1 UJohane 3
1 Yeka ubukhulu bothando uBaba asinika lona, ukuba sibizwe ngokuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu! Njalo lokho yikho esiyikho! Okwenza umhlaba thina ungasazi yikuthi laye kawumazanga.
Behold then what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: though for this reason the world knoweth us not, because it knew not Him.
2 Bangane abathandekayo, khathesi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, njalo lokho esizakuba yikho akukaziwa. Kodwa siyakwazi ukuthi lapho ebonakala sizakuba njengaye ngoba sizambona njengoba enjalo.
Beloved, we are now the children of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be: we know however, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
3 Wonke umuntu olethemba leli ngaphakathi kwakhe uyazihlambulula njengoba laye ehlambulukile.
And every one, that hath this hope in Him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
4 Umuntu wonke owenza izono wephula umthetho; ngempela isono yikungabi lomthetho.
Every one that committeth sin, transgresseth the law; for sin is the violation of the law.
5 Kodwa liyakwazi ukuthi wabonakala ukuze asuse izono zethu. Njalo kuye akulasono.
And ye know that He was manifested, to take away our sins: and in Him there is no sin.
6 Kakho ohlala kuye oqhubeka esona. Kakho oqhubeka esona owambonayo kumbe omaziyo.
Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, nor known Him.
7 Bantwana abathandekayo, lingavumeli muntu eledukisa. Lowo oyenza okulungileyo ulungile, njengoba laye elungile.
Little children, let no one deceive you: he that practiseth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous:
8 Lowo owonayo ngokaSathane ngoba uSathane wona kusukela ekuqaleni. INdodana kaNkulunkulu yabonakala ukuze ichithe imisebenzi kaSathane.
he, that makes a practise of sin, is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. And for this the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Kakho ozelwe ngokukaNkulunkulu ozaqhubeka esona, ngoba inhlanyelo kaNkulunkulu ihlala ikubo, abasoze baqhubeke besona ngoba bazelwe nguNkulunkulu.
Whosoever is born of God doth not practise sin, because his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 Sibazi ngalokhu ukuthi abantwana bakaNkulunkulu ngobani kanye lokuthi abangabantwana bakaSathane ngobani. Lowo ongenzi okulungileyo kasuye mntakaNkulunkulu, loba lowo ongamthandiyo umfowabo lodadewabo.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not practise righteousness, and he who loveth not his brother, is not of God:
11 Leli yilizwi elalizwa kusukela ekuqaleni: Kumele sithandane.
for this is the injunction which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain who was of the evil one, and slew his brother;
12 Lingabi njengoKhayini, owayengokaSathane wasebulala umfowabo. Wambulalelani na? Ngoba ezakhe izenzo zazizimbi ezomfowabo zilungile.
and why did he slay him? because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
13 Lingamangali bazalwane bami nxa umhlaba ulizonda.
Wonder not then, my brethren, if the world hate you:
14 Siyakwazi ukuthi sesidlulile ekufeni saya ekuphileni, ngoba siyabathanda abazalwane bethu. Lowo ongathandiyo ulokhu esekufeni.
since we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren: he, that loveth not his brother, remaineth in death.
15 Lowo ozonda umzalwane wakhe ungumbulali, njalo liyakwazi ukuthi akulambulali olokuphila okungapheliyo kuye. (aiōnios g166)
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (aiōnios g166)
16 Nanku esazi ngakho ukuthi uthando luyini: UJesu Khristu wadela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu. Lathi kufanele sidele ukuphila kwethu ngenxa yabazalwane bethu.
In this we know his love, that He laid down his life for us: and we should be ready to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 Nxa umuntu enothile abone umzalwane wakhe oswelayo, kodwa angabi lesihawu kuye, uthando lukaNkulunkulu lungaba kuye kanjani na?
But if any one, who hath the good things of the world, seeth his brother in want, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 Bantwana abathandekayo, kasingathandi ngamazwi loba ulimi kuphela kodwa ngezenzo langeqiniso.
My little children, let us not love in word, or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth.
19 Ngalokhu sazi kanje ukuthi singabeqiniso lokuthi sizibeka njani inhliziyo zethu ekuphumuleni phambi kwakhe
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
20 lapho inhliziyo zethu zisilahla. Ngoba uNkulunkulu mkhulu kakhulu kulezinhliziyo zethu njalo wazi izinto zonke.
For, if our heart condemn us, God is still greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Bazalwane abathandekayo, nxa inhliziyo zethu zingasilahli, silesibindi phambi kukaNkulunkulu
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God:
22 njalo samukela kuye konke esikucelayo ngoba siyayilalela imilayo yakhe senze okumthokozisayo.
and whatsoever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 Nanku umlayo wakhe: ukukholwa ebizweni leNdodana yakhe, uJesu Khristu, lokuthandana njengokusilaya kwakhe.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He hath given us a charge to do.
24 Labo abalalela imilayo yakhe bahlala kuye, laye kubo. Njalo sikwazi ngalokhu ukuthi uhlala kithi: Sikwazi ngoMoya asinika yena.
And he, that keepeth his commandments, abideth in Him, and He in him: and hereby we know that He abideth in us, even by the Spirit which He hath given us.
