1 UPhetro 2
1 Ngakho-ke, lahlani ububi bonke lenkohliso yonke, lokuzenzisa, lomona, kanye lesinyeyo senhlobo zonke.
Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
2 Njengabantwana abasanda kuzalwa, funani uchago lwakomoya oluhlambukileyo, ukuze likhuliswe yilo ekusindisweni kwenu,
as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,
3 njengoba selibonile ukuthi iNkosi ilungile.
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 Lapho lisiza kuye, iLitshe eliphilayo, elalahlwa ngabantu, kodwa elakhethwa nguNkulunkulu njalo liligugu kuye,
Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5 lani futhi, njengamatshe aphilayo lakhiwa laba yindlu yakomoya ukuba libe ngabaphristi abangcwele, linikela imihlatshelo yakomoya eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Khristu.
You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Ngoba emibhalweni kuthiwa: “Khangelani, ngibeka ilitshe eZiyoni, ilitshe lekhoneni elikhethiweyo eliligugu, njalo lowo okholwa kuye akayikuyangiswa.”
Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
7 Kini lina abakholwayo, ilitshe leli liligugu. Kodwa kulabo abangakholwayo, “Ilitshe elalahlwa ngabakhi seliyilona ilitshe lekhoneni,”
For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 njalo, “Ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe.” Bayakhubeka ngoba badelela ilizwi okuyikho njalo abakumiselweyo.
and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
9 Kodwa lina lingabantu abakhethiweyo, ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abangabakaNkulunkulu, ukuba limemezele indumiso yakhe yena owalibiza lisemnyameni ukuba lize ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Lake langabi ngabantu, kodwa khathesi selingabantu bakaNkulunkulu; lake laswela isihawu; kodwa khathesi selithole isihawu.
In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Bangane abathandekayo, ngiyalincenga, njengabezizweni lezihambi emhlabeni ukuba lizile izinkanuko zesono ezilwa lemiphefumulo yenu.
Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 Philani impilo elungileyo phakathi kwabangakholwayo ukuze kuthi lanxa besithi lenza okubi, babone izenzo zenu ezilungileyo badumise uNkulunkulu mhla esiza kithi.
having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Zehliseni ngenxa yeNkosi emibusweni yonke ebekwe phakathi kwabantu: loba enkosini, njengamandla amakhulu,
Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme,
14 loba kubabusi abathunywe yiyo ukuba bajezise labo abenza okubi kanye lokubonga labo abenza okulungileyo.
or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.
15 Ngoba kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuthi ngokwenza okulungileyo lizaqeda inkulumo yokungazi yabantu abayiziwula.
For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 Philani njengabantu abakhululekileyo, kodwa lingasebenzisi inkululeko yenu njengezaba lokufihla ububi; philani njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu.
Live as free people, yet not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
17 Tshengisani inhlonipho eqondileyo kwabanye. Thandani izimuli zabazalwane, lihloniphe umuntu wonke, mesabeni uNkulunkulu, lihloniphe umbusi.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Zigqili, zehliseni emakhosini enu ngenhlonipho yonke, hatshi kuphela kulawo alungileyo lalozwelo, kodwa lakulawo alolaka.
Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
19 Ngoba kuyabongeka nxa umuntu eqinisela ebuhlungwini bokuhlupheka okungafanelanga ngoba uyazi ngoNkulunkulu.
For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.
20 Kodwa kuba ludumo njani kini nxa litshayelwa ukwenza okungalunganga njalo likubekezelela? Kodwa nxa lihlukuluzelwa ukwenza okuhle njalo likubekezelela, lokhu kuyancomeka phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
21 Labizelwa lokhu, ngoba uKhristu walihluphekela, walitshiyela isibonelo ukuba lilandele ezinyathelweni zakhe.
For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,
22 “Yena kenzanga sono, njalo akukho nkohliso eyatholakala emlonyeni wakhe.”
who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
23 Kwathi bemthethisa, yena kaphindiselanga; lapho ehlupheka, kazange asonge. Kodwa wathembeka kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga.
When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
24 “Yena ngokwakhe wathwala izono zethu” emzimbeni wakhe esiphambanweni ukuze siphephe ezonweni njalo siphilele ukulunga; “lisilisiwe ngamanxeba akhe.”
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.
25 Ngoba “lina lalinjengezimvu ezilahlekileyo,” kodwa khathesi selibuyele kuMalusi loMbonisi wemiphefumulo yenu.
For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
