1 UPhetro 2
1 Ngakho lahlani ububi bonke lobuqili bonke lokuzenzisa lomhawu lokuhleba konke,
So putting away all wrongdoing, and all tricks and deceits and envies and evil talk,
2 njengezingane ezisanda ukuzalwa, fisani uchago olungaqungwanga lwelizwi, ukuze likhuliswe ngalo,
Be full of desire for the true milk of the word, as babies at their mothers' breasts, so that you may go on to salvation;
3 uba-ke selinambithile ukuthi iNkosi ilomusa.
If you have had a taste of the grace of the Lord:
4 Elizayo kuyo, ilitshe eliphilayo, elaliwa isibili ngabantu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu likhethiwe, liligugu,
To whom you come, as to a living stone, not honoured by men, but of great and special value to God;
5 lani njengamatshe aphilayo lakhiwe indlu yokomoya, ubupristi obungcwele, ukuze linikele imihlatshelo yokomoya eyemukelekayo kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu.
You, as living stones, are being made into a house of the spirit, a holy order of priests, making those offerings of the spirit which are pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Ngakho kukhona lembhalweni ukuthi: Khangela ngiyabeka eSiyoni ilitshe lengonsi, elikhethiweyo eliligugu; lokholwa kuye kasoze ayangeke.
Because it is said in the Writings, See, I am placing a keystone in Zion, of great and special value; and the man who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
7 Ngakho kini elikholwayo uligugu; kodwa kwabangalaleliyo, ilitshe abakhi abalalayo, leli selibe yinhloko yengonsi,
And the value is for you who have faith; but it is said for those without faith, The very stone which the builders put on one side, was made the chief stone of the building;
8 lelitshe lokukhubekisa, ledwala lokuwisa; abakhubeka elizwini, bengalaleli; okuyikho labo ababekumiselwe;
And, A stone of falling, a rock of trouble; the word is the cause of their fall, because they go against it, and this was the purpose of God.
9 kodwa lina liluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abatholiweyo, ukuze litshumayele jikelele ukulunga kwalowo owalibiza livela emnyameni laya ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo;
But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven.
10 elalikade lingeyisibo abantu, kodwa khathesi lingabantu bakaNkulunkulu; elalingahawukelwanga, kodwa khathesi selihawukelwe.
In the past you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; then there was no mercy for you, but now mercy has been given to you.
11 Bathandekayo, ngiyalincenga njengabemzini lezihambi ukuthi lizithinte enkanukweni zenyama, ezilwa lomphefumulo;
My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul;
12 lilokuhamba okuhle phakathi kwabezizwe, ukuze kuthi, ekulihlebeni njengabenzi bobubi, ezenzweni ezinhle abazibonileyo bangadumisa uNkulunkulu osukwini lokuhanjelwa.
Being of good behaviour among the Gentiles; so that though they say now that you are evil-doers, they may see your good works and give glory to God when he comes to be their judge.
13 Ngakho zehliseleni ngaphansi kwaso sonke isimiso sabantu ngenxa yeNkosi; loba kuyinkosi, njengebusayo;
Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all,
14 loba kubabusi, njengabathunywe yiyo ekujezisweni kwabenzi bobubi, kodwa kube lodumo lwabenzi bokuhle.
And those of the rulers who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of those who do well.
15 Ngoba injalo intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuthi ngokwenza okuhle lifake isayeke emlonyeni wokungazi kwabantu abayizithutha;
Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour:
16 njengabakhululekileyo, kodwa lingabi lenkululeko njengesigubuzelo sobubi, kodwa njengezigqili zikaNkulunkulu.
As those who are free, not using your free position as a cover for wrongdoing, but living as the servants of God;
17 Hloniphani bonke. Thandani ubuzalwane. Mesabeni uNkulunkulu. Hloniphani inkosi.
Have respect for all, loving the brothers, fearing God, honouring the king.
18 Zinceku, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwamakhosi ngokwesaba konke, kungeyisikho kulawo alungileyo lamnene kuphela, kodwa lakulawo angaqondanga.
Servants, take orders from your masters with all respect; not only if they are good and gentle, but even if they are bad-humoured.
19 Ngoba lokhu kungumusa, uba umuntu ethwala izinhlupheko ngenxa yesazela kuNkulunkulu, ehlupheka ngokungafanelanga.
For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done.
20 Ngoba kulenzuzo bani, uba lisona beselitshaywa libekezela? Kodwa uba lisenza okuhle njalo lihlupheke libekezela, lokhu kungumusa kuNkulunkulu.
What credit is it if, when you have done evil, you take your punishment quietly? but if you are given punishment for doing right, and take it quietly, this is pleasing to God.
21 Ngoba labizelwa lokho, ngoba uKristu laye wasihluphekela, esitshiyela isibonelo, ukuze lilandele izinyathelo zakhe;
This is God's purpose for you: because Jesus himself underwent punishment for you, giving you an example, so that you might go in his footsteps:
22 ongenzanga isono, lenkohliso kayificwanga emlonyeni wakhe;
Who did no evil, and there was no deceit in his mouth:
23 owathi ethukwa kazaphindisela ngokuthuka, ehlupheka kazasongela, kodwa wazinikela kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga;
To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:
24 yena ngokwakhe owathwala izono zethu emzimbeni wakhe esihlahleni, ukuze kuthi, sesifile esonweni, siphile ekulungeni; okungemivimvinya yakhe lisilisiwe.
He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well.
25 Ngoba lalinjengezimvu ezilahlekayo; kodwa khathesi selibuyele kuMelusi loMbonisi wemiphefumulo yenu.
Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way; but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.
