KumaHebheru 11
1 Ukukholwa yikuba leqiniso lalokhu esikulindeleyo njalo kuqinisekile ngalokho esingakuboniyo.
Now, faith is the confidence of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.
2 Lokhu yikho abendulo abanconywa ngakho.
By this, the ancients obtained reputation.
3 Ngokukholwa siyezwisisa ukuthi izulu lomhlaba kwadalwa ngokulaya kukaNkulunkulu, ngoba okubonakalayo kakwenziwanga ngalokho okwakubonakala. (aiōn g165)
By faith, we understand that the worlds were formed by the word of God; so that the things which were seen, were not made of things which do appear. (aiōn g165)
4 Ngokukholwa u-Abheli wanikela kuNkulunkulu umnikelo omuhle kulokaKhayini. Ngokukholwa wanconywa njengomuntu olungileyo, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ekhuluma kuhle ngeminikelo yakhe. Njalo ngokukholwa ulokhu ekhuluma, lanxa sewafa.
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, on account of which he was commended as righteous; God testifying in favor of his oblations: and so, by it, though dead he still speaks.
5 Ngokukholwa u-Enoki wasuswa kulumhlaba ephila ukuze angakuzwa ukufa: “Kabonakalanga ngoba uNkulunkulu wayesemthethe.” Engakathathwa, wayenconywe njengowayethokozise uNkulunkulu.
By faith Enoch was translated, that he might not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him; for, before his translation, it was testified that he pleased God.
6 Kungelakukholwa akweneliseki ukumthokozisa uNkulunkulu ngoba oza kuye kumele akholwe ukuthi ukhona lokuthi uyabanika umvuzo labo abamdinga ngobuqotho.
But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him.
7 Ngokukholwa uNowa esexwayisiwe ngezinto ezazingakabonakali, ngokwesaba okungcwele wakha umkhumbi ukuba ahlenge abendlu yakhe. Ngokukholwa kwakhe wawulahla umhlaba waba yindlalifa yokulunga okuza ngokukholwa.
By faith, Noah, when he received a revelation concerning things not yet seen, being seized with religious fear, prepared an ark for the salvation of his family; by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 Ngokukholwa u-Abhrahama esebizelwe ukuba aye endaweni ayezayamukela muva njengelifa lakhe, walalela wahamba, lanxa wayengakwazi lapho ayesiya khona.
By faith, Abraham, when called to go out into a place which he should afterward receive as an inheritance, obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he was going.
9 Ngokukholwa wahlala elizweni lesithembiso njengesihambi, elizweni elingayisilo lakibo; wahlala emathenteni, njengokwenziwa ngu-Isaka loJakhobe, ababezindlalifa zalelolizwe lesithembiso kanye laye.
By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the joint heirs of the same promise:
10 Ngoba wayelindele idolobho elilezisekelo, elimcandi walo lomakhi walo nguNkulunkulu.
for he expected the city having foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Ngokukholwa, lanxa u-Abhrahama wayeseluphele loSara eyinyumba, wanikwa amandla okuba lomntwana ngoba wambona njengothembekileyo lowo owayenze isithembiso.
By faith, also, Sarah herself received strength for the conception of seed, and brought forth, when past the time of life; because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Ngakho-ke, kusukela kulumuntu oyedwa, owayefana lofileyo, kwavela inzalo enengi njengezinkanyezi emkhathini njalo engeke ibalwe njengenhlabathi ekhunjini lolwandle.
And, therefore, there sprang from one who was dead, in this respect, a race, as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is on the sea-shore, innumerable.
13 Abantu bonke laba bafa belokhu bephila ngokukholwa. Kabazamukelanga izinto ezathenjiswayo; bazibona nje kuphela bazithakazelela zikude. Njalo bavuma ukuthi bona babeyizizwe lezihambi emhlabeni.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises. For, seeing the things promised, afar off, and embracing them, they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the land.
14 Abantu abakhuluma izinto ezinje babonakalisa ukuthi bafuna ilizwe elingelabo.
Now they who speak such things, plainly declare that they earnestly seek a country.
15 Aluba babecabanga ngelizwe abasuka kulo, babezakuba lethuba lokubuyela.
For truly, if they had remembered that from which they came out, they might have had an opportunity to return it.
16 Kodwa-ke bona babefuna ilizwe elingcono, lona elisezulwini. Ngakho uNkulunkulu akumyangisi ukubizwa ngokuthi unguNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba usebalungisele idolobho.
But, indeed, they strongly desired a better country; that is, a heavenly. Therefore, God is not ashamed of them--to be called their God; because he has prepared for them a city.
17 Ngokukholwa, kwathi u-Abhrahama ehlolwa nguNkulunkulu, wanikela u-Isaka njengomhlatshelo. Yena owayamukele izithembiso wayeseseduze ukuba anikele indodana yakhe eyodwa njalo eyiyo kuphela,
By faith, Abraham, when tried, offered up Isaac; he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten,
18 lanxa uNkulunkulu wayethe kuye, “isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”
concerning whom it was said, that "In Isaac shall thy seed be called";
19 U-Abhrahama wanakana ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengabavusa abafileyo, njalo nxa kuzekeliswa, wamamukela u-Isaka evela ekufeni.
reasoning that God was able to raise him even from the dead; from whence, indeed, he received him in a figure.
