Matewu 23

₁Jesu wakhuluma eticunjini tebantfu nakubafundzi bakhe, ₂watsi: “Tati temtsetfo nebaFarisi bahleti esihlalweni saMosi bafundzisa umtsetfo. ₃Ngako-ke kwenteni konkhe labanitjela kona nikugcine, kodvwa ningenti njengemisebenti yabo, ngobe bayakhuluma bangabe basenta. ₄Babopha imitfwalo lesindzako, bayibeke emahlombe alabanye bantfu, kepha bona abafuni kuyifukula, ngisho nangemuno wabo. ₅Konkhe labakwentako kwekutiveta kubantfu. Ngobe la etinhloko tabo sebandzise emabhande lanetikhehle temabhokisana letinemavesi emiBhalo, bese belula timvakaza temijiva yabo. ₆Batsandza tindzawo letingenhla emadzilini, netitulo letisembili emasinagogeni, ₇batsandza nekubingelelwa ngenhlonipho etimakethe, bantfu bababite ngekutsi: ‘Mfundisi!’ ₈Kepha nine ningabobitwa ngumuntfu ngekutsi: ‘Mfundisi,’ ngobe nonkhe nibazalwane, munye uMfundzisi wenu. ₉Ningabiti muntfu emhlabeni ngekutsi: ‘Babe,’ ngobe munye uYihlo losezulwini. ₁₀Futsi ningabitwa ngumuntfu ngekutsi nibaholi, ngobe munye umholi wenu, longuKhristu.

₁₁“Kodvwa lomkhulu kunani nonkhe kufanele abe sikhonti senu. ₁₂Ngobe wonkhe umuntfu lotiphakamisako uyawutfotjiswa, nalotitfobako uyawuphakanyiswa.”

₁₃“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Nivimbela bantfu umbuso welizulu, nibe nine ningangeni, nebantfu labafuna kungena anibavumeli kutsi bangene.

[ ₁₄“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Ngobe nidla tindlu tebafelokati, nangekutentisa nenta imithandazo lemidze. Ngako niyakwemukeliswa kulahlwa lokukhulu.]

₁₅“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Ngobe niwela tilwandle, nidzabule nemave, kuze nidwebele enkholweni yenu abe munye wetive; nasenimtfolile, nimenta abe yindvodzana yesihogo ngalokuphindziwe kunani.

₁₆“Maye kini, baholi labatimphumphutse! Ngobe nitsi: ‘Lofunga lithempeli, akanandzaba; kepha lofunga igolide yelithempeli, utibopha yena ngesifungo sakhe.’ ₁₇Tiphukuphuku letitimphumphutse! Kantsi ngukuphi lokubaluleke kakhulu, yigolide nome lithempeli lelingcwelisa igolide yalo? ₁₈Futsi nitsi: ‘Lowo lofunga lilati, akanandzaba; kodvwa lofunga umnikelo losetikwalo, utibopha yena ngesifungo sakhe.’ ₁₉Timphumphutse, ngukuphi lokubaluleke kakhulu, sipho nome lilati, lelenta sipho sibe ngcwele? ₂₀Ngako-ke umuntfu nakafunga lilati, ufunga lona kanye nako konkhe lokukulo; ₂₁lofunga lithempeli, ufunga lona kanye nalowo lohlala kulo. ₂₂Umuntfu lofunga lizulu, ufunga sihlalo saNkulunkulu kanye nalowo lohlala kuso.

₂₃“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Ngobe nikhipha kwelishumi kwashaladi, napelepele, nelidile, niyekele lokungukona kubalulekile kwemtsetfo: kwehlulela, bubele, nekukholwa; loko benifanele kukwenta ngaphandle kwekuyekela loku. ₂₄Baholi labatimphumphutse, nikhetsa imphungane ekudleni, kodvwa nimite likamela.

₂₅“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Nigeza lingephandle lendzebe nesitja, kantsi ngekhatsi kugcwele buphangi kanye nebumiti. ₂₆MFarisi loyimphumphutse! Geza kucala lingekhatsi lendzebe, kuze kutsi nelingephandle ligezeke.

₂₇“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Batentisi! Nifana nemathuna lacakaciwe aba mhlophe, abukeka amahle ngephandle, kodvwa ngekhatsi abe agcwele ematsambo ebantfu labafile nekungcola konkhe. ₂₈Kanjalo nani nibonakala nilungile emehlweni ebantfu, kodvwa ngekhatsi nigcwele kutentisa nekuphambana nemtsetfo.”

₂₉“Maye kini, bafundzisi bemtsetfo nebaFarisi! Ngobe nakha emathuna ebaphrofethi abe mahle, nihlobise netikhumbuto talabo lababelungile, ₃₀bese nitsi: ‘Kube sasiphila ngesikhatsi sabokhokho, sasingayikwenta loko labakwenta ngekubulala baphrofethi.’ ₃₁Kanjalo nitifakazela nine kutsi ningemadvodzana alabo lababulala baphrofethi. ₃₂Chubekani-ke nicedzele loko lokwacalwa bokhokho benu! ₃₃Tinyoka, ntalo yemabululu! Nitakubalekela njani kulahlwa esihogweni? ₃₄Ngako nginitjela kutsi: Ngiyawunitfumelela baphrofethi, netati, nebafundzisi. Labanye babo niyawubabulala, nibabetsele etiphambanweni, labanye nibabhambabule emasinagogeni enu. Niyawubatingela emadolobha ngemadolobha; ₃₅kuze kwehlele etikwenu yonkhe ingati lelungile leyacitfwa emhlabeni, kusukela engatini ya-Abela labelungile, kuze kube ngusengatini yaZakhariya, umsa waBarakhiya, lenambulala emkhatsini welithempeli nelilati. ₃₆Ngicinisile, ngitsi kini: Konkhe loku kuyakwehlela etikwalesitukulwane.”

₃₇“Jerusalema, Jerusalema! Wena lobulala baphrofethi, ubagcobe ngematje labatfunywe kuwe! Kukangaki ngifisa kubutsela ndzawonye bantfu bakho, njengesikhukhukati sifukamela emantjwele aso, kodvwa awuzange sewungivumele! ₃₈Bukani-ke lelidolobha lenu selisele lodvwana, lite bantfu. ₃₉Ngiyanitjela ngitsi: Ningeke niphindze ningibone nize nitsi: ‘Ubusisiwe lotako egameni leNkhosi.’ ”