2 Kwabasekhorinte 3
1 Siqala siphinde ukuziveza yini? Kumbe siyadinga yini, njengabanye, izincwadi zokusiveza kini, loba zokuvezwa okuvela kini?
Are we beginning again to recommend ourselves? Or do we need, like some others, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?
2 Lina liyincwadi yethu, ebhalwe enhliziyweni zethu, eyaziwa ifundwe ngabantu bonke;
Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 libonakalisa ukuthi liyincwadi kaKristu esetshenziswa yithi, ebhalwe hatshi ngeyinki, kodwa ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, kungeyisikho ezibhebheni zamatshe, kodwa ezibhebheni zenyama yenhliziyo.
since ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ by means of our service, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart.
4 Lethemba elinjalo silalo ngoKristu kuNkulunkulu;
And such confidence as this have we through Christ toward God;
5 kungesikuthi siyenelisa thina ngokwethu ukucabanga ulutho njengoluvela kithi, kodwa ukwenelisa kwethu kuvela kuNkulunkulu;
not that we are able of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God;
6 owasenza futhi senelisa ukuba yizikhonzi zesivumelwano esitsha, esingeyisiso sokulotshiweyo kodwa esikaMoya; ngoba okulotshiweyo kuyabulala, kodwa uMoya uyaphilisa.
who also gave us ability to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
7 Kodwa uba inkonzo yokufa, emabaleni, abazwe ematsheni, yafikela enkazimulweni, kwaze kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli behluleka ukujolozela ubuso bukaMozisi ngenxa yenkazimulo yobuso bakhe, eyenziwa yaphela,
But if the ministration of death, engraven in letters on stones, was so glorious, that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses by reason of the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away,
8 pho ingebe nkulu kangakanani inkonzo kaMoya enkazimulweni?
shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious?
9 Ngoba uba inkonzo yokulahlwa iyinkazimulo, kangakanani inkonzo yokulunga yengeziwe enkazimulweni.
For if the ministration of condemnation had glory, much greater is the glory of the ministration of righteousness.
10 Ngoba lalokho okwake kwaba yinkazimulo, akuzange ngitsho kukhazimule ngalindlela, ngenxa yalinkazimulo eyidlulayo kakhulu.
For even that which was made glorious hath ceased to be glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory by which it is exceeded.
11 Ngoba uba lokho okwenziwa kwaphela kulenkazimulo, kangakanani lokho okumiyo, kusenkazimulweni.
For if that which was to be done away was glorious, much more glorious is that which endureth.
12 Ngakho silethemba elinje, sisebenzisa isibindi esikhulu ekukhulumeni;
Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech;
13 njalo kasinjengoMozisi owafaka isimbombozo ebusweni bakhe, ukuze abantwana bakoIsrayeli bangajolozeli isiphetho sento eyenziwa yaphela;
and do not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away.
14 kodwa ingqondo zabo zenziwa lukhuni; ngoba kuze kube lamuhla isimbombozo esifananayo sihlezi ekufundeni isivumelwano esidala singambombozwanga, esenziwa saphela kuKristu.
But their understandings were blinded; for until this day, when the old covenant is read, the same veil remaineth, since it is not unveiled to them that it is done away in Christ;
15 Kodwa kuze kube lamuhla, nxa kufundwa uMozisi, isimbombozo siphezu kwenhliziyo yabo.
but even till this day, when Moses is read, there lieth a veil upon their heart;
16 Loba nini nxa ebuyela eNkosini, isimbombozo siyasuswa.
but whenever it turneth to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 LeNkosi inguMoya; lalapho akhona uMoya weNkosi, lapho kukhona inkululeko.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 Thina-ke, sonke esilobuso obembuliweyo sibona inkazimulo yeNkosi esibukweni, siyaguqulelwa esimeni esifananayo sisuka enkazimulweni sisiya enkazimulweni, njengokuvela kuMoya weNkosi.
But we all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
