1 KaPhethro 4

₁Njengalokhu uKhristu ahlupheka emzimbeni, hlomani nani ngokuqonda okunjalo, ngokuba ohlupheke emzimbeni uyayeka ukona, ₂ukuze ngalesi sikhathi esisasele nisesemzimbeni ningabe nisaphila ngezinkanuko zabantu, kodwa ngentando kaNkulunkulu. ₃Ngokuba isikhathi esedlule sasanele ukwenza okuthandwa ngabezizwe, ukuphila ngamanyala edlulele, ngezinkanuko, ngokudakwa, ngokuminza, ngokuxokozela nangokukhonza izithombe okuyichilo. ₄Bayamangala ukuthi anisahambisani nabo kulawo manyala edlulele, behlambalaza. ₅Kepha bayakuziphendulela kulowo olungele ukwehlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo. ₆Ngenxa yalokho-ke, ivangeli lashunyayelwa nakwabafileyo, ukuba bahlulelwe ngokwabantu emzimbeni, kodwa baphile ngokukaNkulunkulu emoyeni.

₇Kepha ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele, ngakho zikhuzeni, nizithibe, ukuze nikhuleke. ₈Kunalokho yibani nokuthandana okungapheliyo, ngokuba uthando lusibekela inqwaba yezono. ₉Yamukelanani yilowo nalowo, ningabi nakukhononda. ₁₀Yilowo nalowo ngokwesipho asemukelisiwe, makakhonze abanye njengezinceku ezinhle zomusa kaNkulunkulu owehlukahlukene. ₁₁Uma umuntu ekhuluma, makakhulume ngokwamazwi avela kuNkulunkulu. Uma umuntu ekhonza, makakhonze njengokwamandla awanikwa nguNkulunkulu, ukuze uNkulunkulu adunyiswe kukho konke ngoJesu Khristu okukuye inkazimulo namandla kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen.

₁₂Bathandekayo, ningamangali ngomlilo ophakathi kwenu, enifikelwa yiwo ukuba nilingwe ngokungathi nehlelwe yinto engaziwayo. ₁₃Kepha thokozani njengalokhu nihlanganyela ezinhluphekweni zikaKhristu, ukuze futhi nithokoze, nethabe nasekwambulweni kwenkazimulo yakhe. ₁₄Uma nithukwa ngenxa yegama likaKhristu, nibusisiwe, ngokuba uMoya wenkazimulo nokaNkulunkulu uhleli phezu kwenu. ₁₅Makungabi bikho namunye kini ohlupheka ngokuba engumbulali, noma eyisela, noma engowenza okubi, noma eyisigilamkhumba, noma engozigaxa ezindabeni zabanye. ₁₆Kepha uma ehlupheka ngokuba engumKhristu, makangabi namahloni, kodwa makadumise uNkulunkulu, ngenxa yalelo gama. ₁₇Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuba ukwehlulela kuqale endlini kaNkulunkulu, kepha uma kuqala kithi, siyakubanjani isiphetho salabo abangalilaleli ivangeli likaNkulunkulu na? ₁₈“Uma kunzima ukusindiswa kolungileyo, uyakubonakalaphi ongamesabi uNkulunkulu noyisoni na?”

₁₉Ngakho labo abahluphekayo ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu, mabanikele imiphefumulo yabo kuMdali owethembekileyo, baqhubeke benze okuhle.