UMathewu 22
1 UJesu wakhuluma kubo njalo ngemizekeliso wathi:
Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.
2 “Umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyalungisela indodana yayo idili lomthimba.
"The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,
3 Yathuma izinceku zayo kulabo ababenxusiwe edilini ukuba beze kodwa bala ukuza.
and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come.
4 Yaphinda yathuma ezinye izinceku yathi, ‘Batsheleni labo abanxusiweyo ukuthi sengililungisile idili. Ngihlabe inkabi lenkomo ezinonisiweyo, konke sekulungile. Wozani edilini lomthimba.’
"Again he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. "'My breakfast is now ready," he said, 'my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made: come to the wedding.'
5 Kodwa kabakunanzanga lokho, bazihambela, omunye waya ensimini yakhe, omunye emsebenzini wakhe.
"They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in the country, another to his business;
6 Abanye bazibamba izinceku zayo, bazihlukuluza bazibulala.
and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them.
7 Inkosi yathukuthela. Yathumela impi yayo yababhuqa labobabulali yatshisa idolobho labo.
So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.
8 Yasisithi ezincekwini zayo, ‘Idili lomthimba selilungile kodwa labo engibanxusileyo bebengasafanele ukuza.
Then he said to his servants, "'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it.
9 Hambani liye emahlanganweni ezindlela linxuse loba ngubani elimbonayo.’
Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet invite to the wedding.'
10 Ngakho izinceku zangena ezitaladini zabutha bonke abantu ezababonayo, abalungileyo lababi, indlu yomthimba yagcwala izethekeli.
"So they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall was filled with guests.
11 Kodwa kwathi inkosi ingena ukuzabona izethekeli, yananzelela khonapho indoda eyeyingavunulanga izigqoko zomthimba.
"Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.
12 Yabuza yathi, ‘Mngane, ungene njani lapha ungelazigqoko zomthimba?’ Indoda yatsha amathe.
"'My friend,' he said, 'how is it that you came in here without a wedding robe?'
13 Inkosi yasitshela izinceku zayo yathi, ‘Mbopheni izandla lezinyawo limphosele ngaphandle ebumnyameni, lapho okuzakuba khona ukukhala lokugedla kwamazinyo.’
"The man stood speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "'Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.'
14 Ngoba banengi ababiziweyo kodwa balutshwana abakhethiweyo.”
"For there are many called, but few chosen."
15 Lapho-ke abaFarisi basuka baphuma bayaceba ukuthi bambambe ngamazwi akhe.
Then the Pharisees went and consulted together how they might entrap Him in His conversation.
16 Bathuma abafundi babo kuye behamba lamaHerodiya. Bathi, “Mfundisi, siyazi ukuthi uyindoda eqotho lokuthi ufundisa indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokweqiniso. Kawusuye uthathekile ngoba kawulani lokuthi bangobani.
So they sent to Him their disciples together with the Herodians; who said, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you faithfully teach God's truth; and that no fear of man misleads you, for you are not biased by men's wealth or rank.
17 Sitshele-ke, uthini ngalokhu? Kusemthethweni na ukuthela kuKhesari kumbe hatshi?”
Give us your judgement therefore: is it allowable for us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"
18 UJesu ngokwazi inhloso yabo embi wathi, “Lina bazenzisi, lenzani lizama ukungithiya na?
Perceiving their wickedness, Jesus replied, "Why are you hypocrites trying to ensnare me?
19 Ake lingitshengise uhlamvu lwemali okuthelwa ngayo.” Bamlethela idenari,
Show me the tribute coin." And they brought Him a shilling.
20 wasebabuza wathi, “Ngumfanekiso kabani lo? Njalo luphawu lukabani lolu?”
"Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?"
21 Baphendula bathi, “NgokukaKhesari.” Wasesithi kubo, “Phanini uKhesari okungokukaKhesari loNkulunkulu okungokukaNkulunkulu.”
"Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He rejoined, "what is Caesar's to Caesar; and what is God's to God."
22 Bathi besizwa lokhu bamangala. Ngakho basuka kuye bahamba.
They heard this, and were astonished; then left Him, and went their way.
