EYOKUQALA KWABASETHESALONIKA

1 UPawulu, uSilvanu *+ noThimothewu + kini bandla labaseThesalonika elimunye noNkulunkulu uBaba neNkosi uJesu Kristu:

Kwangathi ningathola umusa omkhulu* nokuthula.

2 Ngaso sonke isikhathi siyambonga uNkulunkulu lapho sikhuluma ngani nonke emithandazweni yethu, + 3 ngoba sihlale siwukhumbula umsebenzi wenu eniwenza ngokholo, ukushikashikeka kwenu ngothando nokukhuthazela kwenu ngenxa yethemba eninalo + eNkosini yethu uJesu Kristu phambi kukaNkulunkulu noBaba wethu. 4 Ngoba, bazalwane abathandwa uNkulunkulu, siyakwazi ukunikhetha kwakhe, 5 ngoba izindaba ezinhle esizishumayelayo azifikanga kini ngenkulumo yodwa kodwa futhi ngamandla nangomoya ongcwele futhi nabona indlela esasiqiniseka ngayo ukuthi lokhu esakumemezela kini kwakuyiqiniso, njengoba nje nazi ukuthi saba luhlobo luni lwabantu phakathi kwenu ngenxa yenu. 6 Naba ngabalingisi bethu + nabeNkosi, + njengoba namukela izwi ngaphansi kosizi olukhulu + ngenjabulo evezwa umoya ongcwele, 7 ngakho naba yisibonelo kuwo wonke amakholwa aseMakedoniya nase-Akhaya.

8 Iqiniso liwukuthi, akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi izwi likaJehova* elivela kini liye lazwakala eMakedoniya nase-Akhaya, kodwa ukholo lwenu kuNkulunkulu luye lwasakazeka kabanzi ezindaweni zonke, + kangangokuthi akudingeki sisho lutho. 9 Ngoba bona ngokwabo bayaqhubeka bebika ngokuxhumana kwethu nani okokuqala nendlela enaphendukela ngayo kuNkulunkulu nishiya izithixo zenu + ukuze nibe yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ophilayo noweqiniso, 10 futhi nilindele iNdodana yakhe evela emazulwini, + ayivusa kwabafile, okungukuthi, uJesu, osikhulula olakeni oluzayo. +

2 Ngokuqinisekile nina ngokwenu niyazi, bazalwane, ukuthi ukunivakashela kwethu akuzange kungabi namiphumela. + 2 Nakuba saqale sahlupheka futhi seyiswa eFilipi, + njengoba nje nazi, saqunga isibindi ngoNkulunkulu wethu ukuze sinitshele izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu + naphezu kokuphikiswa* okukhulu. 3 Ngoba isikhuthazo esisinikezayo asiveli embonweni oyiphutha noma ekungcoleni noma ngokukhohlisa, 4 kodwa njengoba nje sigunyazwe nguNkulunkulu ukuba siphathe izindaba ezinhle, asikhulumi ukuze sijabulise abantu kodwa uNkulunkulu, ohlola izinhliziyo zethu. +

5 Eqinisweni, niyazi ukuthi asikaze sisebenzise inkulumo ethophayo, noma sibe abazenzisayo ngezisusa zobugovu; + uNkulunkulu ungufakazi! 6 Futhi asikaze sifune ukukhazinyuliswa ngabantu, noma ngabe yinina noma abanye, nakuba sasingaba umthwalo oyizindleko ezinkulu njengabaphostoli bakaKristu. + 7 Kunalokho, saba mnene kini, njengalapho umama oncelisayo enakekela abantwana bakhe ngozwela.* 8 Njengoba sasinithanda ngokujulile, sasizimisele* ukungadluliseli kini nje kuphela izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa nathi* uqobo, + ngoba nathandeka kakhulu kithi. +

