To The Word – Day 210

₁UPawulu, umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, kubo abangcwele abase-Efesu nakubo abakholwa nguKristu Jesu: ₂Makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu Kristu.

₃Makabongwe uNkulunkulu, uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu osibusisile ezulwini kuKristu ngesibusiso sonke sokomoya, ₄njengalokho asikhethela kuye ngothando ngaphambi kokusekelwa kwezwe ukuba sibe ngcwele, singabi nakusolwa phambi kwakhe; ₅wasimisela ngaphambili ukuba sibe ngabantwana kuye ngoJesu Kristu, njengalokho kwaba kuhle kuye ngentando yakhe, ₆ukuze kutuswe inkazimulo yomusa wakhe asiphe wona ngesihle ngaye oThandiweyo; ₇esinokuhlengwa kuye ngegazi lakhe, ukuthethelelwa kwezono ngokwengcebo yomusa wakhe ₈awuvamisa kithi ngakho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda, ₉esazisa imfihlakalo yentando yakhe njengokuzibonela kwakhe azimisela khona ngaphambili, ₁₀kuze kube yihlelo lokuphelela kwezikhathi lokuba kuhlanganiselwe ndawonye kuKristu konke okusezulwini nokusemhlabeni; ₁₁kuyena esabelwa futhi ifa kuye, esakumiselwa ngaphambili ngokwesimiso salowo osebenza izinto zonke ngokunquma kwentando yakhe, ₁₂ukuze sibe ludumo lwenkazimulo yakhe, thina esethemba ngaphambili kuKristu; ₁₃kuye nani esenizwile izwi leqiniso, ivangeli lokusindiswa kwenu, enakholwa nguye futhi, nani nabekwa uphawu olunguMoya oNgcwele wesithembiso ₁₄oyisibambiso sefa lethu, kube ngukuhlengwa kokungokwakhe, ukuze kutuswe inkazimulo yakhe.

₁₅Ngalokho nami, sengizwile ngokukholwa okukini eNkosini uJesu nothando kubo bonke abangcwele, ₁₆angiyeki ukubonga ngenxa yenu, nginikhumbula emikhulekweni yami, ₁₇ukuze uNkulunkulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wenkazimulo, aniphe umoya wokuhlakanipha nokwambulelwa ekumazini yena; ₁₈ekhanyisiwe amehlo enhliziyo yenu, nize nazi okuyithemba lobizo lwakhe nokuyingcebo yenkazimulo yefa lakhe kubo abangcwele, ₁₉nokungubukhulu obumangalisayo bamandla akhe kithina esikholwayo, ngokokusebenza kwamandla akhe amakhulu ₂₀asebenze ngawo kuKristu emvusa kwabafileyo, wamhlalisa ngakwesokunene sakhe ezulwini, ₂₁ngaphezu kwakho konke ukubusa, negunya, namandla, nobukhosi, namagama onke aphathwayo, kungekuleli zwe lodwa kepha nakulo elizayo; ₂₂wakubeka konke phansi kwezinyawo zakhe, wammisa abe yinhloko phezu kwakho konke kulo ibandla, ₂₃elona lingumzimba wakhe, ukugcwala kwakhe ogcwalisa konke kubo bonke.

₁Uniphilisile nani enanifile ngeziphambeko nangezono zenu, ₂enanikade nihamba kuzo ngokwendlela yaleli zwe, ngokombusi wamandla omkhathi, ongumoya osasebenza kubantwana bokungalaleli, ₃esasikade sihamba phakathi kwabo sonke ezinkanukweni zenyama yethu, senza intando yenyama neyengqondo; ngemvelo sasingabantwana bolaka njengabo abanye. ₄Kepha uNkulunkulu ecebile ngesihawu, ngenxa yothando lwakhe olukhulu asithanda ngalo, ₅sesifile ngeziphambeko, wenza siphile kanye noKristu – kungomusa nisindisiwe – ₆wasivusa kanye naye, wasihlalisa kanye naye embusweni wezulu kuKristu Jesu, ₇kuze kuthi ezikhathini ezizayo abonakalise ingcebo enkulu yomusa wakhe ngobubele kithina kuKristu Jesu. ₈Ngokuba ngomusa nisindisiwe ngokukholwa; nalokhu akuveli kini, kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu; ₉akuveli ngemisebenzi, ukuze kungabikho ozibongayo. ₁₀Ngokuba singumsebenzi wakhe kuKristu Jesu, sidalelwe imisebenzi emihle ayilungisela ngaphambili uNkulunkulu ukuba sihambe kuyo.

