi ningabakhubekisi abanye + kuze kube usuku lukaKristu; 11 nokuba nigcwaliswe ngesithelo sokulunga, esiza ngoJesu Kristu, + kube udumo nenkazimulo kuNkulunkulu.

12 Ngifisa ukuba nazi, bazalwane, ukuthi empeleni izinto ezenzeke kimi zibe nomthelela ekusakazekeni kwezindaba ezinhle, 13 kangangokuthi ukuboshwa kwami + ngenxa kaKristu sekwaziwa kabanzi + phakathi kwabo bonke abaQaphi Bombusi nabo bonke abanye. 14 Manje iningi labafowethu esikhonza nabo iNkosi lizizwa linesibindi ngenxa yokuboshwa kwami futhi libonisa isibindi esikhulu nangokwengeziwe sokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi.

15 Yiqiniso, abanye bashumayela ngoKristu ngenxa yomona nombango kodwa abanye ngokuzithandela. 16 Laba bakamuva bamemezela uKristu ngothando, ngoba bayazi ukuthi ngimiswe ngenjongo yokuvikela izindaba ezinhle; + 17 kodwa abokuqala bakwenza ngombango, hhayi ngesisusa esihle, ngoba baqonde ukungidalela izinkinga ejele. 18 Ube yini umphumela? Ube ukuthi ngazo zonke izindlela, uKristu uyamenyezelwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngokuzenzisa noma ngeqiniso, futhi ngiyajabula ngalokhu. Eqinisweni, ngizoqhubeka futhi ngijabula, 19 ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuyokwenza ukuthi ngisindiswe ngokunxusa kwenu + nangokusekelwa umoya kaJesu Kristu. + 20 Ngiyaqiniseka futhi nginethemba lokuthi ngeke ngibe namahloni kunoma yisiphi isici, kodwa ukuthi ngiyokhuluma ngokungesabi, noKristu uzokhazinyuliswa* ngomzimba wami, njengoba bekulokhu kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngokuphila noma ngokufa. +

21 Ngoba kimi ukuphila kunguKristu + nokufa kuyinzuzo. + 22 Manje uma ngizoqhubeka ngiphila enyameni, lokhu kuyizithelo zomsebenzi wami; nokho engizokukhetha angikwenzi kwaziwe. 23 Angazi ukuthi ngikhetheni kulezi zinto ezimbili, ngoba ngiyakufisa ukukhululwa nokuba kanye noKristu, + empeleni okuyinto engcono kakhulu. + 24 Nokho, kudingeke kakhulu ngami ukuba ngiqhubeke ngisenyameni ngenxa yenu. 25 Ngakho njengoba ngiqiniseka ngalokhu, ngiyazi ukuthi ngizohlala enyameni ngiqhubeke nginani nonke ukuze nithuthuke futhi nijabule okholweni lwenu, 26 ukuze intokozo yenu ichichime kuKristu Jesu ngenxa yami lapho ngiphinde ngiba nani.

27 Kuphela ziphatheni* ngendlela efanele izindaba ezinhle mayelana noKristu, + ukuze uma kwenzeka ngiza futhi nginibona noma ngingezanga,* ngizwe ngokuphathelene nani, ukuthi nimi niqinile emoyeni munye, ngomphefumulo munye, *+ nilulwela ndawonye ukholo lwezindaba ezinhle, 28 futhi anethuswa nhlobo yilabo abaphikisana nani. Yona le nto iwubufakazi bokubhujiswa + kwabo, kodwa bokusindiswa kwenu; + futhi lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu. 29 Ngoba leli lungelo lanikezwa nina ngenxa kaKristu, ukuba ningabi nje kuphela nokholo kuye, kodwa nokuba nihlupheke ngenxa yakhe. + 30 Ngoba ninomshikashika ofanayo nalowo enangibona ngibhekene nawo + futhi manje enizwa ngawo ukuthi ngisabhekene nawo.

