1 KwabaseKhorinte 4

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

Let a man so account of us, as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Kuyadingeka ukuthi labo abagcinisiweyo babonakalise ukuthi bathembekile.

Now it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

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

But to me it is of very small moment to be judged by you, or by any man's judgement; nor indeed do I judge myself:

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

(for I am conscious to myself of nothing; though I am not hereby justified; ) but He that judgeth 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.

Wherefore judge nothing before the time; even until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every one have 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.

These things, my brethren, I have by a figure transferred to myself, and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye may learn in us not to be wise above what is written, that ye may not be puffed up for one against another.

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

For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou, which thou didst not receive? And if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst 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!

Ye are now full, ye are now rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I wish ye 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 it seems to me that God hath as it were exhibited us the apostles last upon the stage as appointed to death; for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to 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 ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honoured, but we are despised.

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

Even to this present time we suffer both hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling:

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

and we labour working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless: when persecuted, we bear it: when defamed, we intreat.

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

We are made as the filth of the world, and the refuse of all things to this day.

14 Kangilobi lokhu ukuba ngiliyangise kodwa ukulixwayisa njengabantwabami abathandekayo.

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you:

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

for if ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the gospel.

16 Ngakho ngiyalicela ukuba lenze njengami.

I beseech you therefore, be ye 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.

For this end have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who will bring to your remembrance my ways in Christ, how I teach every where in every church.

18 Abanye benu sebezikhukhumeza, kungazathi kangizi kini.

Now some are puffed up, as if I would not come 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 soon, if the Lord please, and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power:

20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawusindaba yokukhuluma kodwa eyamandla.

for the kingdom of God consisteth not in speech, but in power.

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

What do ye chuse? that I should come to you with a rod? or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?