KWABASEKOLOSE

1 UPawulu, umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu, kanye noThimothewu + umfowethu, 2 kwabangcwele nabazalwane abathembekile abamunye noKristu eKolose:

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

3 Simbonga njalo uNkulunkulu, uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uma sinithandazela 4 ngoba sezwa ngokholo lwenu kuKristu Jesu nangothando eninalo ngabo bonke abangcwele 5 ngenxa yethemba enigcinelwe lona emazulwini. + Nezwa ngaleli themba ngomyalezo weqiniso lezindaba ezinhle 6 ezafika kini. Njengoba nje izindaba ezinhle zithela izithelo futhi zanda emhlabeni wonke, + ziyanda naphakathi kwenu kusukela ngosuku enawuzwa nenawazi ngalo ngokunembile umusa omkhulu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. 7 Yilokho enikufunde ku-Ephafra inceku ethandekayo ekanye nathi, + oyisikhonzi sikaKristu esithembekile esisimelelayo. 8 Wasazisa nangothando lwenu oluvumelana nomoya kaNkulunkulu.*

9 Yingakho futhi kusukela ngosuku esezwa ngalo ngakho, singayekanga ukunithandazela, + sicela ukuba nigcwale ulwazi olunembile + lwentando yakhe kukho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda okungokomoya, + 10 ukuze nihambe ngokufanele uJehova,* ukuze nimjabulise ngokugcwele njengoba niqhubeka nithela izithelo kuyo yonke imisebenzi emihle futhi lwanda ulwazi lwenu olunembile ngoNkulunkulu; + 11 kwangathi ningaqiniswa ngawo wonke amandla ngokwamandla akhe akhazimulayo + ukuze nikhuthazele ngokugcwele ngokubekezela nangenjabulo, 12 njengoba nibonga uBaba owanenza nakufanelekela ukuhlanganyela efeni labangcwele + abasekukhanyeni.

13 Wasikhulula egunyeni lobumnyama + wasidlulisela embusweni weNdodana yakhe ethandekayo, 14 esithola ngayo ukukhululwa ngesihlengo, ukuthethelelwa kwezono zethu. + 15 Ingumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonakali, + izibulo layo yonke indalo; + 16 ngoba kwadalwa ngayo zonke ezinye izinto emazulwini nasemhlabeni, izinto ezibonakalayo nezinto ezingabonakali, + kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyizihlalo zobukhosi noma ubukhosi noma ohulumeni noma amagunya. Zonke ezinye izinto zidalwe ngayo + futhi zadalelwa yona. 17 Futhi, ingaphambi kwazo zonke ezinye izinto, + zonke ezinye izinto zenziwa zaba khona ngayo, 18 futhi iyinhloko yomzimba, ibandla. + Iyisiqalo, izibulo kwabafile, + ukuze ibe ngeyokuqala kuzo zonke izinto; 19 ngoba uNkulunkulu wabona kukuhle ukuba ukugcwala konke kuhlale kuyo, + 20 nokuba abuyisele ngayo kuye zonke ezinye izinto + ngokwenza ukuthula ngegazi + eyalithulula esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa,* kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yizinto ezisemhlabeni noma izinto ezisemazulwini.

21 Ngempela, nina enanikade nikude noNkulunkulu futhi niyizitha ngoba izingqondo zenu zisemisebenzini emibi, 22 manje usenenze nabuyisana naye ngomzimba wayo wenyama ngokufa kwayo, ukuze inethule phambi kwakhe ningcwele ningenasici futhi ningenacala +— 23 yebo, uma kodwa niqhubeka nisokholweni, + nimi esisekelweni nigxilile, + ningagudluzwa + ethembeni lalezo zindaba ezinhle enazizwa futhi ezashunyayelwa kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu. + Mina Pawulu ngaba isikhonzi salezi zindaba ezinhle. +

