UMathewu 18:1-35
18 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi basondela kuJesu bathi: “Ngubani sibili omkhulu kulabo bonke eMbusweni wamazulu?”
2 Ngakho wabiza umntwana omncane, wammisa phakathi kwabo,
3 wasesithi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuthi liphenduke* libe njengabantwana abancane, kalisoze lingene eMbusweni wamazulu loba sekutheni.
4 Yikho-ke lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo omncane nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke eMbusweni wamazulu;
5 futhi loba ngubani owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ngenxa yebizo lami, uyangamukela lami.
6 Kodwa loba ngubani okhuba omunye walaba abancinyane abalokholo kimi, kungaba ngcono kuye ukuthi kugaxwe entanyeni yakhe inkalakatha yelitshe lokuchola elidonswa ngubabhemi, abesephoselwa enzikini yolwandle.
7 “Maye kuwo umhlaba ngoba wenza abantu bakhubeke! Khona akusoze kwenzakale ukuthi izinto ezikhubayo zingabi khona, kodwa maye kulowo owenza abanye bakhubeke!
8 Ngakho nxa isandla sakho kumbe unyawo lwakho kukwenza ukhubeke, kuqume ukulahlele khatshana. Kungcono ukuthi uthole ukuphila ukhubazekile kumbe ugogekile kulokuthi uphoselwe emlilweni waphakade ulezandla ezimbili loba ulenyawo ezimbili.
9 Kanti njalo nxa ilihlo lakho likwenza ukhubeke, likopole ulilahlele khatshana. Kungcono ukuthi uthole ukuphila ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuthi uhlale ulamehlo amabili ube usuphoselwa eGehena* lapho okulomlilo ovuthayo.
10 Nanzelelani ukuthi kaleyisi omunye walaba abancinyane, ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo ezulwini zihlala zibona ubuso bukaBaba osezulwini.
11 *——
12 “Licabangani? Nxa umuntu elezimvu ezingu-100, enye yazo ibisilahleka, ngeke yini atshiye ezingu-99 ezintabeni abesesiyadinga leyo elahlekileyo?
13 Ngiqinisile ngithi nxa angayithola, uyathokoza kakhulu ngayo ukwedlula ezingu-99 ezingalahlekanga.
14 Ngakho loBaba* osezulwini kafisi ukuthi kutshabalale ngitsho loyedwa kulaba abancinyane.
15 “Kanti njalo nxa umfowenu angenza isono, hamba uyemvezela icala lakhe* libabili kuphela. Angakulalela, usumzuzile umfowenu.
16 Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, hamba lomuntu oyedwa loba ababili, ukuze yonke indaba iqiniswe ngobufakazi obuvela kubofakazi* ababili kumbe abathathu.
17 Nxa engabalaleli, khuluma lebandla. Kodwa nxa engalilaleli ngitsho lebandla, kuwe kabe njengomuntu wezizweni lanjengomthelisi.
18 “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, loba yiziphi izinto elingazibopha emhlabeni ziyabe sezivele sezibotshiwe ezulwini, futhi loba yiziphi izinto elingazithukulula emhlabeni ziyabe sezivele sezithukululiwe ezulwini.
19 Kanti njalo ngiqinisile ngithi nxa ababili phakathi kwenu lapha emhlabeni bevumelana ukucela loba yini eqakathekileyo, uBaba osezulwini uzabenzela yona,
20 ngoba lapho okubuthene khona ababili kumbe abathathu ngenxa yebizo lami, lami ngikhona phakathi kwabo.”
21 UPhetro wasesiza kuye wathi: “Nkosi, umfowethu kumele angonele kangaki ngilokhu ngimthethelela? Kuze kube kasikhombisa yini?”
22 UJesu wathi kuye: “Ngithi kuwe, kungabi kasikhombisa kuphela, kodwa kuze kube yizikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
23 “Ngakho uMbuso wamazulu ungafaniswa lenkosi eyayifuna ukuthi izinceku zayo ziyibhadale izikwelede zayo.
24 Yathi isiqalisile ukubhadalisa izikwelede, kwalethwa indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta angu-10 000.*
25 Kodwa yayingelandlela yokusibhadala. Yikho inkosi yathi indoda le ithengiswe, kuthengiswe lomkayo, labantwabayo kanye lezinto zonke eyayilazo, besekubhadalwa isikwelede leso.
26 Ngakho inceku le yazilahla phansi, yakhothama phambi kwenkosi yayo isithi, ‘Ngicela ungibekezelele, ngizasibhadala sonke isikwelede sami.’
27 Inkosi yathi ikubona lokhu, yayizwela usizi inceku yayo, yayikhulula futhi yacitsha isikwelede sayo.
28 Kodwa inceku le yathi isisukile, yabona enye inceku eyayisebenza layo futhi eyayilesikwelede sayo sabodenariyu abangu-100. Yayibamba, yaqalisa ukuyikhama isithi, ‘Bhadala sonke isikwelede sakho.’
29 Ngakho leyonceku eyayisebenza layo yazilahla phansi yayincenga isithi, ‘Ngicela ungibekezelele, ngizakubhadala.’
30 Lanxa kunjalo, yayingafuni lakuzwa, yasihamba yayakuthi inceku leyo iphoselwe ejele, ihlale khona ize ibhadale isikwelede leso.
31 Izinceku eyayisebenza lazo zathi sezibone okwakwenzakele zakhathazeka kakhulu, zasezisiyabikela inkosi yazo konke okwakwenzakele.
32 Inkosi yayo yayibiza yathi kuyo: ‘Nceku embi, ngikucitshele sonke isikwelede sakho uze ungincenge.
33 Bekungamelanga yini uyizwele isihawu inceku osebenza layo, njengoba lami ngikuzwele isihawu?’
34 Inkosi yayo yazonda yabila, yasiyisa kubalindijele ukuze bayivalele ejele ize ibhadale sonke isikwelede sayo.
35 UBaba osezulwini laye uzaliphatha njalo nxa lingabaxoleli abafowenu ngenhliziyo yonke.”
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “lintshintshe.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Ivesi le kayitholakali kweminye imibhalo yasendulo njalo ubufakazi obukhona butshengisa ukuthi yayingekho eMibhalweni ephefumulelweyo.
^ Kungahunyutshwa langokuthi, “loYihlo.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “uyemkhuza.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “ngomlomo wabofakazi.”
^ Amathalenta esiliva angu-10 000 ayelingana labodenariyu abangu-60 000 000.
