KwabaseRoma 15
1 Thina esilamandla sifanele ukubekezelela ukwehluleka kwababuthakathaka, hatshi ukuba sizithokozise.
We, the strong, ought to take on our own shoulders the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not merely to please ourselves.
2 Lowo lalowo wethu kumele athokozise umakhelwane wakhe ngokuhle kuye, ukuze amakhe.
Let each of us please our neighbour for our neighbour’s good, to help in the building up of their character.
3 Ngoba loKhristu kazithokozisanga, kodwa njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Ukuthuka kwalabo abalithukayo kwehlele phezu kwami.”
Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as scripture says of him – “The reproaches of those who were reproaching you fell upon me.”
4 Ngoba konke okwalotshwa kudala kwalotshelwa ukusifundisa, ukuze kuthi ngokubekezela langokukhuthazwa yimibhalo sibe lethemba.
Whatever was written in the scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.
5 Sengathi uNkulunkulu onika ukubekezela lenkuthazo angalipha umoya wokumanyana phakathi kwenu lapho lilingisa uKhristu Jesu,
And may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ,
6 ukuze kuthi Nganhliziyonye langomlomo munye lidumise uNkulunkulu loYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu.
so that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
7 Ngakho yamukelani omunye lomunye njengalokhu uKhristu walamukela, ukuze kudunyiswe uNkulunkulu.
Therefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God.
8 Ngoba ngiyalazisa ukuthi uKhristu waba yinceku yamaJuda emele iqiniso likaNkulunkulu, ukuba aqinise izithembiso ezenziwa kubokhokho,
For I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God’s truthfulness, has become a minister of the covenant of circumcision, so that he may fulfil the promises made to our ancestors,
9 ukuze abezizwe badumise uNkulunkulu ngenxa yomusa wakhe, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Ngenxa yalesisizatho ngizakudumisa phakathi kwabeZizwe, ngizahlabela amahubo ebizweni lakho.”
and that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As scripture says – “Therefore will I make acknowledgment to you among the Gentiles and sing in honour of your name.”
10 Njalo, kuthi, “Thokozani, lina beZizwe, labantu bakhe.”
And again it says – “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with God’s people.”
11 Njalo, “Dumisani iNkosi, lonke lina beZizwe, lihlabelele indumiso kuyo, lonke lina bantu.”
And yet again – “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.”
12 Njalo, u-Isaya uthi, “Impande kaJese izavela, lowo ozavuka ukuba abuse izizwe; abeZizwe bazathembela kuye.”
Again, Isaiah says – “There will be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
13 Sengathi uNkulunkulu wethemba angaligcwalisa ngentokozo enkulu langokuthula ekumethembeni kwenu, ukuze libe lethemba elikhaphakayo ngamandla kaMoya oNgcwele.
May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, until you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Mina ngokwami ngiyakholwa bazalwane bami, ukuthi lina ngokwenu ligcwele ukulunga, lilokwazi okupheleleyo njalo liyenelisa ukufundisana.
I am persuaded, my friends – yes, I Paul, with regard to you – that you are yourselves full of kindness, furnished with all Christian learning, and well able to give advice to one another.
15 Ngililobele ngesibindi mayelana leminye imicijo, njengokungathi ngilikhumbuza yona futhi, ngenxa yomusa uNkulunkulu angiphe wona
But in parts of this letter I have expressed myself somewhat boldly – by way of refreshing your memories –
16 ukuba yisikhonzi sikaKhristu uJesu kwabeZizwe ngilomlandu wobuphristi wokutshumayela ivangeli likaNkulunkulu ukuze abeZizwe babe ngumnikelo owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, ongcweliswe nguMoya oNgcwele.
because of the charge with which God has entrusted me, that I should be an assistant of Christ Jesus to go to the Gentiles – that I should act as a priest of God’s good news, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.
17 Ngakho ngiyaziqhenya kuKhristu uJesu emsebenzini wami kuNkulunkulu.
It is, then, through my union with Christ Jesus that I have a proud confidence in my work for God.