23 Ngalelolanga abaSadusi, abathi kakukho ukuvuka kwabafileyo, beza kuye belombuzo.
On the same day a party of Sadducees came to Him, contending that there is no resurrection. And they put this case to Him.
24 Bathi, “Mfundisi, uMosi wasitshela wathi, nxa indoda ingafa ingazalanga mntwana, umfowabo kamthathe umfelokazi amzalele abantwana.
"Teacher," they said, "Moses enjoined, 'If a man die childless, his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a family for him.'
25 Kwakulabafowabo abayisikhombisa phakathi kwethu. Wathatha owakuqala wasesifa, kwathi ngoba engazuzanga mntwana watshiyela umkakhe umfowabo.
Now we had among us seven brothers. The eldest of them married, but died childless, leaving his wife to his brother.
26 Kwaphinda lokho kowesibili lowesithathu njalo kwaze kwaba ngowesikhombisa.
So also did the second and the third, down to the seventh,
27 Ekucineni wafa lowomfazi.
till the woman also died, after surviving them all.
28 Pho-ke, ekuvukeni kwabafileyo uzakuba ngumkabani phakathi kwabayisikhombisa njengoba bonke babemthethe?”
At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? for they all married her."
29 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Liyalahleka ngoba kaliyazi imibhalo lamandla kaNkulunkulu.
The reply of Jesus was, "You are in error, through ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God.
30 Ekuvukeni kwabafileyo abantu kabayikuthatha loba bendiswe; bazakuba njengezingilosi ezulwini.
For in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in Heaven.
31 Kodwa mayelana lokuvuka kwabafileyo, kalibalanga yini lokho uNkulunkulu akutsho kini ukuthi,
But as to the Resurrection of the dead, have you never read what God says to you,
32 ‘NginguNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, uNkulunkulu ka-Isaka loNkulunkulu kaJakhobe’? KasuNkulunkulu wabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo.”
'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead, but of living men."
33 Kwathi amaxuku abantu esizwa lokhu amangaliswa yikufundisa kwakhe.
All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement at His teaching.
34 AbaFarisi sebezwile ukuthi uJesu wayesebathulisile abaSadusi, bahlangana ndawonye.
Now the Pharisees came up when they heard that He had silenced the Sadducees,
35 Omunye wabo owayeyisazi somthetho wamlinga ngombuzo wathi,
and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a test question,
36 “Mfundisi, yiwuphi umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni?”
"Teacher, which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?"
37 UJesu waphendula wathi, “‘Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.’
"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,'" He answered, "'with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind.'
38 Yiwo owokuqala njalo odlula yonke imilayo.
This is the greatest and foremost Commandment.
39 Owesibili unjengawo: ‘Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’
And the second is similar to it: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thyself.'
40 Wonke uMthetho labaPhrofethi kweyeme kuyonale imilayo emibili.”
The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in these two Commandments."
41 Kwathi abaFarisi behlangene ndawonye uJesu wababuza wathi,
While the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus put a question to them.
42 “Licabangani ngoKhristu? Uyindodana kabani?” Baphendula bathi, “Yindodana kaDavida.”
"What think you about the Christ," He said, "whose son is He?" "David's," they replied.
43 Wathi kubo, “Kungani pho uDavida wathi ekhuluma ngoMoya umbiza athi ‘Nkosi’? Ngoba uthi,
"How then," He asked, "does David, taught by the Spirit, call Him Lord, when he says,
44 ‘INkosi yathi eNkosini yami: “Hlala ngakwesokunene sami ngize ngibeke izitha zakho ngaphansi kwenyawo zakho.”’
"'The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand until I have put thy foes beneath thy feet'?
45 Pho, nxa uDavida esithi kuye, ‘Nkosi,’ angaba yindodana yakhe njani?”
"If therefore David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?"
46 Kakho loyedwa owaba lelizwi lokumphendula. Kwathi-ke kusukela ngalolosuku kakho owaqunga isibindi sokumbuza eminye imibuzo.
No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did any one venture again to put a question to Him.
