< 1 KwabaseKhorinte 8 >
1 Mayelana-ke lezinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe, siyazi ukuthi sonke silolwazi. Ulwazi luyakhukhumeza, kodwa uthando luyakha.
2 Uba-ke umuntu esithi uyazi ulutho, kakazi lutho njengoba kufanele ukuthi azi;
3 kodwa uba umuntu ethanda uNkulunkulu, yena uyaziwa nguye.
4 Ngakho mayelana lokudla izinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe, siyazi ukuthi isithombe kasilutho emhlabeni, lokuthi kakho omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle koyedwa.
5 Ngoba lanxa kukhona okuthiwa ngonkulunkulu, loba kusezulwini loba kusemhlabeni (njengoba kukhona onkulunkulu abanengi, lamakhosi amanengi),
6 kanti kithi kuloNkulunkulu munye, uBaba, okuvela kuye izinto zonke, lathi sikuye; leNkosi inye, uJesu Kristu, okwavela ngaye konke, lathi sikhona ngaye.
7 Kodwa ulwazi kalukho kubo bonke; kanti abanye belesazela sesithombe kuze kube khathesi bayakudla njengokuhlatshelwe isithombe, lesazela sabo esibuthakathaka singcoliswa.
8 Kodwa ukudla kakusisondezi kuNkulunkulu; ngoba kungesikuthi nxa sisidla, silenzuzo; njalo kungesikuthi nxa singadli, silokulahlekelwa.
9 Qaphelani-ke, hlezi amandla enu la abe yisikhubekiso kwababuthakathaka.
10 Ngoba uba umuntu ekubona wena ololwazi uhlezi ekudleni ethempelini lesithombe, isazela salowo obuthakathaka kasiyikuqiniswa yini ukuthi adle izinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe?
11 Ngenxa yolwazi lwakho lomzalwane obuthakathaka uzabhubha yini, amfelayo uKristu?
12 Kodwa uba lisona ngokunjalo kubazalwane, lilimaza isazela sabo esibuthakathaka, liyona kuKristu.
13 Ngakho-ke uba ukudla kumkhubekisa umzalwane wami, kangisoze ngidle inyama loba nininini, ukuze ngingamkhubekisi umzalwane wami. (aiōn )
