UMathewu 18
1 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wamisa phakathi kwabo.
And he called a child to him, 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 do I say to you, Unless ye are changed, and become as children, ye will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.
Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ebizweni lami wamukela mina.”
And whoever receiveth one such child in my name, receiveth 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 shall cause one of these little ones that believe in me to fall away, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung round his neck, and be swallowed up in the depth 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 it must needs be that stumbling-blocks come; but woe to the man through whom the stumbling-block cometh!
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)
And if thy hand or thy foot is causing thee to fall, cut it off, and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed or lame, 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)
And if thine eye is causing thee to fall, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire. (Geenna g1067)
10 “Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo zezulu zihlezi zibona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. [
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold 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 think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them hath gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety-nine upon the mountains, and go and seek that which hath gone astray?
13 Ithi ingayithola, ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, iyathokoza ngaleyo ukwedlula lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingazange zilahleke.
And if it happen that he find it, truly do I say to you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14 Ngokufanayo, uYihlo osezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane abhubhe.”
Thus it is not the will of your 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.
Moreover, if thy brother sin, go and reprove him between thee and him alone. If he listen to thee, thou hast gained thy brother;
16 Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, biza omunye loba ababili ukuze ‘indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu.’
but if he do not listen, take with thee one or two more; that by 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.
And if he disregard them, tell the matter to the church; but if he disregard the church also, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican.
18 Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, loba yini eliyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa lasezulwini.
Truly do I say to you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever ye shall 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, I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on earth concerning any thing that they shall ask, it will be done for them by my Father o 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 am I 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 came Peter, and said to him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?
22 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi hatshi kasikhombisa kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
Jesus saith to him, I say not to thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
23 Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezinceku zayo.
Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who would settle accounts with his servants.
24 Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
And when he had begun to reckon, there was brought to him one, 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 as he was unable to pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, and 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.’
Then that servant fell down and did obeisance to him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Inkosi yenceku leyo yayizwela usizi, yayithethelela, yawesula umlandu yayiyekela yahamba.
And 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 a hundred denaries; and he laid hold of him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
29 Leyonceku layo yawa ngamadolo yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakuhlawula.’
His fellow-servant then fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
30 Kodwa yona yala. Endaweni yalokho, yahamba yenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ihlawule isikwelede.
And he would not; but went away and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 Kwathi ezinye izinceku sezibonile okwakwenzakele, zathukuthela kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakeleyo.
Then his fellow-servants, seeing what was done, were greatly grieved; and went and told their lord all that had been done.
32 Inkosi yayibiza leyonceku, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngikuthethelele, ngasesula sonke isikwelede sakho ngoba ungincengile.
Then his lord, having called him, saith to him, Thou wicked servant! All that debt I forgave thee because thou didst beseech me;
33 Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’
shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 Inkosi yayo yathukuthela kakhulu, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bayihlukuluze ize isihlawule sonke isikwelede.
And his lord was enraged, and delivered him to the inflicters of punishment, till he should pay all that was due to him.
35 Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu nxa lingathetheleli abazalwane kuphuma enhliziyweni.”
So also will my heavenly Father do to you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