2 Khona-ke, uma kukhona noma yisiphi isikhuthazo sobuKristu, noma iyiphi induduzo yothando, noma yikuphi ukukhathalelana,* noma yiluphi uthando kanye nobubele, 2 yenzani injabulo yami igcwale ngokuba nomqondo ofanayo nothando olufanayo, ninobunye obugcwele,* ninomcabango munye engqondweni. + 3 Ningenzi lutho ngombango + noma ngokuzazisa, + kodwa ngokuthobeka* bhekani abanye njengabakhulu kunani, + 4 njengoba ningacabangeli izindaba zenu nje kuphela, + kodwa nikhathalela nabanye. +

5 Yibani nalesi simo sengqondo esasikhona nakuKristu Jesu, + 6 owathi nakuba ayenjengoNkulunkulu, + wangakucabanga ngisho nokukucabanga ukuzama ukulingana noNkulunkulu. + 7 Cha, kodwa wazidela, waba njengesigqila + waba ngumuntu. *+ 8 Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho efika njengomuntu,* wazithoba futhi walalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, + yebo, ekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. *+ 9 Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, uNkulunkulu wamphakamisela esikhundleni esiphezulu + futhi ngomusa wamnika igama elingaphezu kwawo wonke amanye amagama, + 10 ukuze egameni likaJesu wonke amadolo aguqe—awabasezulwini nawabasemhlabeni nawabangaphansi komhlaba +— 11 futhi zonke izilimi zivume obala ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNkosi + kube inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uBaba.

12 Ngakho-ke, bathandekayo, njengoba benilokhu nilalela, hhayi ngesikhathi ngikhona kuphela, kodwa manje ngokuzithandela nakakhulu njengoba ngingekho, qhubekani nisebenzela ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela. 13 Ngoba uNkulunkulu nguye oninika amandla ngentando yakhe, eninikeza isifiso sokwenza namandla okwenza. 14 Qhubekani nenza zonke izinto ngaphandle kokububula + nokuphikisana, + 15 ukuze nibe abangasoleki nabamsulwa, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu + abangenabala phakathi kwesizukulwane esigwegwile nesisontekile, + enikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezinkanyiso ezweni, + 16 nilibambe ngokuqinile izwi lokuphila. + Khona-ke ngiyoba nesizathu sokujabula osukwini lukaKristu, ngazi ukuthi angigijimelanga ize noma ngakhandlekela ize. 17 Nokho, ngisho noma ngithululwa njengomnikelo ophuzwayo, + nginezela emhlatshelweni + eniwenzayo nasenkonzweni yenu engcwele* eniyenzela uNkulunkulu. Ngakho, ngiyathokoza futhi ngijabula kanye nani nonke. 18 Ngendlela efanayo nani kufanele nithokoze futhi nijabule kanye nami.

19 Manje ngithemba ukuthi iNkosi uJesu izongivumela ukuba ngithumele kini uThimothewu + ngokushesha, ukuze ngikhuthazeke lapho ngizwa umbiko ngani. 20 Ngoba anginaye onjengoThimothewu ozoninakekela ngobuqotho. 21 Ngoba bonke abanye bazifunela izinzuzo zabo, hhayi ezikaJesu Kristu. 22 Kodwa niyabazi ubufakazi abunikeza ngaye ngokwakhe, ukuthi njengomntwana + osebenza noyise wazigqilaza kanye nami ekusakazeni izindaba ezinhle. 23 Ngakho-ke, nguye umuntu enginethemba lokumthuma ngokushesha nje lapho ngibona ukuthi izinto zingimele kanjani. 24 Impela, ngiyaqiniseka eNkosini ukuthi nami ngizoza ngokushesha. +

25 Kodwa okwamanje ngikubona kudingeka ukuthumela u-Ephafrodithu kini, ongumzalwane nesisebenzi engikanye naso nesosha engikanye nalo, noyisithunywa senu nesikhonzi sesidingo sami, + 26 njengoba ekulangazelela ukunibona nonke futhi udangele ngenxa yokuthi nezwa ukuthi wayegula. 27 Impela, wagula wacishe wafa; kodwa uNkulunkulu waba nesihe kuye, eqinisweni, hhayi kuye kuphela kodwa nakimi, ukuze ngingabi nosizi phezu kosizi. 28 Ngakho-ke, ngimthumela ngokushesha okukhulu, ukuze lapho nimbona niphinde nijabule futhi nami ngingakhathazeki kakhulu. 29 Ngakho, mamukeleni ngendlela enivame ukwamukela ngayo abalandeli beNkosi, ngenjabulo yonke, futhi niqhubeke nibheka amadoda alolu hlobo njengathandekayo, + 30 ngoba wacishe wafa ngenxa yomsebenzi kaKristu,* ebeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze avale isikhala sokungabikho kwenu lapha ukuba ningikhonze. +

3 Okokugcina bazalwane, qhubekani nijabula eNkosini. + Ukunibhalela izinto ezifanayo akungikhathazi, kodwa kuphephisa nina.

