Uthando Alukhethi Buso
Ukuhlalisa kahle isicebi bese umpofu ehlala phansi kwenza ibandla libe ngumahluleli onezisusa ezimbi, kanti uBaba wethu wakhetha abampofu ukuba babe ngabacebileyo okholweni. Ukholo olondla umzalwane olambile ngamazwi kuphela lufile.
2 1Bazalwane bami, njengabakholwa eNkosini yethu enenkazimulo uJesu Khristu, ningakhethi buso. 2Ake sithi kungena endlini yenu yomhlangano umuntu egqoke indandatho yegolide nezingubo ezinhle, kungene nompofu egqoke izingubo ezigugile. 3Uma nibheka lowo ogqoke kahle nithi: “Hlala lapha, kusesihlalweni esihle,” kodwa nithi kompofu: “Wena yima laphaya,” noma: “Hlala phansi eduze kwezinyawo zami,” 4anikhethanga yini phakathi kwenu, naba ngabahluleli abaholwa yizinhloso ezimbi? 5Lalelani, bazalwane bami abathandekayo: Akabakhethanga yini uBaba wethu abampofu balo mhlaba ukuba babe ngabacebile ekukholweni, izindlalifa zombuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo? 6Kodwa nina nimdelele ompofu. Abacebile abanicindezeli yini, banihudule baniyise ezinkantolo? 7Abahlambalazi yini igama elihloniphekayo elibizwa phezu kwenu?
8Uma nigcina ngempela umthetho wobukhosi ngokombhalo othi: “Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena,” nenza kahle.
9Kodwa uma nikhetha buso, nenza isono, futhi umthetho uyanilahla njengabephuli bomthetho. 10Noma ngubani ogcina wonke umthetho kodwa akhubeke endaweni eyodwa, unecala lokuwephula wonke. 11Ngokuba uBaba wethu owanqabela ukuphinga, waphinda wanqabela ukubulala. Ngakho uma ungaphingi kodwa ubulale, usuyisephuli somthetho. 12Khulumani nenze njengabantu abayakwahlulelwa ngomthetho wenkululeko. 13Ukwahlulelwa akunasihawu kulowo ongabanga nasihawu; isihawu siyanqoba ekwahluleleni.
Ukholo Olusebenzayo
14Kunamsebenzi muni, bazalwane bami, uma umuntu ethi unokholo kodwa engenamisebenzi? Lolo kholo lungamsindisa yini? 15Uma umzalwane noma udadewethu engenazingubo ezanele, eswele ukudla kwansuku zonke, 16omunye wenu bese ethi kubo: “Hambani ngokuthula, nifudumale nisuthe,” kodwa anganiki lutho ngezidingo zomzimba wabo—kunamsebenzi muni lokho? 17Ngokunjalo, ukholo ngokwalo, uma lungahambisani nemisebenzi, lufile. 18Kodwa omunye uyothi: “Wena unokholo, mina nginemisebenzi.” Ngikhombise ukholo lwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, nami ngizokukhombisa ukholo lwami ngemisebenzi yami. 19Uyakholwa ukuthi uBaba wethu munye; wenza kahle. Namademoni ayakholwa yilokho—athuthumele. 20Ingabe ufuna ngikubonise, wena muntu oyisiwula, ukuthi ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi alunamsebenzi? 21U-Abhrahama ubaba wethu akalungisiswanga yini ngemisebenzi, lapho enikela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka e-altare? 22Uyabona ukuthi ukholo lwalusebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe, futhi ukholo lwapheleliswa yimisebenzi yakhe. 23Lokhu kwagcwalisa umbhalo othi: “U-Abhrahama wakholwa kuBaba wethu, kwabalelwa kuye ngokulunga”—wabizwa ngokuthi umngane kaBaba wethu. a a v23 U-Abhrahama wayengeyena nje umuntu okholwa kuBaba wethu—wabizwa ngokuthi umngane wakhe. Yilokhu okuyinhliziyo yesizathu sokuthi uBaba wethu asiphishekelele: hhayi ukuze abe nezinceku ezimesabayo, kodwa ukuze abe nabangane abamaziyo. 24Uyabona ukuthi umuntu ulungisiswa ngemisebenzi, hhayi ngokholo kuphela. 25Ngokunjalo, uRahabi isifebe akalungisiswanga yini naye ngemisebenzi, lapho amukela izithunywa wabe esezimukisa ngenye indlela? 26Njengoba umzimba ongenamoya ufile, kanjalo nokholo olungenamisebenzi lufile.