20 Ngokukholwa u-Isaka wabusisa uJakhobe lo-Esawu ngekusasa labo.
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, with respect to things to come.
21 Ngokukholwa uJakhobe, esesifa wawabusisa wonke amadodana kaJosefa, wasekhonza eyame phezu kwentonga yakhe.
By faith, Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, bowing on the top of his staff.
22 Ngokukholwa uJosefa, isiphetho sakhe sesisondele, walandisa ngokuphuma kwabako-Israyeli eGibhithe njalo walayezela ngamathambo akhe.
By faith, Joseph, when dying, made mention concerning the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 Ngokukholwa abazali bakaMosi bamfihla izinyanga ezintathu emva kokuzalwa kwakhe, ngoba babona ukuthi wayengasumntwana nje ojayelekileyo, njalo babengawesabi umthetho wenkosi.
By faith, Moses, when born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 Ngokukholwa uMosi esekhulile, wala ukuba aziwe njengendodana yendodakazi kaFaro.
By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Wakhetha ukuphathwa kubi kanye labantu bakaNkulunkulu kulokuba akholise injabulo yesono okwesikhathi esifitshane.
choosing rather to suffer evil with the people of God, than to have the temporary fruition of sin,
26 Wakhetha ihlazo ngenxa kaKhristu njengegugu elikhulu kulenotho yaseGibhithe ngoba wayekhangelele umvuzo phambili.
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked forward to the retribution.
27 Ngokukholwa wasuka eGibhithe, engalwesabi ulaka lwenkosi; wabekezela ngoba wambona lowo ongabonakaliyo.
By faith, he left Egypt, not being afraid of the wrath of the king. For he courageously persevered, as perceiving the invisible God.
28 Ngokukholwa wagcina iPhasika lokuchelwa kwegazi, ukuze umbulali wamazibulo angawathinti amazibulo ako-Israyeli.
By faith, he appointed the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood; that he who destroyed the first-born, might not touch them.
29 Ngokukholwa abantu badabula phakathi koLwandle oluBomvu njengasemhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa kwathi amaGibhithe ezama ukwenzanjalo agalula.
By faith, they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do, were drowned.
30 Ngokukholwa imiduli yaseJerikho yadilika emva kokuba abantu beyibhode okwensuku eziyisikhombisa.
By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, having been encompassed seven days.
31 Ngokukholwa uRahabi isifebe, ngoba wamukela inhloli, kabulawanga kanye lalabo ababengalaleli.
By faith, Rahab, the harlot, was not destroyed with the unbelievers, having received the spies in peace.
32 Kuyini okunye engingakutsho? Kangilasikhathi sokulandisa ngoGidiyoni, loBharakhi, loSamsoni, loJeftha, loDavida, loSamuyeli kanye labaphrofethi,
And what shall I say more? for the time would fail me, to speak of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jepthah, and David, also, and Samuel, and the prophets--
33 abanqoba imibuso ngokukholwa benza okulungileyo njalo bathola okwakuthenjisiwe; bona abavala imilomo yezilwane,
who, through faith, subdued kingdom, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 bacitsha ukuvutha kwamalangabi, baphepha lasebukhalini benkemba; ubuthakathaka babo baphenduka baba ngamandla; njalo baba lamandla empini bawachitha amabutho ezizweni.
quenched the strength of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, grew strong from sickness, became valiant in battle, overturned the camps of the aliens.
35 Abesifazane bamukela abafayo babo sebevuselwe ekuphileni futhi. Abanye bahlukuluzwa njalo bala ukukhululwa, ukuze bathole ukuvuka ekufeni okuhle.
Women received their dead by a resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36 Abanye bahozwa batshaywa, kwathi abanye babotshwa ngamaketane bafakwa entolongweni.
And others had trial of mockings and scourgings; and, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.
37 Batshaywa ngamatshe, baqunywa ngesaha baba yiziqa ezimbili; babulawa ngenkemba. Bahamba begqoke izikhumba zezimvu lezikhumba zembuzi, beswela, behlukuluzwa, bephathwa kubi,
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they died by the slaughter of the sword, they went about in sheep skins, and in goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, maltreated;
38 umhlaba kubo wawungabafanele. Bantula enkangala lasezintabeni lasezimbalwini kanye lasemilindini emhlabathini.
of these the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and mountains, and in caves, and holes of the earth.
39 Bonke laba banconywa ngokukholwa kwabo, kodwa kakho phakathi kwabo owathola okwakuthenjisiwe.
Now, all these, though commanded on account of faith, did not receive the promise,
40 Thina uNkulunkulu wayesimisele okuhle ukuze kuthi sebe kanye lathi bapheleliswe.
God having provided something better for us, that they, without us, should not be made perfect.
