UMathewu 18
1 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”
In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wamisa phakathi kwabo.
He called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them,
3 Wasesithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuba liguquke libe njengabantwana abancinyane, kalisoze lafa langena embusweni wezulu.
and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.
Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ebizweni lami wamukela mina.”
Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
6 “Nxa umuntu ekhubekisa oyedwa walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi ukuthi enze isono, kungabangcono kuye ukuthi kulengiswe entanyeni yakhe inkalakatha yembokodo yokuchola agaluliswe enzikini yolwandle.
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.
7 Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezenza abantu benze isono! Izinto ezinjalo zivele ziyafika kodwa maye kulowomuntu ezifika ngaye!
"Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. For there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes.
8 Nxa isandla sakho loba unyawo lwakho kukwenzisa isono, kuqume ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini kumbe ugogekile kulokuba lezandla zombili kumbe inyawo zombili uphoselwe emlilweni ongapheliyo. (aiōnios g166)
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. (aiōnios g166)
9 Nxa ilihlo lakho likwenzisa isono, likopole ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuba lamehlo amabili kodwa uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo.” (Geenna g1067)
If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire of hell. (Geenna g1067)
10 “Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo zezulu zihlezi zibona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. [
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11 INdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.]
12 Kambe likhumbulani? Nxa indoda ilezimvu ezilikhulu, enye iqambuke kwezinye, kayiyikuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezintabeni iyedinga leyo eqambukileyo?
"What do you think? If someone has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
13 Ithi ingayithola, ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, iyathokoza ngaleyo ukwedlula lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingazange zilahleke.
If he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
14 Ngokufanayo, uYihlo osezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane abhubhe.”
Even so it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 “Nxa umfowenu ekona, yana kuye umtshengise isiphambeko sakhe lilodwa lobabili. Nxa ekulalela usumzuzile umfowenu.
"If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16 Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, biza omunye loba ababili ukuze ‘indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu.’
But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 Nxa esala ukubalalela, tshela ibandla, nxa esala ukulilalela lalo ibandla mthatheni njengomhedeni kumbe njengomthelisi.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you as an unbeliever or a tax collector.
18 Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, loba yini eliyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa lasezulwini.
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Njalo ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi nxa ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana loba ngalutho bani abalucelayo bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.
Again, truly I tell you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 Ngoba lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona lami.”
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."
21 UPhethro weza kuJesu wabuza wathi, “Nkosi, umfowethu loba udadewethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often can my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi hatshi kasikhombisa kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
Jesus said to him, "I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezinceku zayo.
Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.
24 Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 Kwathi ngoba ingelamandla okuhlawula inkosi yalaya ukuthi yona, umkayo, abantwana lakho konke eyayilakho kuthengiswe ukuze kuqedwe umlandu.
But because he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 Inceku yaguqa phambi kwenkosi yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizahlawula konke.’
The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all.'
27 Inkosi yenceku leyo yayizwela usizi, yayithethelela, yawesula umlandu yayiyekela yahamba.
The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 Kodwa leyo yonela ukuphuma, yafumana eyinye inceku eyayilesikwelede sayo samadenari alikhulu. Yayibamba ngomphimbo, yayiklinya, yathi ngolaka, ‘Hlawula isikwelede sami!’
"But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'
29 Leyonceku layo yawa ngamadolo yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakuhlawula.’
"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you all.'
30 Kodwa yona yala. Endaweni yalokho, yahamba yenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ihlawule isikwelede.
He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.
31 Kwathi ezinye izinceku sezibonile okwakwenzakele, zathukuthela kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakeleyo.
So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
32 Inkosi yayibiza leyonceku, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngikuthethelele, ngasesula sonke isikwelede sakho ngoba ungincengile.
Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant. I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.
33 Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’
Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'
34 Inkosi yayo yathukuthela kakhulu, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bayihlukuluze ize isihlawule sonke isikwelede.
His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due.
35 Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu nxa lingathetheleli abazalwane kuphuma enhliziyweni.”
So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you do not each forgive your brother his trespasses from your heart."