24 Ngiyajabula manje ngokuhlupheka kwami ngenxa yenu, + futhi ngicabanga ukuthi angikahlupheki ngokugcwele ngenxa kaKristu, ngenxa yomzimba wakhe, + oyibandla. + 25 Ngaba yisikhonzi saleli bandla ngokuvumelana nobuphathi + obuvela kuNkulunkulu enganikwa bona ngenxa yenu ukuze ngishumayele izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokugcwele, 26 imfihlo engcwele + eyayifihliwe ezikhathini* ezidlule + nasezizukulwaneni ezidlule. Kodwa manje yambuliwe kwabangcwele bakhe, + 27 kulabo uNkulunkulu athanda ukuba bayazi ingcebo ekhazimulayo yale mfihlo engcwele phakathi kwezizwe. + InguKristu emunye kanye nani, okusho ukuthi ninethemba lokukhazinyuliswa kanye naye. + 28 Nguye esimmemezelayo, njengoba siyala wonke umuntu futhi sifundisa wonke umuntu ngokuhlakanipha kwangempela, ukuze sethule wonke umuntu ephelele emunye noKristu. + 29 Ngenxa yale njongo ngisebenza kanzima ngempela, ngizikhandla ngamandla akhe asebenza ngaphakathi kimi. +

2 Ngoba ngifuna nazi ukuthi mkhulu kangakanani umshikashika engibhekene nawo ngenxa yenu nangenxa yalabo abaseLawodikeya + nangenxa yabo bonke abangakaze bangibone ubuso nobuso. 2 Lokhu kwenzeka ukuze izinhliziyo zabo ziduduzeke + nokuba bahlanganiswe ngokuvumelanayo othandweni + futhi bathole yonke ingcebo—ukuqonda iqiniso, okuyinto abaqiniseka ngokugcwele ngayo—nokuba bathole ulwazi olunembile lwemfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu, okungukuthi, uKristu. + 3 Kuye kufihlwe ngokucophelela yonke ingcebo yokuhlakanipha neyolwazi. + 4 Lokhu ngikusho ukuze kungabikho muntu onidukisa ngezinkulumo ezithonyayo. 5 Nakuba ngingekho nani ngokoqobo, nginani ngomoya, ngijabulela ukuzwa ngokuhleleka kwenu okuhle + nokuqina kokholo lwenu kuKristu. +

6 Ngakho-ke, njengoba namukele uKristu Jesu iNkosi, qhubekani nimunye naye, 7 nigxilile futhi nakhiwa kuye, + nisimamiswa okholweni, + njengoba nje nafundiswa, nichichima ukubonga. +

8 Xwayani ukuba kungabi namuntu onithumba* ngefilosofi nangenkohliso eyize + esekelwe esikweni labantu, ngokwezinto zokucathula zezwe hhayi ngokukaKristu; 9 ngoba zonke izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu zigcwele kuye. + 10 Ngakho anisweli lutho ngenxa yakhe, lowo oyinhloko yabo bonke ohulumeni negunya. + 11 Ngobuhlobo benu naye, nasokwa ngokusokwa okungenziwanga ngezandla ngokuhlubula umzimba wenyama, + kodwa ngokusokwa kukaKristu. + 12 Ngoba nangcwatshwa kanye naye obhapathizweni lwakhe, + nangobuhlobo benu naye navuswa + futhi kanye naye ngokholo lwenu emsebenzini wamandla kaNkulunkulu, owamvusa kwabafile. +

13 Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba nanifile ngenxa yeziphambeko zenu nangenxa yokungasokwa kwenyama yenu, uNkulunkulu wanenza naphila kanye naye. + Wasithethelela ngomusa zonke iziphambeko zethu + 14 futhi wesula incwadi elotshwe ngesandla + eyayinemithetho + futhi iphikisana nathi. + Useyisusile endleleni ngokuyibethela esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. *+ 15 Ngesigxobo sokuhlushwa,* ubahlubulile ohulumeni neziphathimandla, wabukisa ngabo obala njengezithunjwa, + ebonisa ukuthi ubanqobile.

