1 KaPhethro 2:1-25

Ngakho-ke lahlani bonke ububi, bonke ubuqili, ukuzenzisa, umhawu, nakho konke ukunyembenya. Njengezinsana ezisanda kuzalwa, langazelelani ubisi olungokomoya olungenakonakala, ukuze ngalo nikhule kube ngukusindiswa, uma seninambithile nezwa ukuthi iNkosi imnene. Sondelani kuyo, iyitshe eliphilileyo, elinqatshwe ngabantu, kepha kuNkulunkulu likhethekile, liyigugu. Nani njengamatshe aphilileyo, nakhiwe nibe yindlu yokomoya, ubuphristi obungcwele, ukuze ninikele ngemihlatshelo yokomoya eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, ngaye uJesu Khristu. Ngokuba umbhalo, uthi: “Ngibeka eZiyoni itshe legumbi elikhethekileyo, eliyigugu. Okholwa kuye akasoze ajabhiswa.” Ngakho-ke kini enikholwayo liyigugu, kodwa kwabangakholwayo; itshe abalinqabayo abakhi, yilo elaba yinhloko yegumbi, netshe lokukhubekisa, nedwala lokuwisa. Bayakhubeka ngokuba bengalilaleli izwi okuyikhona abakumiselweyo. Kepha nina niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubuphristi basebukhosini, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abangabakaNkulunkulu, ukuze nishumayele ngobuhle balowo owanibiza, ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo. Nina naningesiso isizwe, kepha manje seniyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu; naningahawukelwanga, kodwa manje senihawukelwe. Bathandekayo, ngiyanincenga njengabafokazi nezihambi ukuba nidede ezinkanukweni zenyama ezilwa nomphefumulo. Ziphatheni kahle phakathi kwabezizwe, ukuze kuthi lapho beninyembenya ngokuthi ningabenzi bokubi, kodwa kuthi lapho bebona imisebenzi yenu emihle, bamdumise uNkulunkulu ngosuku lokuhanjelwa. Thobelani bonke abantu abasezikhundleni ngenxa yeNkosi, noma ngabe yinkosi njengalokhu isesikhundleni, noma ngabe ngababusi, njengokuba bethunywe yiyo ukuba babajezise abenza okubi, kodwa batuse abenza okuhle, ngokuba injalo-ke intando kaNkulunkulu; ukuba ngokwenza okuhle, nithulise ukungazi kwabantu abayiziwula. Nina ningabakhululekileyo, kodwa ningakwenzi ukukhululeka kwenu kube yisembozo sokubi, kepha ziphatheni njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Bahlonipheni bonke, nibathande abazalwane, nesabe uNkulunkulu, futhi niyihloniphe inkosi. Zinceku, bathobeleni abaqashi benu ngokwesaba konke, kungabi nje kwabalungileyo nabamnene kuphela, kodwa nalabo abanesihluku. Ngokuba lokhu kuyabongeka uma umuntu, ngenxa kanembeza, ngokuyintando kaNkulunkulu, ethwala izinsizi noma ehlushwa ngokungafanele. Kunamvuzo muni ukubekezela lapho nishayelwa enikonileyo na? Kepha uma nibekezela lapho nihlushwa nibe nenze okuhle, lokho kuyancomeka kuNkulunkulu. Nabizelwa khona lokho, ngokuba uKhristu wahlushwa ngenxa yenu, wanishiyela isibonelo sokuba nilandele ezinyathelweni zakhe. “Ongazange enze isono, nokungafunyanwanga nkohliso emlonyeni wakhe;” owathi ethukwa akaze aphindisela, ehlushwa akaze asongela muntu, kodwa wazinikela kulowo owehlulela ngokulunga; owathwala izono zethu emzimbeni wakhe, emthini, ukuze kuthi sesifile ezonweni, siphile ekulungeni. Ngemivimbo yakhe naphiliswa, ngokuba naninjengezimvu ezidukileyo, kodwa manje senibuyele kumelusi nomphathi wemiphefumulo yenu.