Kwabase-Efesu 5:1-33
5 Ngakho lingiselani uNkulunkulu njengoba lingabantwana abathandwayo,
2 njalo qhubekani liphila impilo yothando* njengoba nje uKhristu laye wasithanda* wazinikela ngenxa yethu* ukuze abe ngumhlatshelo lomnikelo oliphunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu.
3 Lingaqali ukuxoxa ngokuziphatha okubi kwezemacansini* langayo yonke imihlobo yokungcola loba ubuhwaba, ngoba lokhu kakubafanelanga abantu abangcwele,
4 njalo kakumelanga kube lokuziphatha okulihlazo, lenkulumo yobuthutha kanye leyobuphoxo elenhlamba, okuyizinto ezingafanelanga, kodwa kufanele kube lokubonga.
5 Liyakwazi lokhu futhi liyakunanzelela ukuthi umuntu oziphatha kubi kwezemacansini* kumbe ongcolileyo kumbe oyisihwaba, okutsho ukuthi okhonza izithombe, kalalo ilifa eMbusweni kaKhristu loNkulunkulu.
6 Kakungabi lomuntu oliqila ngamazwi angatsho lutho ngoba ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luzakwehlela phezu kwamadodana okungalaleli ngenxa yezinto ezinjalo.
7 Yikho-ke lingabi lobudlelwano labo
8 ngoba kuqala laliyibumnyama kodwa khathesi seliyikukhanya ngenxa yokuthi selingabeNkosi. Qhubekani lihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya
9 ngoba izithelo zokukhanya zigoqela yonke imihlobo yobuhle lokulunga leqiniso.
10 Qhubekani lisiba leqiniso lokuthi kuyini okwamukelekayo eNkosini,
11 futhi yekelani ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini yobumnyama engancediyo kodwa yivezeni egcekeni ukuthi injani.
12 Phela kuyayangisa lokukhuluma ngezinto abazenza ensitha.
13 Izinto zonke ezivezwa egcekeni* zicaciswa yikukhanya ngoba yonke into ecaciswayo iyikukhanya.
14 Yikho kuthiwa: “Vuka wena oleleyo, vuka kwabafileyo; uKhristu uzakukhanyisela.”
15 Ngakho qaphelisisani lingahambi njengabantu abangahlakaniphanga kodwa njengabahlakaniphileyo,
16 lisisebenzise kuhle kakhulu isikhathi senu* ngoba insuku zimbi.
17 Ngenxa yalokho yekelani ukuba yizithutha kodwa qhubekani liqedisisa lokho okuyintando kaJehova.
18 Kanti njalo akumelanga lidakwe liwayini, elenza abantu baziphathe butshapha,* kodwa qhubekani ligcwaliswa ngomoya.
19 Khulumisanani ngamahubo langezingoma zokudumisa uNkulunkulu, langezingoma zokukhonza, lihlabela njalo lidumisa uJehova ngezingoma ezinhliziyweni zenu,
20 lihlale libonga kuNkulunkulu wethu onguBaba wethu, limbonga ngenxa yakho konke ebizweni leNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu.
21 Zehliseni omunye komunye ngenxa yokwesaba uKhristu.
22 Amakhosikazi kawazehlise kubomkawo ngendlela azehlisa ngayo eNkosini,
23 ngoba indoda iyinhloko yomkayo njengoba nje uKhristu eyinhloko yebandla, yena engumsindisi walowomzimba.
24 Njengoba ibandla lizehlisa kuKhristu, amakhosikazi lawo kumele azehlise kubomkawo kukho konke.
25 Madoda qhubekani lithanda omkenu njengoKhristu owathanda ibandla waze wazinikela ngenxa yalo
26 ukuze lona alenze libe ngcwele, elihlambulula ngokuligezisa ngamanzi esebenzisa ilizwi,
27 esenzela ukuthi ethule ibandla lelo phambi kwakhe liyibukhazikhazi, lingelatshatha kumbe ukutshwabhana kumbe enye into enjalo, kodwa lingcwele futhi lingelasici.
28 Ngayonale indlela amadoda kumele athande omkawo ngendlela athanda ngayo imizimba yawo. Indoda ethanda umkayo iyazithanda yona
29 ngoba kakho owake wazonda umzimba wakhe,* kodwa uyawunika ukudla futhi awuphathe kuhle njengoba nje loKhristu eliphatha njalo ibandla,
30 ngoba thina siyizitho zomzimba wakhe.
31 “Ngenxa yalesosizatho, indoda izatshiya uyise lonina inamathele kumkayo,* futhi laba ababili bazakuba nyamanye.”
32 Imfihlo le engcwele iqakatheke kakhulu. Khathesi ngikhuluma ngoKhristu langebandla.
33 Lanxa kunjalo, kumele ngamunye wenu athande inkosikazi yakhe ngendlela azithanda ngayo; lenkosikazi kumele iyihloniphe kakhulu indoda yayo.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiGrikhi, “lihamba ethandweni.”
^ Kungahunyutshwa langokuthi, “walithanda.”
^ Kungahunyutshwa langokuthi, “yenu.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, por·neiʹa. Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala, “Ukuziphatha okubi kwezemacansini.”
^ Kumbe, “ezisolwayo.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “lithenge isikhathi esibekiweyo.”
^ Kumbe, “bangakhuzeki.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “inyama yakhe.”
^ Kumbe, “ihlale lomkayo.”