16 Ngakho-ke ningavumeli muntu anahlulele ngokuthi nidleni nokuthi niphuzeni + noma ngokugujwa kwemikhosi noma kokwethwasa kwenyanga + noma kwesabatha. + 17 Lezo zinto ziyisithunzi sezinto ezazizofika, + kodwa okungokoqobo kungokukaKristu. + 18 Ningavumeli muntu anivimbele ukuthola umklomelo, + umuntu ojatshuliswa ukuthobeka-mbumbulu nokukhulekela izingelosi,* “omi”* ezintweni azibonile. Empeleni uzikhukhumeza ngaphandle kwesizathu esifanele ngendlela yakhe yokucabanga yabantu abanesono, 19 futhi akabambelele ngokuqinile koyinhloko, + kulowo umzimba wonke owondliwa ngaye nohlanganiswe ngokuvumelanayo ngamalunga awo nemisipha, wenziwe ukhule ngokukhula okuvela kuNkulunkulu. +

20 Uma nafa kanye noKristu ngokuqondene nezinto zokucathula zezwe, + kungani niphila njengokungathi niseyingxenye yezwe ngokuqhubeka nithobela imithetho ethi: + 21 “Ungaphathi noma unambithe noma uthinte,” 22 kushiwo izinto zonke ezishabalalayo lapho zisetshenziswa, ngokuvumelana nemiyalo nezimfundiso zabantu? + 23 Nakuba lezo zinto zibonakala zihlakaniphile ngendlela yokukhulekela abazikhethele yona kanye nokuthobeka-mbumbulu, ukuphatha kabi umzimba, + azisizi ngalutho ekulweni nokwanelisa inyama.

3 Nokho, uma nenziwa naphila ngoKristu, + qhubekani nifuna izinto zaphezulu, lapho uKristu ehlezi khona ngakwesokudla sikaNkulunkulu. + 2 Gcinani izingqondo zenu zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu, + hhayi ezintweni ezisemhlabeni. + 3 Ngoba nafa, futhi ukuphila kwenu kusezandleni zikaKristu emunye noNkulunkulu. 4 Lapho uKristu, owukuphila kwethu, + ebonisa amandla akhe, khona-ke nani niyowabonisa kanye naye enkazimulweni. +

5 Ngakho-ke, bulalani amalunga emizimba yenu + asemhlabeni ngokuqondene nokuziphatha kabi ngokocansi,* ukungcola, inkanuko yokuya ocansini engalawuleki, + isifiso esilimazayo, nokuhaha, okuwukukhonza izithixo. 6 Ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyeza ngenxa yalezo zinto. 7 Nani naniziphatha* kanjalo ekuphileni kwenu kwangaphambili. *+ 8 Kodwa manje kumele nilahle kude nani: ulaka, intukuthelo, ububi, + inkulumo elimazayo, + nenkulumo eyichilo + ephuma emlonyeni wenu. 9 Ningaqambi amanga omunye komunye. + Hlubulani ubuntu obudala + nemikhuba yabo,* 10 nigqoke ubuntu obusha, + obenziwa bube busha ngolwazi olunembile ukuze bubonakalise ubuntu baLowo owabudala. + 11 Ubuntu obusha abuhlukanisi phakathi komGreki nomJuda, ukusoka noma ukungasoki, owezizwe, umSkithe,* isigqila, noma okhululekile; kodwa uKristu uyikho konke, ukubo bonke. +

12 Ngakho, njengabakhethiwe bakaNkulunkulu, + abangcwele nabathandwayo, gqokani uzwela nothando, + umusa, ukuthobeka, *+ ubumnene + nokubekezela. + 13 Qhubekani nibekezelelana futhi nithethelelana ngokukhululekile, + ngisho noma umuntu enesizathu sokukhononda ngomunye. + Njengoba nje uJehova* anithethelela ngokukhululekile, nani kumele nenze kanjalo. + 14 Kodwa ngaphezu kwazo zonke lezi zinto, gqokani uthando, + ngoba lwenza abantu babe nobunye ngokuphe­lele. +

15 Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuthula kukaKristu makubuse* ezinhliziyweni zenu, + ngoba nabizelwa kulokho kuthula nimzimba munye. Yibani ngababongayo. 16 Izwi likaKristu malihlale ngokugcwele kini ngakho konke ukuhlakanipha. Qhubekani nifundisana futhi nikhuthazana* ngamahubo, + ngezindumiso zikaNkulunkulu, ngezingoma zokudumisa eziculwa ngokubonga,* nihubela uJehova* ezinhliziyweni zenu. + 17 Noma ngabe yini eniyenza ngezwi noma ngesenzo, konke kwenzeni ngegama leNkosi uJesu, nibonga uNkulunkulu uYise ngaye. +

