2 Corinthians 1
1 [I], Paul, who [write this letter to you], became an apostle of Christ Jesus because God chose me for that. [Timothy, our] fellow believer, [is with me. I am sending this letter] to you who are God’s people in the congregations in Corinth [city. I want] the believers who live in [other places] in Achaia [province to also read this letter].
UPhawuli, umpostoli kaKhristu uJesu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, loThimothi umzalwane wethu. Ebandleni likaNkulunkulu eKhorinte, kanye lakubangcwele bonke kulolonke elase-Akhayiya:
2 [We(exc) desire] that you will [experience] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [acting] kindly toward you and causing you to have [inner] peace.
Umusa lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Khristu kakube kini.
3 [We should] praise God, who is the father of our [(inc)] Lord Jesus Christ. He always pities us and helps us [because he is like] [MET] a father to us [and we are like his children]. He always encourages us [(inc)].
Makabongwe uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu, uBaba wesihawu loNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke,
4 He has encouraged us [(exc)] whenever we suffered hardships. As a result, we [(exc)] are able to encourage others whenever they suffer hardships, just as/just like God has encouraged us [(exc)].
osiduduzayo kuzozonke inhlupheko zethu ukuze lathi siduduze abasekuhluphekeni ngenduduzo esiduduzwe ngayo nguNkulunkulu.
5 It is true that just like Christ suffered, we [who serve him] also continually suffer [because we belong to him]. But also, because we [belong to] Christ, God greatly strengthens us (just as/just like) [God strengthened him].
Njengoba inhlupheko zikaKhristu zigelezela ekuphileni kwethu, ngakho ngokunjalo futhi induduzo yethu iyaphuphuma ngoKhristu.
6 So, whenever we [(exc)] experience sufferings, we [learn how to encourage] you [when you experience sufferings. As a result, you will become more and more the kind of people God] wants you to be. Whenever [God] strengthens us [(exc) when we are suffering, he] does that in order that you [may see how he makes us strong when we are suffering. Then, as God] encourages [you in that way], you will learn to continue patiently [trusting him] when you suffer as we do.
Nxa sihlupheka, kungenxa yenduduzo lokusindiswa kwenu; nxa siduduzekile, kungenxa yokududuzwa kwenu okulenza liqinisele ekubekezeleleni zona lezo zinhlupheko ezisihluphayo.
7 As a result, we [(exc)] strongly expect that because you suffer just as/just like we do, [God] will encourage you (just as/just like) [he] encourages us.
Ithemba lethu ngani liqinile ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi njengoba lahlanganyela ekuhluphekeni kwethu, ngokunjalo liyahlanganyela ekududuzweni kwethu.
8 [Our] fellow believers, we [(exc)] want you to know [LIT] about the trouble that we suffered in Asia [province]. That trouble was so very great that it was much more than we were able to endure. As a result, we [(exc)] thought that we would certainly die.
Kasithandi, bazalwane, ukuba libe ngabangaziyo ngobunzima esabuzwayo esabelweni sase-Ezhiya. Sasilokuncindezeleka okukhulu, okungaphezu kwamandla ethu okuqinisela, saze saphelelwa lalithemba lokuphila.
9 Indeed, we felt [like a person feels when he has heard a judge say], “I condemn you to die/be executed [MET].” But [God allowed us to think that we were going to die] so that we would not (rely on/trust in) our own [strength. He wanted us] instead [to rely] only on his [strength, because he] is the one who [has power even to make] those who have died live [again].
Impela isigwebo sokufa sasizwa ezinhliziyweni zethu. Kodwa lokhu kwenzakala ukuze singazithembi thina ngokwethu kodwa uNkulunkulu, ovusa abafileyo.
10 And [even though] we [(exc)] were [in terrible danger and were] about to die, God rescued us. And he will continue to rescue us [whenever we are in trouble]. We confidently expect that he will continue to rescue us [time after time].
Wasihlenga engozini ebulalayo, njalo uzasikhulula. Ithemba lethu silibeke kuye ukuba uzaqhubeka esihlenga,
11 [And we are also relying on] you to help us by praying for us [(exc)]. [If many people pray for us], many people will also thank [God] when [he] kindly answers those many prayers [and delivers us from danger].
lapho lisisiza ngemikhuleko yenu. Abanengi bazasibongela ngomusa omangalisayo esiwuphiweyo kuyimpendulo yemikhuleko yabanengi.
12 I am happy [to say] that I have behaved toward all people [MTY] in an honest and sincere way. My conscience assures me [that this is true]. Especially, I have behaved toward you [honestly and sincerely because that is what] God wants us to do. As I have done that, [my thoughts] have not been the thoughts that unbelieving people [MTY] [think are] wise. Instead, [I have behaved toward people only as God wants me to, depending on] God to help me in ways that I do not deserve.
Thina sizincoma ngokuthi izazela zethu ziyafakaza ukuthi siziphathe kuhle emhlabeni, ikakhulu phakathi kobudlelwano bethu lani, ngobungcwele langobuqotho obuvela kuNkulunkulu. Lokhu kasikwenzanga sigxile ekuhlakanipheni kwasemhlabeni, kodwa ngomusa kaNkulunkulu.
