1 KwabaseKhorinte 4

1 Ngakho abantu kumele basibone njengezisebenzi zikaKhristu lanjengalabo abagciniswe izinto ezifihlakeleyo zikaNkulunkulu.

So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.

2 Kuyadingeka ukuthi labo abagcinisiweyo babonakalise ukuthi bathembekile.

Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

3 Kanginaki kakhulu nxa ngahlulelwe yini loba omunye umthethwandaba wabantu; impela, kangizahluleli lami.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.

4 Isazela sami simsulwa, kodwa lokho kakungenzi ngingabi lacala. INkosi yiyo engahlulelayo.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

5 Ngakho-ke, lingahluleli lutho isikhathi esimisiweyo singakafiki; manini iNkosi ize ifike. Yona izakubeka ekukhanyeni okufihlwe emnyameni, njalo izaziveza obala injongo zezinhliziyo zabantu. Ngalesosikhathi omunye lomunye uzakwamukela ukubongwa kwakhe kuNkulunkulu.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

6 Bazalwane, izinto lezi ngizisebenzisile kimi laku-Apholo ngenxa yenu ukuze lifunde kithi okutshiwo yisitsho esithi, “Lingenzi okudlula okulotshiweyo.” Lapho-ke, kaliyikuzigqaja ngomunye umuntu komunye.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

7 Kambe ngubani olenza lehluke omunye komunye na? Kuyini elilakho elingakwamukelanga na? Njalo nxa lakwamukela, pho kungani lizincoma kungathi alikwamukelanga?

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

8 Livele selilakho konke elikufunayo! Selinothile! Selibe ngamakhosi, njalo ngaphandle kwethu! Yeka ukufisa kwami ukuthi ngabe laba ngamakhosi ukuze lathi sibe ngamakhosi kanye lani!

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

9 Ngoba kini kukhanya angathi thina abapostoli uNkulunkulu usibeke embukisweni ekucineni kodwendwe, njengalabo abagwetshelwe ukufa enkundleni. Senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni wonke, ezingilosini kanye lasebantwini.

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

10 Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKhristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphe kangaka kuKhristu! Thina sibuthakathaka lina lilamandla! Liyahlonitshwa, thina siyadelelwa.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

11 Kuze kube yilesisikhathi, siyalamba njalo some, simanikiniki, siyahlukuluzwa ngolunya, kasilamakhaya.

Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

12 Sisebenza nzima ngezandla zethu. Nxa siqalekiswa, thina siyabusisa; lapho sihlukuluzwa, thina siyaqinisela;

We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

13 lapho sinyeywa, siphendula kuhle. Kuze kube yilesisikhathi sesibe ngamanyala omhlaba, izibi zomhlaba.

Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

14 Kangilobi lokhu ukuba ngiliyangise kodwa ukulixwayisa njengabantwabami abathandekayo.

I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 Lanxa lilabondli abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKhristu, kalilabo oyihlo abanengi, ngoba kuJesu Khristu ngaba nguyihlo ngevangeli.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

16 Ngakho ngiyalicela ukuba lenze njengami.

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

17 Ngenxa yalesisizatho, ngilithumela uThimothi, indodana yami ethandekayo, ethembekileyo eNkosini. Uzalikhumbuza indlela yokuphila kwami kuJesu Khristu, evumelana lalokho engikufundisayo ezindaweni zonke, emabandleni wonke.

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

18 Abanye benu sebezikhukhumeza, kungazathi kangizi kini.

Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19 Kodwa ngizakuza kini masinyane, nxa iNkosi ithanda, njalo lapho-ke angizukudinga kuphela ukwazi ukuthi lababantu abazikhukhumezayo bakhulumani, kodwa ukuba balamandla anjani.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawusindaba yokukhuluma kodwa eyamandla.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

21 Likhetha kuphi? Ngize kini lomqwayi wokuliqondisa, kumbe ngothando kanye lomoya othobekileyo na?

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?