UMathewu 16:1-28
16 Elapho, abaFarisi labaSadusi bamlanda bamcela ukuthi abatshengise isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini, befuna ukumlinga.
2 Wabaphendula wathi: “Nxa sekuntambama lithi, ‘Umkhathi uzabe umuhle, ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu njengomlilo,’
3 lekuseni lithi, ‘Lamuhla kuzaqanda njalo lizakuna, ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu njengomlilo, kodwa kulamayezi.’ Liyakwazi ukuchasisa ukukhangeleka kwesibhakabhaka, kodwa kalenelisi ukuchasisa izibonakaliso zezikhathi.
4 Isizukulwane esibi lesingathembekanga* siqhubeka sidinga isibonakaliso, kodwa kakulasibonakaliso esizasiphiwa ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona.” Wasesuka wahamba, wabatshiya khonapho.
5 Abafundi basebechapha baya ngaphetsheya kolwandle, bakhohlwa ukuthatha izinkwa.
6 UJesu wathi kubo: “Hlalani livule amehlo enu njalo liqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi labaSadusi.”
7 Ngakho baqalisa ukukhuluma ngalokhu bebodwa besithi: “Sikhohlwe ukubuya lezinkwa.”
8 UJesu esazi lokhu wathi: “Kungani lixoxa ngokuthi kalilazinkwa, lina abalokholo oluncane?
9 Kanti lilokhu lingazwisisi? Kumbe kalizikhumbuli yini izinkwa ezinhlanu ezadliwa ngabantu abangu-5 000, lokuthi labutha amabhasikiti amangaki okudla okwakusele?
10 Kumbe kalizikhumbuli na izinkwa eziyisikhombisa ezadliwa ngabantu abangu-4 000, lokuthi labutha amabhasikiti amakhulu* amangaki ayelokudla okwakusele?
11 Kungani lingazwisisi ukuthi bengingakhulumi lani ngezinkwa? Kodwa qaphelani imvubelo yabaFarisi labaSadusi.”
12 Bazwisisa-ke ukuthi wayesithi baqaphele izinto ezifundiswa ngabaFarisi labaSadusi, hatshi imvubelo yesinkwa.
13 UJesu wathi esefikile emangweni waseKhesariya Filiphi, wabuza abafundi bakhe wathi: “Abantu bathi iNdodana yomuntu ingubani?”
14 Bona bathi: “Abanye bathi inguJohane uMbhabhathizi, abanye bathi ingu-Elija, abanye bona bathi inguJeremiya loba omunye wabaphrofethi.”
15 Yena wathi kubo: “Kodwa lina lithi ngingubani?”
16 USimoni Phetro waphendula wathi: “UnguKhristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”
17 UJesu wasesithi kuye: “Uyathokoza Simoni ndodana kaJona ngoba lokhu kawukuvezelwanga yinyama legazi,* kodwa ukuvezelwe nguBaba osezulwini.
18 Kanti njalo ngithi kuwe: Wena unguPhetro, futhi phezu kwalelidwala ngizakwakha ibandla lami, njalo amagedi eNgcwaba* kawasoze abelamandla kulalo.
19 Ngizakunika amakhiye oMbuso wamazulu, futhi loba kuyini ongakubopha emhlabeni, kuyabe sekuvele sekubotshiwe emazulwini, njalo loba kuyini ongakuthukulula emhlabeni, kuyabe sekuvele sekuthukululiwe emazulwini.”
20 Ngemva kwalokho, waqonqosela abafundi ukuthi bangatsheli muntu ukuthi yena unguKhristu.
21 Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, uJesu waqalisa ukuchasisela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kwakumele aye eJerusalema, ahlukuluzwe kakhulu ngabadala labaphristi abakhokhelayo kanye lababhali, abulawe, abesevuswa ngelanga lesithathu.
22 UPhetro uthe esizwa lokhu wamdonsela eceleni, wamkhuza esithi: “Zizwele isihawu Nkosi; lokho ngeke kwenzeke kuwe loba sekutheni.”
23 Kodwa yena wamfulathela uPhetro, wathi kuye: “Yana emva kwami Sathane! Uyisikhubekiso kimi ngoba kawucabangi imicabango kaNkulunkulu kodwa ucabanga eyabantu.”
24 UJesu wasesithi kubafundi bakhe: “Loba ngubani ofuna ukungilandela kazidele, athwale isigodo sakhe sokuhlutshwa,* aqhubeke engilandela,
25 ngoba loba ngubani ofuna ukusindisa ukuphila* kwakhe kuzamlahlekela, kodwa loba ngubani olahlekelwa yikuphila* kwakhe ngenxa yami, uzakuthola.
26 Kambe umuntu kuzamnceda ngani sibili ukuzuza umhlaba wonke kodwa alahlekelwe yikuphila kwakhe?* Kumbe kuyini umuntu angabhadala ngakho ukuze athole ukuphila kwakhe?*
27 Phela iNdodana yomuntu izakuza isenkazimulweni kaYise futhi ilezingilosi zayo, ibisinika ngamunye umvuzo wakhe kusiya ngokuthi uziphatha njani.
28 Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, bakhona abanye abemiyo lapha abangasoze bafe bengakayiboni iNdodana yomuntu isiza eMbusweni wayo.”
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “lesiphingayo.”
^ Kumbe, “amabhasikiti okuthwala ukudla.”
^ Kumbe, “ngumuntu.”
^ Kumbe, “eHayidesi.” Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “umphefumulo.”
^ Kumbe, “ngumphefumulo.”
^ Kumbe, “ngumphefumulo wakhe.”
^ Kumbe, “umphefumulo wakhe.”
