Ngubani Omkhulu Kunabo Bonke Embusweni KaBaba?
Ebuzwa ukuthi ngubani omkhulu embusweni kaBaba wakhe, uJesu umisa umntwana phakathi kwabo. Uxwayisa ngokukhubekisa abancane, uchaza ukuthi umzalwane ukhulunywa naye kanjani ngasese, aphethe ngenceku, eyathethelelwa inotho enkulu, eklinya umuntu ngenxa yesikweletu esincane.
18 1Ngaleso sikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu, bebuza bathi: “Pho, ngubani omkhulu kunabo bonke embusweni kaBaba wethu?”
2Wabiza umntwana omncane, wambeka phakathi kwabo,
3wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: uma ningaphenduki nibe njengabantwana abancane, anisoze nangene embusweni kaBaba wethu. 4Ngakho-ke, lowo ozithobayo njengalo mntwana omncane, nguye omkhulu kunabo bonke embusweni kaBaba wethu. 5Futhi noma ngubani owamukela umntwana omncane onjalo egameni lami, wamukela mina.”
Ukukhubekisa Abancane
6“Kodwa noma ngubani okhubekisa oyedwa kulaba abancane abakholwa kimi—kungcono ukuba kuboshelwe entanyeni yakhe itshe elisindayo lokugaya, aminziswe ekujuleni kolwandle.”
7“Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezibangela ukukhubeka! Zimelwe ukufika, kodwa maye kulowo oziletha. 8Uma isandla sakho noma unyawo lwakho kukukhubekisa, kunqume ukulahle kude. Kungcono ukungena ekuphileni uyingini noma uyisishosha kunokuba ube nezandla zombili noma izinyawo zombili uphonswe emlilweni ophakade.” 9Uma iso lakho likukhubekisa, likhiphe ulilahle kude. Kungcono ukungena ekuphileni uneso elilodwa kunokuba ube nawo womabili uphonswe emlilweni wesihogo.
UBaba Ufuna Imvu Eyodwa Elahlekile
10“Qaphelani ukuba ningadeleli oyedwa kulaba abancane. Ngiyanitshela, izingelosi zabo ezulwini zihlala zibona ubuso bukaBaba wami osezulwini.” a a v10 Imibhalo yasendulo kunayo yonke ayinalo ivesi 11 lapha; amakhophi akamuva enezela: “Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu yeza ukuzosindisa abalahlekile.”
12“Nicabangani? Uma umuntu enezimvu eziyikhulu, bese eyodwa iyaduka, akayikuzishiya yini ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ezintabeni, ayofuna leyo edukile? 13Uma eyithola, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: uyayijabulela kakhulu kunalezo ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ezingazange zeduke. 14Ngakho akuyona intando kaBaba wenu osezulwini ukuba oyedwa kulaba abancane abhubhe.’
Lapho Umfowenu Ekona
15“Uma umfowenu ekona, hamba umtshengise iphutha lakhe—nina nobabili nedwa. Uma ekulalela, umzuzile umfowenu. 16Kodwa uma engalaleli, thatha oyedwa noma ababili abanye kanye nawe, ukuze yonke indaba iqine ngomlomo wofakazi ababili noma abathathu. 17Uma engabalaleli, tshela ibandla. Uma engafuni ukulalela ngisho nebandla, mphathe njengomuntu wangaphandle noma umthelisi. 18Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, noma yini eniyibophayo emhlabeni iyoboshwa ezulwini, futhi noma yini eniyikhululayo emhlabeni iyokhululwa ezulwini. 19Phinde, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: uma ababili kini bevumelana emhlabeni nganoma yini abayicelayo, uBaba wami osezulwini uyobenzela yona. 20Ngokuba lapho ababili noma abathathu behlangene ndawonye egameni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.”
Ukuthethelela KukaBaba Nokwethu
21UPhethro wase eza kuJesu wathi: “Nkosi, kumele ngimthethelele kangaki umfowethu ongonayo? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
22UJesu waphendula wathi: “Ngithi kuwe, hhayi kasikhombisa, kodwa kangamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa. 23Ngakho umbuso kaBaba wethu ufana nenkosi eyayifuna ukulungisa izikweletu nezinceku zayo. 24Kwathi lapho iqala ukulungisa izikweletu, kwalethwa kuyo umuntu owayekweleta imali enkulu kakhulu. 25Njengoba engakwazanga ukukhokha, inkosi yakhe yayala ukuba kuthengiswe yena nomkakhe nabantwana nakho konke ayenakho, isikweletu sikhokhwe.”
26Ngakho inceku yaguqa phambi kwayo, incenga ithi: “Bekezela kimi, ngizokukhokhela konke. 27Inkosi yaleyo nceku, inhliziyo yayo ihawukela, yayikhulula yayithethelela isikweletu.”
28“Leyo nceku yase iphuma, yathola enye inceku eyikhula eyayimkweleta iholo lezinsuku eziyikhulu, yayibamba yaqala ukuyiklinya ithi: ‘Khokha lokho okweleta kimi!’”
29Ngakho inceku eyikhula naye yaguqa yayincenga yathi: “Bekezela kimi; ngizokukhokhela. 30Kodwa yala, yahamba yayiphonsa etilongweni ize ikhokhe isikweletu. 31Kwathi ezinye izinceku zibona okwenzekile, zadabuka kabuhlungu, zahamba zayitshela inkosi yazo konke okwenzekile.”
32Yayese iyayibiza inkosi. “Nceku embi,” yathi, “ngakuthethelela sonke leso sikweletu ngoba wangincenga. 33Bekungafanele yini nawe ube nesihawu enceku eyikhula nawe, njengoba nami ngaba nesihawu kuwe? 34Ithukuthele, inkosi yakhe yayinikela kubahlukumezi ize ikhokhe sonke isikweletu. 35UBaba wami osezulwini uyokwenza okunjalo kini, uma ngamunye engamthetheleli umfowabo ngokusuka enhliziyweni.”
