Mathewu 23:1-39

Khona uJesu wakhuluma ezixukwini nakubafundi bakhe. Esithi: Ababhali nabaFarisi bahlezi esihlalweni sikaMozisi; Ngakho-ke konke abalitshela khona, kugcineni, likwenze; kodwa ningenzi njengemisebenzi yabo, ngokuba bayakhuluma, bangenzi. Ngokuba babopha imithwalo enzima, bayibeke emahlombe abantu; kodwa bona ngokwabo abafuni ukuwanyakazisa nangomunwe wawo. Kodwa yonke imisebenzi yabo bayenza ukuze babonwe ngabantu; bawenza abe banzi amafilakteriyu abo, bandise imiphetho yezingubo zabo; bathanda izihlalo eziphambili ekudleni, lezihlalo eziphambili emasinagogeni; nokubingelelwa ezigcawini, nokubizwa ngabantu ngokuthi Rabi, Rabi. Kepha nina maningabizwa ngokuthi Rabi, ngokuba munye uMfundisi wenu, uKristu; lani lonke lingabazalwane. Ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo, ngokuba munye uYihlo osezulwini. Futhi ningabizwa ngokuthi abefundisi, ngokuba munye uMfundisi wenu, uKristu. Kodwa omkhulu phakathi kwenu kabe yinceku yenu. Nalowo oziphakamisayo uyathotshiswa; lalowo ozithobayo uzaphakanyiswa. Kodwa maye kini, babhali labaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu, ngokuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukuba bangene. Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngokuba nidla izindlu zabafelokazi, nangokuzenzisa nenza imikhuleko emide; Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngoba nizungeza ulwandle nomhlaba ukwenza oyedwa ophendukela kumaJuda, futhi lapho esenziwe, nimenza umntwana wesihogo ngokuphindwe kabili kunani. Maye kini, baholi abayizimpumputhe, enithi: Noma ubani ofunga ithempeli akulutho; kodwa ofunga igolide lethempeli, ulomlandu. Ziwula nezimpumputhe, ngokuba yikuphi okukhulu, igolide nethempeli elingcwelisa igolide na? Futhi: Ofunga i-altare akulutho; kepha ofunga umnikelo ophezu kwawo unecala. Ziwula nezimpumputhe, ngokuba yikuphi okukhulu, umnikelo noma i-altare elingcwelisa umnikelo na? Ngakho-ke ofunga i-altare ufunga lona nakho konke okuphezu kwalo. Futhi ofunga ithempeli ufunga lona langaye ohlala kulo. Nalowo ofunga izulu ufunga isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu nohlezi phezu kwaso. Maye kini, babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! Ngokuba nikhokha okweshumi kweminti, neanise, nekhumini, kepha niyeke okubaluleke kakhulu zomthetho, ukwahlulela, nesihawu, nokukholwa; Bakhokheli abayizimpumputhe, elihluza insensane, liginye ikamela. Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngokuba nihlanza ingaphandle lenkezo nesitsha, kepha ngaphakathi kugcwele ukuphanga nokuxhashazwa. MFarisi oyimpumputhe, hlambulula kuqala okuphakathi kwenkezo noqwembe, ukuze kuhlanzeke nengaphandle lakho. Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngokuba nifana namathuna acakiwe, abonakala emahle ngaphandle, kepha ngaphakathi agcwele amathambo abafileyo nokungcola konke. Kanjalo nani ngaphandle nibonakala kubantu nilungile, kepha ngaphakathi nigcwele ukuzenzisa nobubi. Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngokuba nakha amathuna abaprofethi, nihlobise amathuna abalungileyo; nithi: Uma sasikhona emihleni yawobaba, sasingayikuhlanganyela nabo egazini labaprofethi. Ngakho niyazifakazela nina ukuthi ningamadodana ababulala abaprofethi. Gcwalisani-ke isilinganiso sawoyihlo. Zinyoka, nzalo yamabululu, lingakubalekela njani ukulahlwa kwesihogo? Ngakho-ke, bhekani, mina ngithumela kini abaprofethi, nabahlakaniphileyo, nababhali; abanye kubo niyakubashaya emasinagogeni enu, nibazingele imizi ngemizi; ukuze kwehlele phezu kwenu igazi lonke elilungileyo elachithwa emhlabeni, kusukela egazini lika-Abela olungileyo kuze kufike egazini likaZakariya indodana kaBarakiya enambulala phakathi kwethempeli ne-altare. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke lokhu kuyakufika phezu kwalesi sizukulwane. Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaprofethi, okhanda ngamatshe abathunywe kuwe, kukangaki ngithanda ukubuthela ndawonye abantwana bakho, njengesikhukhukazi sibuthela amatshwele aso ngaphansi kwamaphiko aso, kodwa anivumanga! Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani. Ngokuba ngithi kini: Anisayikungibona kusukela manje, nize nithi: Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.