< Kwabase-Efesu 4 >

1 Njengesibotshwa seNkosi, ngiyalincenga ukuba liphile impilo efanele ubizo elalwamukelayo.
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called;
2 Wobani ngabathobekileyo labamnene ngokupheleleyo; bekezelani, libekezelelane omunye komunye ethandweni.
with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 Zamani ngamandla wonke ukugcina ukumanyana kukaMoya ngesibopho sokuthula.
earnestly endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 Kulomzimba munye loMoya munye; njengalokhu labizelwa ethembeni linye ekubizweni kwenu,
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you have been called in one hope of your calling;
5 iNkosi yinye, lokholo lunye, ubhaphathizo lunye;
one Lord, one faith, one immersion;
6 uNkulunkulu munye uYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke njalo okubo bonke.
one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in you all.
7 Kodwa yilowo lalowo wethu waphiwa umusa ngokwaba kukaKhristu.
But grace has been given to each one of us, according to the measure of the gift of the Christ.
8 Yikho-nje umbhalo usithi: “Ekwenyukeleni kwakhe phezulu, wahola abathunjiweyo abanengi njalo wanika izipho ebantwini bakhe.”
For which reason, the scripture says: When he ascended on high, he led captive a multitude of captives, and gave gifts to men.
9 (Ukuthi “wenyuka” kutshoni ngaphandle kokuthi njalo wehlela lezigabeni zangaphansi komhlaba na?
But this―He ascended―what does it mean, but that he also descended into the lower earthly regions?
10 Yena lowo owehlela phansi nguye kanye owenyukela phezulu kakhulu kulamazulu wonke ukuze agcwale izindawo zonke emhlabeni lasezulwini.)
He that descended is also he that ascended high above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11 UKhristu nguye owanika abanye ukuba babe ngabapostoli, abanye babe ngabaphrofethi, abanye babe ngabavangeli, abanye babe ngabaphathi labanye babe ngabafundisi,
And he himself gave some to be apostles, and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 ukuba balungisele abantu bakaNkulunkulu imisebenzi yenkonzo, ukuze umzimba kaKhristu wakhiwe
for the complete instruction of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of the Christ,
13 sonke size sifinyelele ekumanyaneni, ekukholweni lasekwazini iNdodana kaNkulunkulu sikhule ngokupheleleyo, sithole isilinganiso sokuphelela okufunyanwa kuKhristu.
till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to a measure of stature that fully develops the Christ;
14 Ngakho kasisayikuba zingane, siphoswa emuva laphambili ngamagagasi, siphetshulwa lapha lalaphaya yimimoya yonke yemfundiso kanye lokuhlakanipha lobuqili babantu ngamazwi abo enkohliso.
that we might no longer be children, tossed and carried about by every wind of teaching, through the artifice of men, through craftiness used by them for the deliberate planning of deceit;
15 Kodwa-ke, sikhuluma iqiniso ngothando, sizakhula ezintweni zonke kuye yena oyiNhloko, yena enguKhristu.
but speaking truthfully in love, we might grow up in all things, into him who is the head, even the Christ,
16 Kusukela kuye umzimba wonke ohlanganiswe wabanjaniswa yimisipha yonke ewusekelayo uyakhula uzakhe ngothando, isitho sinye ngasinye sisenza umsebenzi waso.
from whom the whole body, compactly fitted together, and united by every helping joint, according to the energy in the measure of each part, makes increase of the body, for the building up of itself in love.
17 Ngakho-ke, ngilitshela lokhu, ngikugcizelela eNkosini, ukuba akumelanga liphile njengabeZizweni emicabangweni yabo eyize.
This I say, therefore, and appeal to you solemnly in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the other Gentiles walk, in the error of their minds,
18 Kubamnyama ekuqedisiseni kwabo njalo behlukene lokuphila kukaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokungazi kwabo okungenxa yobulukhuni bezinhliziyo zabo.
darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
19 Sebelahlekelwe ngunembeza wonke, sebezinikele ekuthokoziseni inyama ukuze benze inhlobo zonke zokuxhwala, inkanuko iqhubeka ifuna okunengi.
who, being past feeling, have given themselves up to licentiousness, that they may work all manner of uncleanness with greediness.
20 Kodwa lina uKhristu kalimazanga ngaleyondlela.
But you have not so learned the Christ,
21 Impela lezwa njalo lafundiswa ngaye ngokweqiniso elikuJesu.
if, indeed, you have heard of him, and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 Lafundiswa mayelana lendlela yenu yakuqala yokuphila ukuba lilahle uqobo lwenu oludala, olonakaliswa yizinkanuko zalo zenkohliso;
that, as to your former life, you put off the old man, which is corrupt, according to its deceitful desires,
23 ukuba lenziwe libe batsha esimeni sengqondo zenu;
and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 lifake uqobo lomzimba olutsha, oludalelwe ukuba njengoNkulunkulu ekulungeni okuqotho lobungcwele.
and put on the new man, which, according to the will of God, is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Ngakho-ke, yilowo lalowo wenu kumele alahle amanga akhulume iqiniso kumakhelwane wakhe ngoba sonke siyizitho zomzimba munye.
For which reason, putting away lying, speak, every one, truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
26 “Ekuthukutheleni kwenu lingoni”: Ilanga kalingatshoni lilokhu lithukuthele
Be angry, and yet do not sin: let not the sun go down on your wrath,
27 njalo lingamniki indawo yokugxila uSathane.
nor give place to the devil.
28 Lowo obekade entshontsha kangantshontshi futhi kodwa kumele asebenze, enze ulutho oluhle ngezandla zakhe ukuze abe langakwabela abaswelayo.
Let him that steals, steal no more: but rather let labor, working with his hands that which is good, that he may have something to give to him that has need.
29 Akungabi lenkulumo embi ephuma emilonyeni yenu kodwa okusizayo ekwakheni abanye ngokwezinswelo zabo, ukuba kusize labo abalalelayo.
Let no impure speech come out of your mouth, but whatever is good for needful edification, that it may give grace to the hearers:
30 Njalo lingamdabukisi uMoya oNgcwele kaNkulunkulu elabekwa ngaye uphawu lwelanga lokuhlengwa.
and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, with which you have been sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Susani yonke inzondo, ulaka lokuthukuthela, ingxabano lesinyeyo, kanye lobubi bonke.
Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and clamor and impious speaking be put away from you, with all malice:
32 Wobani lomusa kanye lozwelo komunye lomunye wenu njalo lithethelelane njengalokhu uNkulunkulu walithethelela ngoKhristu.
and be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

< Kwabase-Efesu 4 >