9 Ngokuqinisekile niyawukhumbula bazalwane umshikashika nokukhandleka kwethu. Sasisebenza ubusuku nemini, ukuze singathwesi muntu kini umthwalo oyizindleko ezinkulu, + lapho sishumayela izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu kini. 10 Ningofakazi, noNkulunkulu ungufakazi, bendlela esaba ngayo abathembekile nabalungile nabangasoleki kini nina makholwa. 11 Nazi kahle ukuthi saqhubeka sinikhuthaza, siniduduza futhi sineluleka, *+ njengoba nje kwenza ubaba + kubantwana bakhe, 12 ukuze niqhubeke nihamba ngokufanele uNkulunkulu + onibizela eMbusweni + nasenkazimulweni yakhe. +

13 Ngempela, yingakho futhi simbonga singayeki uNkulunkulu, + ngoba ngesikhathi namukela izwi likaNkulunkulu, enalizwa ngathi, anilamukelanga njengezwi labantu kodwa njengezwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba nje liyilo ngempela, okuyilona elisebenzayo futhi kini nina makholwa. 14 Ngoba, bazalwane, naba ngabalingisi bamabandla kaNkulunkulu aseJudiya anobunye noKristu Jesu, ngenxa yokuthi nahlupheka ezandleni zabantu bezwe lakini + ngezinto ezifanayo nalezo nawo ahlupheka ngazo ezandleni zamaJuda, 15 lawo abulala ngisho neNkosi uJesu + nabaprofethi futhi asishushisa nathi. + Ngaphezu kwalokho, awamjabulisi uNkulunkulu, kodwa alwisana nezinto ezizuzisa bonke abantu, 16 njengoba ezama ukusivimba ukuba sikhulume nabantu bezizwe ukuze basindiswe. + Ngale ndlela ahlale enezela ezonweni zawo. Kodwa ulaka lwakhe seluze lwafika phezu kwawo. +

17 Kodwa ngesikhathi sihlukanisiwe nani* okwesikhashana, bazalwane, (ngesiqu hhayi ezinhliziyweni zethu), ngenxa yokuthi sasinesifiso esikhulu, senza yonke imizamo yokunibona ubuso nobuso. 18 Ngenxa yalesi sizathu sasifuna ukuza kini, yebo, mina Pawulu, sazama hhayi kanye kodwa kabili; kodwa uSathane wayivimba indlela yethu. 19 Ngoba liyini ithemba lethu noma injabulo noma umqhele wokuthokoza phambi kweNkosi yethu uJesu ekubeni khona kwayo? Eqinisweni akunina yini? + 20 Impela niyinkazimulo nenjabulo yethu.

3 Ngakho, lapho singasakwazi ukulinda ukuzwa umbiko ngani, sabona kukuhle ukuba sisale sodwa e-Athene; + 2 futhi sathumela uThimothewu, + umfowethu nesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu* sezindaba ezinhle ezimayelana noKristu, ukuze aniqinise futhi aniduduze ngenxa yokholo lwenu, 3 ukuze kungabikho muntu onyakaziswa yilezi zinsizi. Ngoba nani niyazi ukuthi asinakukugwema ukubhekana nezinto ezinjalo. *+ 4 Lapho sisenani, sasivame ukunitshela kusengaphambili ukuthi sizobhekana nosizi futhi yilokho okwenzekile njengoba nje nazi. + 5 Yingakho lapho ngingasakwazi ukulinda, ngathumela ukuze ngazi ngokuthembeka kwenu, + njengoba kwakungenzeka ukuthi ngandlela-thile uMlingi + wayenilingile, nomshikashika wethu waba yize.

