Eyokuqala KaPetros 3:1-22
3 Ngendlela efanayo, nina bafazi, wathobeleni amadoda enu,+ ukuze ukuba kukho kuwo angalithobeliyo ilizwi, ancedwe akholwe ngenxa yokubona ukuziphatha kwabafazi bawo, bengakhange bathethe,+
2 akholwe kuba eye azibonela ngokwawo indlela entle eniziphethe ngayo,+ nendlela eniwahlonipha ngayo ngokusuka entliziyweni.
3 Ukuzilungisa kwangaphandle makungabi yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuni, njengokuphothwa kweenwele nokufakwa kwezinto zokuhomba zegolide+ okanye ukunxitywa kweempahla zodidi.
4 Kodwa ubuhle benu mabubonakale ngendlela eniyiyo entliziyweni. Ngoko zihombiseni ngokuzola nokululama,+ kuba ezo zinto zixabiseke kakhulu emehlweni kaThixo.
5 Kuba leyo yindlela ababezihombisa ngayo kudala abafazi abangcwele ababethembele kuThixo, bethobela amadoda abo,
6 njengokuba noSara wayemthobela uAbraham, embiza ngokuba yinkosi.+ Njengokuba nina ningabantwana bakhe, niza kuqhubeka ningabo ukuba nihlala nisenza izinto ezilungileyo, ningoyiki nto.+
7 Nina ke madoda, qhubekani nihlala nabo ngokubazi.* Baphatheni ngembeko+ njengezitya ezingomelelanga njengani, kuba bengabafazi, bezizo neendlalifa zobubele bukaThixo kunye nani,+ ukuze kungabikho nto inqanda imithandazo yenu.
8 Okokugqibela, cingani ngendlela efanayo nonke,+ nivelane, nithandane njengabazalwana, nibe nenceba+ nize nithobeke.+
9 Sanukubuyisela ububi ngobubi+ okanye nimthuke+ umntu onithukayo. Kunoko thethani naye kakuhle,+ ukuze nisikelelwe, kuba nabizelwa loo nto.
10 Kuba “nabani na obuthandayo ubomi nofuna ukonwaba, makalugade ulwimi lwakhe lungathethi izinto ezimbi,+ nemilebe yakhe ingathethi izinto ezilahlekisayo.
11 Makasuke kwizinto ezimbi,+ enze ezilungileyo;+ afune uxolo, aze asebenzele ukulufumana.+
12 Kuba amehlo kaYehova* ajonge kumalungisa, neendlebe zakhe zimamele imithandazo yawo ecengayo,*+ kodwa uYehova* uyabacaphukela abantu abenza izinto ezimbi.”+
13 Ngubani ke onokunenzakalisa xa nizimisela ekwenzeni izinto ezintle?+
14 Nina nonwabile nokuba ningehlelwa zizinto ezibuhlungu ngenxa yokuba ningamalungisa.+ Ze ningoyiki,* ningabi nalo nexhala.+
15 Yamkelani ezintliziyweni zenu ukuba uKristu uyiNkosi ibe ungcwele. Hlalani nikulungele ukulithethelela ithemba eninalo nakubani na ofuna isizathu sokuba ninethemba, kodwa niyenza loo nto ngomoya ophantsi+ nangembeko.+
16 Yibani nesazela esilungileyo,+ ukuze nokuba niyagxekwa, badane abo banigxeka+ ngenxa yokuziphatha kwenu kakuhle njengabalandeli bakaKristu.+
17 Kuba kungcono ukuphathwa kakubi ngenxa yokwenza izinto ezilungileyo,+ ukuba uThixo uyivumele loo nto, kunokuphathwa kakubi kuba nisenza izinto ezimbi.+
18 Kaloku, kwanoKristu olilungisa wafa kwaba kanye,+ efela izono zabo bangengomalungisa,+ ukuze anisondeze kuThixo.+ Wabulawa enomzimba wenyama,+ waza wavuswa enomzimba womoya.+
19 Emva koko wahamba wayokushumayela kwiingelosi ezisejele,+
20 ezaye azamthobela uThixo xa wayelinde ngomonde ngomhla kaNowa.+ Ngelo xesha kwakusakhiwa umkhombe+ owasindisa abantu abambalwa emanzini, oko kukuthi, imiphefumlo esibhozo.*+
21 Nani ikhona into efana naleyo enisindisayo ngoku, loo nto kukubhaptizwa kuba nikholwa kuvuko lukaYesu Kristu. Ukubhaptizwa ayikokususwa kobumdaka emzimbeni, kodwa kukucela uThixo asiphe isazela esilungileyo.+
22 Ngoku ungasekunene kukaThixo,+ kuba waya ezulwini; yaye iingelosi namagunya zabekwa phantsi kwakhe.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye “bacingeleni.”
^ Funda Isihlomelo A5.
^ Okanye “izikhungo zawo.”
^ Funda Isihlomelo A5.
^ Okanye kusenokwenzeka, “ningoyiki xa benigrogrisa.”
^ Okanye “abantu abasibhozo.”