13 [I say that] because [in all my letters to you] I have always written [LIT] clearly in a way that you can easily and completely understand [when you] read them.
Ngoba kasililobeli ngolutho elingeke lilubale loba liluqedisise. Njalo ngiyathemba ukuthi,
14 [Previously some of] you, but not all of you, have completely understood [that I am always honest and sincere with you]. But I confidently expect that [soon] you will all be fully convinced [about that]. Then when the Lord Jesus [MTY] [returns, you will all be able to say that] you are pleased with me, just like I will [be able to say that] I am pleased with you.
njengoba seliqedisisa okunye ngathi, lizaqedisisa ngokupheleleyo lizincome ngathi njengoba lathi sizazincoma ngani ngosuku lweNkosi uJesu.
15 It was because I felt sure [that all of you were pleased with me] that I was planning to visit you on my way from [here] to Macedonia [province]. I also planned to visit you again on my way back from there, so that I could [spend time with you] twice, and be able to help you more, and I was hoping that you would [give me things that I needed] [EUP] for my journey to Judea [province].
Ngoba ngangilethemba kulokhu, ngangifuna ukwethekelela lina kuqala ukuze lisizakale kabili.
Ngangifuna ukulethekelela ekuyeni kwami eMasedoniya, ngedlule kini futhi sengivela eMasedoniya, beselingithuma-ke eJudiya.
17 So then, even though I [changed my mind later and did not do what] I [first] planned to do, [it was not because I did not have an important reason for changing my plans]. Surely you do not [really think] that I decide what I am going to do like people who do not know God do! [RHQ] I am [not like that]. I am not [a person who] says [to people], “Yes, [certainly I will do that],” and then [for no good reason changes his mind and says], “No, [I will not do it].”
Ngakunakana ngingabaza yini lokhu? Kumbe ngenza amalungiselelo ami ngendlela yasemhlabeni okokuthi ngasikhathi sinye ngithi, “Yebo, yebo,” ngibuye ngithi, “Hatshi, hatshi,” na?
18 Just as surely as God always does what he says [he will do, it is true that I have never said], “Yes, [I will do this]” when I [really meant] “No.”
Kodwa ngeqiniso njengoba uNkulunkulu ethembekile, ilizwi lethu kini kalisikuthi “Yebo,” lokuthi, “Hatshi.”
19 [I follow the example of] God’s Son, Jesus Christ. When I, along with Silas and Timothy, taught you [about Christ], we told you that he was not [someone who said that he] would do [something] and [then] did not [do it]. Jesus Christ never [said to anyone], “Yes, [I will do what you desire],” and [then did] not [do it].
Ngoba iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Khristu, eyatshunyayelwa kini yimi, uSayilasi kanye loThimothi, yayingasi “Yebo” lo “Hatshi,” kodwa kuyo kokuphela kwakungu “Yebo.”
20 [We(inc) know that is true], because everything that God promised to do [for his people], he has done completely by [sending] Christ [to save us]. That is why we say, “Yes, it is true! [God has done everything that he promised to do]!” And we praise him for that!
Ngoba lanxa zizinengi kangakanani izithembiso uNkulunkulu azenzileyo zingu “Yebo” kuKhristu. Ngakho ngaye ibizo elithi “Ameni” litshiwo yithi sidumisa uNkulunkulu.
21 Now it is only God himself who causes us [(exc)], as well as you, to keep on [believing] strongly in Christ. God is the one who chose us [(inc) to belong to him and to have a close relationship] with Christ.
Njalo nguNkulunkulu owenza thina kanye lani siqine kuKhristu. Wasigcoba,
22 He also sent his Holy Spirit into our [(inc)] lives to mark us as belonging to himself [MET]. Also, since he has sent his Spirit to live in us [(inc)], [he wants us to know by this that] he guarantees [MET] [to give us every other] ([blessing/good thing]) [that he has promised].
wasibeka uphawu lwakhe lokuba ngabakhe, wabeka loMoya wakhe ezinhliziyweni zethu njengesibambiso, esipha isiqiniseko sokuzayo.
23 So now [I will tell you why I changed my mind and did not visit you as I intended to do]: God himself knows [that what I am telling you is true]. The reason that I did not return to Corinth was so that I might not have to [speak to you severely about the wrong that you had done].
Ngibiza uNkulunkulu njengomfakazi wami ukuthi kangibuyanga eKhorinte ukuze ngingalikhathazi.
24 It is not that Silas, Timothy and I want to boss you [and tell you that you must] believe only what we say. [Not at all]! On the contrary, we [(exc)] are working as partners [with you] in order to make you happy. [We do not try to force you to believe everything that we believe, because we are sure that you are continuing to] trust [the Lord Jesus Christ] and that you are remaining firmly committed to him.
Akusikuthi silibamba ngamandla ekukholweni kwenu kodwa sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze, ngoba liqiniswa lukholo.