6 Kodwa uThimothewu usanda kufika kithi evela kini + futhi usibikele izindaba ezinhle ngokuthembeka kwenu nothando lwenu, ukuthi niyaqhubeka nisikhumbula ngenjabulo, nokuthi nilangazelela ukusibona ngendlela nathi esilangazelela ngayo ukunibona. 7 Yingakho, bazalwane, kukho konke ukukhathazeka* kwethu nosizi, siye saduduzeka ngani nangokuthembeka enikubonisayo. + 8 Ngoba siyavuseleleka* uma nina nima niqinile eNkosini. 9 Singabonisa kanjani nje ukuthi siyambonga uNkulunkulu ngani ngenjabulo enkulu esinayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ngenxa yenu? 10 Ubusuku nemini senza umzamo wokunxusa ngobuqotho ukuba sinibone ubuso nobuso* futhi siphelelise izinto ezintulekayo okholweni lwenu. +

11 Manje kwangathi uNkulunkulu uBaba wethu ngokwakhe neNkosi yethu uJesu bangasenzela indlela yokuba size kini. 12 Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwangathi iNkosi ingabangela ukuba nande, yebo, inenze nichichime uthando lomunye ngomunye + nangabo bonke, njengoba nje nathi senza kini, 13 ukuze iqinise izinhliziyo zenu, inenze ningasoleki futhi nibe ngcwele phambi kukaNkulunkulu + uBaba wethu, ekubeni khona kweNkosi yethu uJesu + nabo bonke abangcwele bayo.

4 Ekugcineni, bazalwane, njengoba nje namukela umyalo ovela kithi mayelana nendlela okufanele nihambe ngayo ukuze nijabulise uNkulunkulu, + njengoba nje eqinisweni nihamba, siyanicela futhi siyanikhuthaza ngeNkosi uJesu ukuba niqhubeke nikwenza ngokugcwele. 2 Ngoba niyayazi imiyalo* esaninika yona evela eNkosini uJesu.

3 Ngoba yilokhu uNkulunkulu akuthandayo, ukuba nibe ngcwele + nokuba nidede ekuziphatheni kabi ngokocansi. *+ 4 Ngamunye wenu kufanele azi ukuthi angawulawula kanjani umzimba* wakhe siqu + ukuze awugcine ungcwele + futhi unodumo, 5 kungabi ngokushisa kwenkanuko yokuya ocansini engalawuleki + enjengaleyo izizwe ezingamazi uNkulunkulu ezinayo. + 6 Akukho muntu okufanele adlulele ngale kwemingcele yokuziphatha futhi alimaze umfowabo kule ndaba, ngoba uJehova* ukhipha isijeziso ngenxa yazo zonke lezi zinto, njengoba nje sanitshela esikhathini esidlule futhi sanixwayisa ngokuqinile. 7 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wasibizela ubungcwele + hhayi ukungcola. 8 Ngakho-ke, umuntu ongakunaki lokhu, akabonisi ukunganaki umuntu, kodwa uNkulunkulu, + osinika umoya wakhe ongcwele. +

9 Nokho, mayelana nothando lobuzalwane, + anidingi ukuba sinibhalele ngoba nina ngokwenu nifundiswa uNkulunkulu ukuba nithandane. + 10 Eqinisweni, lokhu niyakwenza kubo bonke abazalwane kulo lonke elaseMakedoniya. Kodwa siyaninxusa, bazalwane, ukuba niqhubeke nikwenza ngisho nakakhulu. 11 Kwenzeni umgomo wenu ukuphila ngokuthula + nokunaka izindaba zenu siqu + futhi nisebenze ngezandla zenu, + njengoba nje saniyala, 12 ukuze nihambe ngokufanele phambi kwabantu bangaphandle + futhi ningasweli lutho.

13 Ngaphezu kwalokho, bazalwane, asifuni ukuba nibe abangenalwazi ngalabo abalele ekufeni, + ukuze ningadabuki njengabo bonke abanye abangenalo ithemba. + 14 Ngoba uma sinokholo lokuthi uJesu wafa wabuye wavuka, + kanjalo futhi uNkulunkulu uyobanika ukuphila kanye noJesu labo asebalala ekufeni ukuze babe naye. + 15 Ngoba nakhu esinitshela khona ngezwi likaJehova,* ukuthi labo phakathi kwethu abayobe besaphila phakathi nokuba khona kweNkosi ngeke nangayiphi indlela babandulele labo asebalala ekufeni; 16 ngoba iNkosi ngokwayo iyokwehla ezulwini ngezwi elinegunya, ngezwi lengelosi enkulu + nangecilongo likaNkulunkulu, futhi labo abafe bemunye noKristu bayovuka kuqala. + 17 Ngemva kwalokho thina esiphilayo esisekhona siyothathwa kanye nabo ngamafu + ukuze sihlangabeze iNkosi + emoyeni; kanjalo siyoba neNkosi ngaso sonke isikhathi. + 18 Ngakho, qhubekani niduduzana ngala mazwi.