2 Qaphelani izinja; qaphelani abantu abalimazayo; qaphelani labo abasika ijwabu. + 3 Ngoba thina sinokusoka kwangempela, + thina esinikela inkonzo engcwele ngomoya kaNkulunkulu futhi esiziqhayisa ngoKristu Jesu + nesingathembeli enyameni, 4 nakuba kuyimi onesizathu sokuthembela enyameni, uma ekhona onaso.

Uma noma imuphi omunye umuntu ecabanga ukuthi unesizathu sokuthembela enyameni, mina nginaso nakakhulu: 5 ngasokwa ngosuku luka-8, + ngingowesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, emndenini wakwaBhenjamini, umHebheru ozalwa ngamaHebheru; + ngokuqondene nomthetho, ngingumFarisi; + 6 ngokuqondene nentshiseko, ngashushisa ibandla; + ngokuqondene nokulunga okusekelwe emthethweni, ngingongasoleki. 7 Kodwa noma yiziphi izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi, ngizishaye indiva* ngenxa kaKristu. + 8 Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngempela zonke izinto ngizishaya indiva ngenxa yenzuzo edlula zonke izinto yolwazi ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yami. Ngenxa yakhe ngiye ngamukela ukulahlekelwa yizo zonke izinto futhi ngizibheka njengenqwaba yezibi,* ukuze ngizuze umusa kaKristu* 9 nokuba ngitholakale ngimunye naye, hhayi ngenxa yokulunga kwami okuwumphumela wokulandela uMthetho, kodwa ngenxa yokulunga okuwumphumela wokholo + kuKristu, + ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngesisekelo sokholo. + 10 Inhloso yami iwukumazi uKristu namandla ovuko lwakhe + nokuba ngihlupheke njengaye, + ngizinikele ekufeni okunjengokwakhe, + 11 ukuze ngibone ukuthi kungenzeka yini ngithole uvuko lokuqala kwabafile. +

12 Akukhona ukuthi sengiwamukele kakade lo mvuzo noma ukuthi sengenziwe ngaphelela, kodwa ngiphishekela + ukubona ukuthi ngingekubambe yini nami lokho uKristu Jesu angikhethele kona. *+ 13 Bazalwane, angikazibheki njengosewubambile; kodwa yinye into engiqiniseka ngayo: Njengoba ngikhohlwa izinto ezingemuva + futhi ngilulekela phambili ezintweni ezingaphambili, + 14 ngizabalazela ukufinyelela umgomo wokuthola umklomelo + wobizo lwaphezulu + lukaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu. 15 Ngakho-ke, sonke thina esivuthiwe, + masibe nalesi simo sengqondo, kodwa uma nicabanga ngendlela ehlukile kunoma iyiphi into, uNkulunkulu uyonambulela isimo sengqondo esifanele. 16 Noma kunjalo, ngezinga esesithuthuke ngalo, masiqhubeke sihamba ngokuhlelekile ngalo mzila ofanayo.

17 Ngobunye yibani abalingisi bami, + bazalwane, iso lenu lihlale likulabo abahamba ngendlela evumelana nesibonelo esinibekela sona. 18 Ngoba kukhona abaningi abahamba njengezitha zesigxobo sokuhlushwa* sikaKristu. Ngangivame ukukhuluma ngabo kaningi kodwa manje ngikhuluma ngabo nangezinyembezi. 19 Isiphetho sabo siwukubhujiswa, unkulunkulu wabo yisisu sabo, inkazimulo yabo iyihlazo labo, futhi izingqondo zabo zisezintweni zomhlaba. + 20 Kodwa thina siyizakhamuzi + zasemazulwini, + silindele ngokulangazela umsindisi osezulwini, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, + 21 oyoguqula umzimba wethu ophansi ukuze ufane* nomzimba wakhe okhazimulayo + esebenzisa amandla akhe amakhulu amenza abeke zonke izinto ngaphansi kwakhe. +

4 Ngenxa yalokho, bazalwane engibathandayo nengilangazelela ukubabona, niyinjabulo yami nomqhele wami. + Ngiyaninxusa ukuba nihlale nithembekile + eNkosini, bathandekayo.

