1 KwabaseKhorinte 4

1 Umuntu kanakane ngathi ngokunje, njengezisebenzi zikaKristu labaphathi bezimfihlo zikaNkulunkulu.

So a person should consider us as Messiah's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries.

2 Futhi-ke, kuyadingeka ebaphathini, ukuthi umuntu aficwe ethembekile.

Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.

3 Kodwa kimi kuyinto encinyane kakhulu ukuthi ngithonisiswe yini, kumbe ngokwahlulela kwabantu; kodwa lami kangizithonisisi.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I do not judge my own self.

4 Ngoba kanginanzeleli lutho kimi, kanti kangilungisiswanga ngalokho; kodwa ongahlulelayo yiNkosi.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

5 Ngakho lingahluleli lutho isikhathi singakafiki, ize ifike iNkosi, ezaveza futhi ekukhanyeni izinto ezifihlakeleyo emnyameni, njalo iveze obala amacebo ezinhliziyo; njalo khona ngulowo lalowo ezakuba lokubongwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one will get his praise from God.

6 Njalo lezizinto, bazalwane, ngiziqondanise lami loApolosi ngenxa yenu, ukuze lifunde kithi ukuthi lingakhumbuli phezu kokulotshiweyo, ukuze lingakhukhunyezwa omunye ngomunye limelane lomunye.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to go beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

7 Ngoba ngubani okwenza ukuthi wehluke? Njalo kuyini olakho ongakwemukelanga? Njalo uba lawe wemukele, uzincomelani ngokungathi kawemukelanga?

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

8 Selisuthi, selinothile, libusile ngaphandle kwethu; yebo-ke kungathi ngabe liyabusa, ukuze lathi sibuse kanye lani.

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 Ngoba ngithi uNkulunkulu usimisile thina abaphostoli bokucina, sibe njengabamiselwe ukufa; ngoba senziwe umbukiso emhlabeni, lakuzo ingilosi, lebantwini.

For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and people.

10 Thina siyizithutha ngenxa kaKristu, kodwa lina lihlakaniphile kuKristu; thina sibuthakathaka, kodwa lina lilamandla; lina liyahlonitshwa, kodwa thina siyadelelwa.

We are fools for Messiah's sake, but you are wise in Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

11 Kuze kube lihola lakhathesi silambile, somile, sihambaze, siyatshaywa ngenqindi, siyimihambuma,

Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

12 siyatshikatshika sisebenza ngezethu izandla; sithi sithukwa sibusise; sithi sizingelwa sibekezele;

We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

13 sithi sinyeywa sincenge; senziwa njengamanyala omhlaba, imfucuza yezinto zonke, kuze kube khathesi.

Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

14 Kangilibhaleli lezizinto ukuthi ngilithele inhloni, kodwa ngileluleka njengabantwana bami abathandekayo.

I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 Ngoba lanxa lilabeluleki abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi kuKristu, kodwa kalilaboyihlo abanengi; ngoba mina ngalizala kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, yet not many fathers. For in Messiah Jesus, I became your father through the gospel.

16 Ngakho ngiyalincenga: Banini ngabalingisi bami.

I appeal to you therefore, be imitators of me.

17 Ngalokho ngithume kini uTimothi, ongumntanami othandekayo lothembekileyo eNkosini, ozalikhumbuza ngenhambo zami ezikuKristu, njengoba ngifundisa endaweni zonke kulo lonke ibandla.

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Messiah, even as I teach everywhere in every church.

18 Kodwa abanye bazikhukhumezile ngokungathi kangiyikuza kini.

Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19 Kanti ngizakuza kini masinyane, uba iNkosi ivuma, njalo ngizakwazi, hatshi ilizwi lalabo abazikhukhumezayo, kodwa amandla.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

20 Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu kawungelizwi kodwa ngamandla.

For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21 Lifunani? Ngize kini ngenduku yini, kumbe ngothando lomoya ochumileyo?

What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?