5 Manje ngokuqondene nezikhathi nezinkathi, bazalwane, anidingi kubhalelwa lutho ngakho. 2 Ngoba nina ngokwenu nazi kahle ukuthi usuku lukaJehova *+ luza ngokufana ncamashi nesela ebusuku. + 3 Noma nini lapho bethi, “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” khona-ke imbubhiso engazelelwe iyobafikela ngaso leso sikhathi, + njengemihelo efikela owesifazane okhulelwe futhi abasoze baphunyuka nangayiphi indlela. 4 Kodwa nina, bazalwane, anikho ebumnyameni, ukuba lolo suku lunifice ngendlela ukukhanya kosuku obekungafica ngayo amasela, 5 ngoba nonke ningamadodana okukhanya namadodana emini. + Asibona abantu bobusuku noma bobumnyama. +

6 Ngakho-ke, masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye, + kodwa masihlale siphapheme + futhi sihlale sisangulukile. + 7 Ngoba abalalayo balala ebusuku, nabadakwayo badakwa ebusuku. + 8 Kodwa thina esingabemini, masihlale sisangulukile futhi sigqoke isivikelo sesifuba sokholo nothando, sifake nethemba lensindiso njengesigqoko sokuzivikela + 9 ngoba uNkulunkulu akasabelanga ulaka, kodwa wasabela ukuba sizuze insindiso + ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu. 10 Yasifela, + ukuze noma ngabe sihleli siphapheme noma silele,* siphile kanye nayo. + 11 Ngakho-ke, qhubekani nikhuthazana* futhi nakhana, + njengoba nje eqinisweni nenza.

12 Manje siyanicela, bazalwane, ukuba nibahloniphe labo abasebenza kanzima phakathi kwenu nabanengamele eNkosini futhi abaniyalayo; 13 nokuba ngothando nibacabangele kakhulu ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo. + Yibani nokuthula omunye nomunye. + 14 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, siyaninxusa, bazalwane, ukuba nibaxwayise* abangahlelekile, + nibaduduze abacindezelekile,* nisekele ababuthakathaka ngokomoya, nibabekezelele bonke. + 15 Qaphelani ukuba kungabikho muntu ophindisela ukulinyazwa ngokulimaza kunoma ubani, + kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi nenzelane okuhle nabo bonke abanye. +

16 Jabulani ngaso sonke isikhathi. + 17 Thandazani njalo. + 18 Bongani ngakho konke. + Lokhu kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ngani kuKristu Jesu. 19 Ningawucimi umlilo womoya. + 20 Ningazideleli iziprofetho. + 21 Qinisekani ngazo zonke izinto; + bambelelani niqinise kokuhle. 22 Dedani kuzo zonke izinhlobo zobubi. +

23 Kwangathi uNkulunkulu wokuthula anganingcwelisa ngokuphelele. Futhi kwangathi umoya nomphefumulo* nomzimba wenu bazalwane, okuphilile kuzo zonke izici, kungagcinwa kungasoleki ekubeni khona kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu. + 24 Lowo onibizayo uthembekile, futhi nakanjani uyokwenza kanjalo.

25 Bazalwane, qhubekani nisithandazela. +

26 Khonzani kubo bonke abazalwane ngokubaqabula.

27 Nginibeka ngaphansi kwesibopho ngeNkosi ukuba le ncwadi ifundelwe bonke abazalwane. +

28 Umusa omkhulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ube nani.