Eyokuqala KaPetros 4:1-19
4 UKristu wehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu+ xa wayenomzimba wenyama, nani ke zimiseleni ukucinga njengoKristu; kuba xa umntu esehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu, uyekile ukona,+
2 ukuze angaphileli ukwenza ngokweminqweno yabantu,+ kodwa aphilele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngoxa esenomzimba wenyama.+
3 Kuba lanele ixesha enilichithe nisenza ukuthanda kweentlanga,+ niziphethe ngokungenazintloni,* nineminqweno engalawulekiyo, nisela kakhulu, nihamba iipati ezingalawulekiyo, nikhuphisana ngokusela utywala, nikhonza izithixo ngendlela eyenyanyekayo.*+
4 Babhidekile kuba ningasaphili ubomi obumdaka bokuziphatha kakubi njengabo, ngoko bahamba bethetha kakubi ngani.+
5 Kodwa abo bantu baza kuphenduliswa ngulowo uza kugweba abaphilayo nabafileyo.+
6 Yiloo nto iindaba ezilungileyo zashunyayelwa nakubantu abafileyo,+ ukuze nangona begwetywa ngabantu benemizimba yenyama, baphile phambi kwamehlo kaThixo bekhokelwa ngumoya wakhe.
7 Kodwa isiphelo sayo yonke into sisondele. Ngoko ke yibani ngabaphilileyo engqondweni,+ nihlale nikulungele ukuthandaza.+
8 Nantsi eyona nto ibalulekileyo: Thandanani ngokusuka entliziyweni,+ kuba uthando logquma izono ezininzi.+
9 Yenzelanani ububele ngaphandle kokukhalaza.+
10 Njengokuba mntu ngamnye enikwe isiphiwo, makasisebenzise ukuze ancede abanye, njengommeli wobubele bukaThixo* obubonakaliswe ngeendlela ezininzi.+
11 Ukuba umntu uyathetha makathethe izinto ezisuka kuThixo; nabani na onceda abantu makabancede exhomekeke kumandla avela kuThixo,+ ukuze uThixo azukiswe kwinto yonke+ ngoYesu Kristu. Uzuko namandla ngawakhe ngonaphakade kanaphakade. Amen.
12 Bazalwana endibathandayo, sanukumangaliswa ziintshutshiso ezingathi ngumlilo ezinehlelayo,+ ngokungathi nehlelwa yinto engaqhelekanga.
13 Kunoko, mazinivuyise+ iintshutshiso enizifumanayo ngenxa yokuba nikunye noKristu,+ ukuze nonwabe kakhulu ngexesha lokubonakala kozuko lwakhe.+
14 Nimele nonwabe xa kuthethwa kakubi ngani* ngenxa yegama likaKristu,+ kuba umoya kaThixo ozukileyo uphezu kwenu.
15 Noko ke, makungabikho namnye kuni ova ubunzima ngenxa yokuba engumbulali okanye isela okanye umenzi-bubi okanye ugqada-mbekweni ezintweni zabantu.+
16 Kodwa ukuba nabani na uva ubunzima kuba engumKristu, makangaziva ehlazekile,+ kodwa makaqhubeke ezukisa uThixo ngokuphila njengomKristu.
17 Kaloku ngoku lixesha lokuba umgwebo uqale ngendlu kaThixo.+ Ukuba ke uqala ngathi,+ kobeka phi ke kwabo bangazithobeliyo iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo?+
18 “Yaye ukuba umntu olilungisa usindiswa nzima, kobeka phi ke kuboni nabantu abangamthobeliyo uThixo?”+
19 Ngoko ke, abo beva ubunzima kuba besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, mabahlale bethembele kuMdali othembekileyo, baqhubeke besenza okulungileyo.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye “ngokuqaqadeka.” NgesiGrike, a·selʹgei·a. Funda Ingcaciso Yamagama.
^ Ngokoqobo, “engekho mthethweni.”
^ Okanye “wobubele bukaThixo obungasifanelanga.”
^ Okanye “xa nithukwa.”