₁₁Ngakho khumbulani ukuthi nina enanikade ningabezizwe ngokwenyama, ababizwa ngokuthi abangasoki yilabo ababizwa ngokuthi abokusoka, okwenziwa ngezandla enyameni, ₁₂ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi naningenaye uKristu, naningaphandle kombuso ka-Israyeli, naningabafokazi ezivumelwaneni zesithembiso, ningenathemba, ningenaNkulunkulu ezweni. ₁₃Kepha manje kuKristu Jesu nina enanikade nikude senenziwe abaseduze ngegazi likaKristu.

₁₄Ngokuba yena ungukuthula kwethu, owenza kokubili kwaba kunye, nowabhidliza udonga olwahlukanisayo olungubutha, ₁₅ngenyama yakhe ewenzile ize umthetho wemiyalo esezimisweni ukuba adale kuyena labo ababili babe muntu munye omusha, enze ukuthula, ₁₆enze futhi ukuba bobabili babuyisane noNkulunkulu emzimbeni munye ngesiphambano, esebulele ubutha ngakho. ₁₇Weza washumayela ivangeli lokuthula kinina enanikude, yebo, ukuthula nakubo abaseduze. ₁₈Ngokuba ngaye sinokungena sobabili ngoMoya munye kuYise.

₁₉Ngakho aniseyibo abafokazi nezihambi, kodwa senimbuso munye nabangcwele, ningabendlu kaNkulunkulu, ₂₀nakhiwe phezu kwesisekelo sabaphostoli nabaprofethi, uKristu Jesu uqobo lwakhe eyitshe legumbi, ₂₁okuhlanganiselwe kuye isakhiwo sonke, sikhule sibe yithempeli elingcwele eNkosini, ₂₂okukuyo nani, nakhiwe kanye nabanye, ukuba nibe yindlu kaNkulunkulu ngoMoya.

₁Ngenxa yalokho mina Pawulu ngiyisiboshwa sikaKristu Jesu ngenxa yenu nina bezizwe – ₂uma ngabe senizwile ngohlelo lomusa kaNkulunkulu engiwuphiweyo ngenxa yenu ₃ukuthi ngaziswa imfihlakalo ngesambulo, njengalokho sengaloba ngokufushane – ₄okungakho, nxa nikufunda, ningaqonda ukwazi kwami ngemfihlakalo kaKristu, ₅bengayaziswanga abantwana babantu ezizukulwaneni ezinye, njengalokhu isiyambuliwe manje kubaphostoli bakhe abangcwele nabaprofethi ngoMoya ₆ukuthi abezizwe bayizindlalifa kanye nathi, nokuthi bamzimba munye nathi, nokuthi bangabahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye nathi kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli; ₇engenziwa isikhonzi salo ngokwesipho somusa kaNkulunkulu engiwuphiwe ngokokusebenza kwamandla akhe. ₈Mina engimncinyane kunabo bonke abangcwele ngaphiwa lowo musa wokushumayeza abezizwe ivangeli lengcebo kaKristu engaphenyekiyo ₉nokubakhanyisela ukuthi luyini uhlelo lwemfihlakalo ebifihliwe kwaphakade kuNkulunkulu owadala izinto zonke, ₁₀ukuze imibuso nabanamandla emazulwini baziswe manje ngebandla ukuhlakanipha okuninginingi kukaNkulunkulu, ₁₁ngokwecebo laphakade alenza ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu; ₁₂okungaye sinesibindi ukungena ngokwethemba, ngokukholwa nguye. ₁₃Ngalokho ngiyacela ukuba ningadangali ngezinhlupheko zami ngenxa yenu, okuludumo lwenu.

₁₄Ngenxa yalokho ngiguqa ngamadolo ami kuYise, ₁₅eyethiwa ngaye imindeni yonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni, ₁₆ukuba ngokwengcebo yenkazimulo yakhe aninike ukuqiniseka emandleni ngoMoya wakhe kumuntu ongaphakathi; ₁₇uKristu ahlale ezinhliziyweni zenu ngokukholwa, ukuze nigxile, nisekelwe othandweni, ₁₈nibe namandla okuqonda kanye nabangcwele bonke okungububanzi, nobude, nokuphakama, nokujula, ₁₉nokulwazi uthando lukaKristu oludlula ukwazi konke, ukuze nigcwaliswe kube ngukugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu.

₂₀Kepha yena onamandla okwenza okukhulu kakhulu kunakho konke esikucelayo nesikuqondayo ngokwamandla asebenza kithi, ₂₁makube kuye udumo ebandleni nakuKristu Jesu ezizukulwaneni zonke zaphakade naphakade. Amen.