18 Kangiyikuba lesibindi sokukhuluma ngolunye ulutho ngaphandle kwalokho uKhristu asekufeze ngami ekukhokheleni abeZizwe ukuba balalele uNkulunkulu ngalokhu engakutshoyo lengakwenzayo,
For I will not dare to speak of anything but what Christ has done through me to win the obedience of the Gentiles –
19 ngamandla ezibonakaliso lezimangaliso, langamandla kaMoya kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho indlela yonke kusukela eJerusalema kusiya e-Ilirikhumu, sengilitshumayele ngokugcweleyo ivangeli likaKhristu.
by my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the good news of the Christ;
20 Bekuhlezi kuyisifiso sami ukutshumayela ivangeli lapho uKhristu ayengaziwa khona, ukuze ngingakhi phezu kwesisekelo somunye.
yet always with the ambition to tell the good news where Christ’s name had not previously been heard, so as to avoid building on another’s foundations.
21 Ikanti kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Labo abangatshelwanga ngaye bazabona, lalabo abangakezwa bazaqedisisa.”
But as scripture says – “They to whom he had never been proclaimed will see; and they who have never heard will understand!”
22 Yikho-nje kade ngixakeka ekubeni ngize kini.
That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you.
23 Kodwa khathesi njengoba kungaselandawo engingasebenza kuyo kulezizigaba, njalo njengoba bengifisa okweminyaka eminengi ukulibona,
But now there are no further openings for me in these parts, and I have for several years been longing to come to you whenever I may be going to Spain.
24 ngiceba ukwenzanjalo lapho sengisiya eSpeyini. Ngithemba ngizalibona ngisedlula lokuba lingisize ngohambo lwami lokuya khonale, emva kokuba sengithokoze ukuba lani okwesikhatshana.
For my hope is to visit you on my journey, and then to be sent on my way by you, after I have first partly satisfied myself by seeing something of you.
25 Kodwa khathesi ngisendleleni yokuya eJerusalema emsebenzini wabantu beNkosi khonale.
Just now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem, to take help to Christ’s people there.
26 Ngoba abeMasedoniya labe-Akhayiya kwabathokozisa ukusiza abayanga phakathi kwabantu beNkosi eJerusalema.
For Macedonia and Greece have been glad to make a collection for the poor among Christ’s people at Jerusalem.
27 Kwabathokozisa ukwenza lokho, njalo impela balomlandu walokho kubo. Ngoba nxa abeZizwe bahlanganyela ezibusisweni zakomoya zamaJuda, balomlandu kumaJuda wokuhlanganyela lawo ezibusisweni zokwenyama.
Yes, they were glad to do so; and indeed it is a duty which they owe to them. For the Gentile converts who have shared their spiritual blessings are in duty bound to minister to them in the things of this world.
28 Ngakho emva kokuqeda umsebenzi lo, njalo sengibe leqiniso ukuthi sebesamukele isithelo lesi, ngizakuya eSpeyini njalo ngilethekelele ohanjweni lwami.
When I have settled this matter, and have secured for the poor at Jerusalem the enjoyment of these benefits, I will go, by way of you, to Spain.
29 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi lapho ngisiza kini, ngizakuza ngilesibusiso esigcweleyo sikaKhristu.
And I know that, when I come to you, it will be with a full measure of blessing from Christ.
30 Ngiyalincenga bazalwane, ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu langothando lukaMoya, ukuba lihlanganyele lami ekutshikatshikeni kwami ngokungikhulekela kuNkulunkulu.
I beg you, then, friends, by Jesus Christ, our Lord, and by the love inspired by the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf.
31 Khulekelani ukuba ngihlengwe kwabangakholwayo eJudiya lokuthi umsebenzi wami eJerusalema wamukeleke ebantwini beNkosi khonale,
Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who reject the faith, and that the help which I am taking to Jerusalem may prove acceptable to Christ’s people;
32 ukuze ngize kini ngentokozo kuthi ngentando kaNkulunkulu ngivuselelwe kanye lani.
so that, God willing, I may be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and enjoy some rest among you.
33 UNkulunkulu wokuthula kabe lani lonke. Ameni.
May God, the giver of peace, be with you all. Amen.
