< 1 UJohane 1 >
1 Lokho okwakukhona kusukela ekuqaleni, esesikuzwile, esesikubone ngamehlo ethu, esesikukhangele lezandla zethu zakuthinta, lokhu siyakutshumayela mayelana leLizwi lokuphila.
We write to you about the Word of life, which has been in existence from the beginning. We write of what we have heard, of what we have seen with our eyes, of what we watched reverently and touched with our hands.
2 Ukuphila kwabonakala; sikubonile njalo siyakufakaza, njalo sitshumayela kini ukuphila okulaphakade okwakukhona kuBaba njalo sekubonakele kithi. (aiōnios )
That life was made visible, and we have seen it. We bear our testimony to it, and tell you of that eternal life which was with the Father and was made visible to us. (aiōnios )
3 Sitshumayela kini esikubonileyo lesikuzwileyo ukuze lani libe lokuhlanganyela lathi. Ukuhlanganyela kwethu kuloBaba kanye leNdodana yakhe, uJesu Khristu.
It is of what we have seen and heard that we now tell you, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
4 Siloba lokhu ukuze ukuthokoza kwethu kuphelele.
We are writing all this to you that our joy may be complete.
5 Leli yilizwi esilizwe kuye esilitshumayela kini elokuthi: UNkulunkulu uyikukhanya; kuye akukho ubumnyama.
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
6 Nxa sisithi silokuhlanganyela laye, kodwa sihamba ebumnyameni, siqamba amanga, njalo leqiniso kasilenzi.
If we say that we have fellowship with him and yet continue to walk in the darkness, our words and our lives are a lie.
7 Kodwa nxa sihamba ekukhanyeni, njengoba esekukhanyeni, silokuhlanganyela omunye lomunye legazi likaJesu iNdodana yakhe liyasihlambulula ezonweni zonke.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8 Nxa sisithi kasilasono, siyazikhohlisa njalo kasilaqiniso.
If we say, ‘we have no sin,’ then we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 Nxa sivuma izono zethu, yena uthembekile njalo ulungile, uzasithethelela izono zethu, asihlambulule kukho konke ukungalungi kwethu.
If we confess our sins, he is just and may be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all wrongdoing.
10 Nxa sisithi akulasono esasenzayo, simenza abe ngumqambi wamanga, njalo ilizwi lakhe kalilandawo kithi.
If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make God a liar, and his Word is not in us.