₁Ngakho mina siboshwa eNkosini ngiyanincenga ukuba nihambe ngokufanele ukubizwa enabizwa ngakho, ₂ngokuthobeka konke nobumnene, ngokubheka kade nokubekezelelana ngothando, ₃nikhuthalele ukugcina ubunye bukaMoya ngesibopho sokuthula; ₄munye umzimba, munye uMoya, njengalokho nabizelwa ethembeni linye lokubizwa kwenu; ₅yinye iNkosi, yinye inkolo, munye umbhapathizo; ₆munye uNkulunkulu, uYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke, okubo bonke, ophakathi kwabo bonke.

₇Kepha yilowo nalowo kithina uphiwe umusa ngokwesilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu. ₈Ngalokho uthi:

₁₇Ngakho ngisho, ngifakaza eNkosini, ngithi ningabe nisahamba njengalokhu kuhamba abezizwe ebuzeni bengqondo yabo, ₁₈behlwelwe emqondweni, behlukanisiwe nokuphila kukaNkulunkulu ngokungazi okukubo ngenxa yobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo, ₁₉abathi bebuthuntu, bazinikela emanyaleni, ukuze basebenze ukungcola konke ngokuhuheka.

₂₀Kepha nina animfundanga uKristu kanjalo, ₂₁uma-ke nimzwile nafundiswa kuye, njengokuba iqiniso likuJesu, ₂₂ukuba nikhumule umuntu omdala ongowenkambo yokuqala, owonakala ngezinkanuko zenkohliso, ₂₃nenziwe basha emoyeni wengqondo yenu, ₂₄nembathe umuntu omusha owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.

₂₅Ngakho lahlani amanga, nikhulume iqiniso, yilowo nalowo nomakhelwane wakhe, lokhu singamalungu omunye komunye. ₂₆Thukuthelani ningoni; ilanga malingashoni nisathukuthele. ₂₇Ningamniki uSathane indawo. ₂₈Owebayo angabe eseba, kepha kunalokho akhuthale asebenze okuhle ngezandla zakhe, ukuze abe nokokwabela osweleyo.

₂₉Makungaphumi emlonyeni wenu nalinye izwi elibolileyo, kodwa kube ngelilungele ukwakha njengokuswelekileyo, ukuze libavezele umusa abezwayo. ₃₀Ningamdabukisi uMoya oNgcwele kaNkulunkulu enabekwa uphawu ngaye kuze kube lusuku lokuhlengwa. ₃₁Konke okubabayo, nentukuthelo, nolaka, nomsindo, nokuhlambalaza makususwe kini kanye nakho konke okubi. ₃₂Maniphathane ngobumnene, nihawukelane, nithethelelane, njengalokho noNkulunkulu wanithethelela ngoKristu.

₁Ngakho yibani ngabalingisa uNkulunkulu njengabantwana abathandekayo, ₂nihambe othandweni, njengalokho uKristu wanithanda, wazinikela ngenxa yethu, abe ngumnikelo nomhlatshelo, abe yiphunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu.

₃Kepha ubufebe, nakho konke ukungcola, noma isangabe, makungaphathwa nangegama phakathi kwenu, njengokuba kufanele abangcwele, ₄nehlazo, nokubheda, nokulawula, okuyizinto ezingafanele, kepha kunalokho makube ngukubonga. ₅Ngokuba yazini lokhu, nikuqonde ukuthi akukho sifebe, noma ongcolileyo, noma onesangabe ongokhonza izithombe, onefa embusweni kaKristu noNkulunkulu.

₆Masingakhohliswa muntu ngamazwi ayize, ngokuba ngenxa yalezo zinto ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli. ₇Ngakho-ke ningabi ngabahlanganyela nabo.

₈Ngokuba kade naningubumnyama, kepha manje ningukukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya, ₉ngokuba izithelo zokukhanya zisebuhleni bonke nasekulungeni naseqinisweni, ₁₀nihlole ukuthi kuyini okuthandeka eNkosini, ₁₁ningahlanganyeli imisebenzi yobumnyama engenazithelo, kepha kunalokho niyidalule; ₁₂ngokuba okwenziwa yibo ngasese kuyihlazo nokukhuluma ngakho. ₁₃Kepha konke okudalulwayo kubonakaliswa ngukukhanya, ngokuba konke okubonakaliswayo kungukukhanya. ₁₄Ngalokho uthi:

₁₅Ngakho-ke bhekisisani ukuthi nihamba kanjani, kungabi njengabangahlakaniphile kepha njengabahlakaniphileyo, ₁₆nithengisise isikhathi, ngokuba izinsuku zimbi. ₁₇Ngakho-ke ningabi yiziwula, kodwa qondani okuyintando yeNkosi. ₁₈Ningadakwa yiwayini, kuvela kulo umhumheko, kodwa nigcwaliswe ngoMoya, ₁₉niphendulane ngamahubo nangezihlabelelo nangamaculo okomoya, nihlabelele, nihubele iNkosi enhliziyweni yenu, ₂₀nimbonge njalo uNkulunkulu uYise ngakho konke egameni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, ₂₁nithobelane ngokumesaba uKristu.

