KWABASEKORINTE I 15:1-32

Ke kaloku, bazalwana, ndiyanazisa iindaba ezilungileyo, ezo ndazishumayela kuni, nazamkelayo nokuzamkela, nimiyo nokuma kuzo, nisindiswayo nokusindiswa ngazo, ukuba nizibambile ngelizwi endazishumayela ngalo kuni; ukuba anithe nafumana nakholwa. Kuba ndaninikela kweziyintloko izinto oko ndakwamkelayo nokukwamkela: okokuba uKristu wazifela izono zethu ngokwezibhalo, nokokuba wangcwatywa, nokokuba uvukile ngomhla wesithathu ngokwezibhalo; nokokuba wabonwa nguKefas, emva koko ngabalishumi elinababini. Emveni koko wabonwa ngaxesha linye ngabazalwana abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu, abasahleliyo nangoku abona baninzi kubo; inxenye ke yalala ukufa. Emva koko wabonwa nguYakobi, kamva ngabo bonke abapostile.• Ekugqibeleni ke kwabo bonke, kwanga kukwinto ezelwe lingekabi lilixa layo, wabonwa nandim. Kuba mna ndingoyena mncinanana kubapostile, endingafanele kubizwa ngokuba ngumpostile, ngenxa enokuba ndalitshutshisa ibandla likaThixo. Ke ngobabalo lukaThixo ndiyinto endiyiyo, nobabalo lwakhe kum alubanga nakulambatha; ndesuka ndabagqitha bonke ngokubulaleka; ingendim ke, ilubabalo lukaThixo olunam. Ke ngoko, nokuba ndim, nokuba ngabo, sènjenjalo thina ukushumayela; nènjenjalo ke nina ukukholwa. Ke, ukuba uKristu uyashunyayelwa ukuba uvukile kwabafileyo, batsho ngani na abathile phakathi kwenu ukuthi, akukho luvuko lwabafileyo? Ke, ukuba akukho luvuko lwabafileyo, woba akavukanga noKristu; ukuba ke uKristu akavukanga, koba akunto ukushumayela kwethu, loba luyalambatha nokholo lwenu. Sofunyanwa ke singawo namangqina amxokayo uThixo, ngokuba sangqinayo ngoThixo ukuba wamvusa uKristu: angàmvusanga, ukuba ke kanti abafileyo abavuki. Kuba, ukuba abafileyo abavuki, noKristu woba akavukanga. Ukuba ke uKristu akavukanga, loba luyinto engeyanto ukholo lwenu, noba nisesezonweni zenu; ngoko nabalele ukufa bekuKristu, boba batshabalele. Ukuba singabathembele kuKristu kobu bomi bodwa, soba sizezona ntsizana kubantu bonke. UKristu yena kunje uvukile kwabafileyo, waba yintlahlela yabalele ukufa. Kuba ekubeni kaloku kungomntu ukufa, kukwangomntu ukuvuka kwabafileyo. Kuba, njengokuba kuye uAdam bafa bonke, ngokunjalo nakuye uKristu baya kudliswa ubomi bonke: elowo ke kolwakhe uluhlu; intlahlela inguKristu, kamva abakaKristu ekufikeni kwakhe; kwandule ke ukubakho isiphelo, xa athe wabunikela ubukumkani kuye uThixo uYise, xa athe wabubhangisa bonke ubulawuli, nalo lonke igunya, namandla. Kuba umelwe yena kukuthi alawule, ade azibeke phantsi kweenyawo zakhe zonke iintshaba. Olokugqibela utshaba oluya kubhangiswa kukufa; kuba izinto zonke wazithobela phantsi kweenyawo zakhe. Ke xa athi, Izinto zonke zithotyiwe, kuyabonakala ukuba àkabalwa lowo wazithobela phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto. Xa ke zithe zathotyelwa phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto, uya kwandula noNyana ngokwakhe athotyelwe phantsi kwalowo wazithobela phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto, ukuze uThixo abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke. Okanye baya kwenza ntoni na abo babhaptizelwa abafileyo, ukuba abafileyo àbaze bavuke? Yini na ukuba babhaptizelwe nokubhaptizelwa abafileyo? Nathi, yini na ukuba sibe semngciphekweni amaxa onke? Ndisekufeni imihla ngemihla; qondani ngokuzingca kwam ngani, endinako ndikuKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu. Ukuba ndithe ngokwabantu ndalwa namarhamncwa e-Efese, kundinceda ntoni na? Ukuba abafileyo abavuki, masesisidla, sisela, kuba ngomso siya kufa.