18 Nina bafazi, zithobeni kubayeni benu, + ngoba kuyafaneleka eNkosini. 19 Nina madoda, qhubekani nithanda omkenu + futhi ningabathukutheleli kakhulu. *+ 20 Nina bantwana, lalelani abazali benu kukho konke, + ngoba lokhu kuyajabulisa kakhulu eNkosini. 21 Nina bobaba, ningabathukuthelisi* abantwana benu, + ukuze bangadangali.* 22 Nina zigqila, balaleleni kukho konke labo abangamakhosi enu angabantu, *+ kungabi ngokuthenga amehlo, ukuze nje nijabulise abantu, kodwa ngobuqotho benhliziyo, ngokwesaba uJehova.* 23 Noma yini eniyenzayo, yenzeni ngomphefumulo* wonke njengokungathi nenzela uJehova, *+ hhayi abantu, 24 ngoba niyazi ukuthi niyothola ifa eliwumvuzo kuJehova. *+ Yibani izinceku zeNkosi, uKristu. 25 Lowo owenza okungalungile uyojeziswa nakanjani ngenxa yokungalungile akwenzile, + futhi akukho ukukhetha. +

4 Nina makhosi, phathani izinceku zenu ngendlela elungile nefanele, nazi ukuthi nani nineNkosi ezulwini. +

2 Phikelelani emthandazweni, + nihlale niwuphaphamele ngokubonga. + 3 Ngesikhathi esifanayo, sithandazeleni nathi + ukuba uNkulunkulu avulele izwi umnyango ukuze simemezele imfihlo engcwele mayelana noKristu, engisejele ngenxa yayo, + 4 nokuba ngiyimemezele ngokucacile njengoba kufanele ngenze.

5 Qhubekani nihamba ngokuhlakanipha ngakulabo abangaphandle, nisisebenzise kahle isikhathi senu. *+ 6 Amazwi enu ngaso sonke isikhathi mawabe nomusa, anongwe ngosawoti, + ukuze nazi ukuthi kufanele nimphendule kanjani umuntu ngamunye. +

7 UThikhiku, + umfowethu othandekayo nesikhonzi esithembekile nenceku ekanye nathi eNkosini, uzonitshela zonke izindaba eziphathelene nami. 8 Ngimthumela kini ukuze nazi ukuthi siqhuba kanjani nokuba aduduze izinhliziyo zenu. 9 Uza kanye no-Onesimu, + umfowethu othembekile nothandekayo, ophuma phakathi kwenu; bazonitshela zonke izinto ezenzeka lapha.

10 U-Aristarku, + isiboshwa esikanye nami uyakhonza kini, kanjalo noMarku + umzala kaBarnaba (enathola iziqondiso zokuba nimamukele + uma efika kini), 11 kanye noJesu obizwa ngokuthi uJustu, abangabanye babasokile. Yilaba kuphela abayizisebenzi ezikanye nami ngenxa yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi babe umthombo wenduduzo enkulu* kimi. 12 U-Ephafra, + inceku kaKristu Jesu, ophuma phakathi kwenu, uyakhonza kini. Uhlale ezikhandla ngenxa yenu emithandazweni yakhe, ukuze ekugcineni nime niphelele futhi niqiniseka ngayo yonke intando kaNkulunkulu. 13 Ngiyamfakazela ukuthi wenza umzamo omkhulu ngenxa yenu nalabo abaseLawodikeya nabaseHiyerapholi.

14 Uyakhonza kini uLuka + udokotela othandekayo, noDema + ngokufanayo. 15 Ningikhonzele kubazalwane eLawodikeya nakuNimfa nasebandleni elisendlini yakhe. + 16 Lapho le ncwadi isifundiwe kini, hlelani ukuba ifundwe + nasebandleni labaseLawodikeya nokuba nani nifunde leyo evela eLawodikeya. 17 Tshelani no-Arkiphu + nithi: “Yinake inkonzo owayamukela eNkosini ukuze uyifeze.”

18 Nanku umkhonzo wami, mina Pawulu, ngesandla sami uqobo. + Qhubekani nikhumbula ukuboshwa kwami. + Umusa omkhulu ube nani.