₂₂Abafazi mabathobele amadoda abo kungathi kukuyo iNkosi, ₂₃ngokuba indoda iyinhloko yomfazi, njengokuba noKristu uyinhloko yebandla, yena engumsindisi womzimba. ₂₄Kepha njengokuba ibandla lithobela uKristu, kanjalo nabafazi mabathobele amadoda ezintweni zonke.

₂₅Madoda, thandani omkenu, njengalokho noKristu ulithandile ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo ₂₆ukuba alingcwelise, alihlambulule ngesigezo samanzi ngezwi, ₂₇ukuze azimisele ibandla elinenkazimulo, lingenasisihla, nambimbi, nanto enjalo, kodwa libe ngcwele lingenacala. ₂₈Kanjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda omkawo njengemizimba yawo. Othanda umkakhe uzithanda yena. ₂₉Ngokuba akakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kepha uyayondla, ayiphathe kahle, njengalokhu noKristu enza kulo ibandla; ₃₀ngokuba singamalungu omzimba wakhe. ₃₁Ngenxa yalokho umuntu uyakushiya uyise nonina, anamathele kumkakhe; labo ababili bayakuba nyamanye. ₃₂Le mfihlakalo inkulu, kepha ngikhuluma ngoKristu nebandla. ₃₃Nani-ke, yilowo nalowo makathande umkakhe njengokuba ezithanda yena, kepha umfazi makahloniphe indoda yakhe.

₁Bantwana, lalelani abazali benu eNkosini, ngokuba lokho kulungile. ₂Yazisa uyihlo nonyoko, okungumyalelo wokuqala onesithembiso: ₃ukuze kube kuhle kuwe, uhlale kade emhlabeni. ₄Nani boyise, ningabathukuthelisi abantwana benu, kodwa nibondle ngokuyala nangokuqondisa kweNkosi.

₅Zinceku, abangamakhosi enu ngokwenyama, balaleleni ngokwesaba nokuthuthumela ngobuqotho benhliziyo yenu kungathi kukuKristu, ₆ningathengi amehlo njengabathokozisa abantu, kodwa njengezinceku zikaKristu nenze intando kaNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo, ₇nikhonze ngothando kungathi kuseNkosini kungekubantu, ₈nazi ukuthi konke okuhle yilowo nalowo akwenzayo, uzakukwamukela okunjalo eNkosini, noma eyinceku noma engokhululekileyo.

₉Nani makhosi, yenzani okunjalo kuzo, niyeke ukusongela, nazi ukuthi neyazo neyenu iNkosi isezulwini nokuthi ukukhetha umuntu akukho kuye.

₁₀Elokugcina, qinani eNkosini nasemandleni ayo amakhulu. ₁₁Hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze nibe namandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane; ₁₂ngokuba asibambene negazi nenyama, kodwa sibambene nemibuso, namandla, nababusi bezwe balobu bumnyama, nabawomoya bobubi emkhathini. ₁₃Ngakho hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu ukuba nibe namandla okuzabalaza ngosuku olubi, nalapho senifeze konke, nime. ₁₄Ngakho yimani izinkalo zenu ziboshiwe ngeqiniso, nifakile isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga, ₁₅izinyawo zigqokisiwe ukulungela kukho ukushumayela ivangeli lokuthula; ₁₆kukho konke nithathe isihlangu sokukholwa eniyakuba namandla okucima ngaso yonke imicibisholo evuthayo yomubi, ₁₇namukele futhi isigqoko sensindiso, nenkemba kaMoya eyizwi likaNkulunkulu, ₁₈ngokukhuleka konke nokunxusa, nikhuleka ngezikhathi zonke ngoMoya; kulokho nilinde ngesineke sonke nangokunxusela abangcwele bonke, ₁₉ninginxusele nami ukuba ngiphiwe izwi, nxa ngivula umlomo wami, ngize ngiyishumayele ngesibindi imfihlakalo yevangeli; ₂₀engiyisithunywa ngalo esiboshiwe ngamaketanga, ukuze ngikhulume ngesibindi ngalo, njengokuba kufanele ukuba ngikhulume.

₂₁Kepha ukuba nani nazi okuqondene nami nalokhu engikwenzayo, uyakunazisa konke uThikhiku, umzalwane othandekayo nesikhonzi esikholekileyo eNkosini, ₂₂engamthumela kini ngakho lokho ukuba nazi izindaba zethu, nokuba aduduze izinhliziyo zenu.

₂₃Ukuthula makube kubazalwane, nothando kanye nokukholwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu uYise naseNkosini uJesu Kristu. ₂₄Umusa mawube nabo bonke abathanda iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ngokunganqamukiyo.