2 Nginxusa u-Evodiya noSintike ukuba babe nomqondo ofanayo eNkosini. + 3 Yebo, nawe ngiyakucela njengesisebenzi seqiniso engikanye naso,* ukuba uqhubeke usiza laba besifazane abaye bazabalaza* kanye nami ezindabeni ezinhle kanye noKlemente, nazo zonke ezinye izisebenzi engikanye nazo, lezo amagama azo asencwadini yokuphila. +

4 Jabulani eNkosini ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngizophinda futhi ngithi, Jabulani! + 5 Ukucabangela kwenu *+ makwaziwe yibo bonke abantu. INkosi iseduze. 6 Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, + kodwa zonke izicelo zenu zitsheleni uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, ngokunxusa kanye nokubonga; + 7 ukuthula + kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukuqonda kuyoqapha izinhliziyo zenu + nemicabango yenu* ngoKristu Jesu.

8 Okokugcina bazalwane, noma yiziphi izinto eziyiqiniso, noma yiziphi izinto ezibaluleke ngempela, noma yiziphi izinto ezilungile, noma yiziphi izinto ezimsulwa,* noma yiziphi izinto ezithandekayo, noma yiziphi izinto okukhulunywa kahle ngazo, noma yibuphi ubuhle nanoma yiziphi izinto ezikufanelekelayo ukudunyiswa, qhubekani nicabanga* ngalezi zinto. + 9 Izinto enazifunda futhi nazamukela, nazizwa, nazibona mayelana nami, qhubekani nizenza, + khona-ke uNkulunkulu wokuthula uyoba nani.

10 Ngijabula kakhulu eNkosini ngokuthi ekugcineni seniphinde naqala ukucabanga ngami. + Nakuba nanicabanga ngami, anilitholanga ithuba lokukubonisa lokho. 11 Lokhu angikusho ngenxa yokuthi ngiswele, ngoba ngiye ngafunda ukwaneliseka noma ngabe ngikuziphi izimo. + 12 Ngiyakwazi ukuphelelwa ukudla, + ngiyakwazi ukuba nensada. Kuzo zonke izinto nakuzo zonke izimo ngiyifundile imfihlo yakho kokubili, ukuthi kunjani ukwaneliseka nokuthi kunjani ukulamba, ukuba nensada nokuswela. 13 Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla. +

14 Noma kunjalo, nenze kahle ngokungisiza osizini lwami. 15 Eqinisweni, nina baseFilipi niyazi futhi ukuthi ngemva kokuba nizwe izindaba ezinhle okokuqala, lapho ngihamba eMakedoniya, akukho bandla elahlanganyela nami endabeni yokupha nokwamukela ngaphandle kwenu nodwa; + 16 ngoba ngesikhathi ngiseThesalonika, nangithumelela okuthile engikudingayo, hhayi kanye kuphela kodwa kabili. 17 Akukhona ukuthi ngifuna ukuthola isipho, kodwa ngifuna izithelo eziyinzuzo kakhulu kini. 18 Nokho, nginazo zonke izinto engizidingayo futhi nginensada. Ngigculisekile njengoba sengamukele ku-Ephafrodithu + izinto enizithumele, iphunga elimnandi, + umhlatshelo owamukelekayo, ojabulisa kakhulu kuNkulunkulu. 19 Khona-ke uNkulunkulu wami uzokwanelisa ngokugcwele zonke izidingo zenu, + ngezinga lengcebo yakhe ekhazimulayo ngoKristu Jesu. 20 Ngakho inkazimulo mayibe kuNkulunkulu noBaba wethu kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen.

21 Ngikhonzeleni kubo bonke abangcwele abamunye noKristu Jesu. Abazalwane abanami bayakhonza. 22 Bayakhonza bonke abangcwele, kodwa ikakhulukazi abendlu kaKhesari. +

23 Umusa omkhulu weNkosi uJesu Kristu mawube nomoya eniwubonisayo.