2 Kwabasekhorinte 1

1 UPawuli umphostoli kaJesu Kristu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, loTimothi umzalwane, kubandla likaNkulunkulu eliseKorinte, labo bonke abangcwele abakuyo yonke iAkaya:

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, and to all the believers in the entire region of Achaia.

2 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu lakuyo iNkosi uJesu Kristu.

May grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Kabongwe uNkulunkulu, ngitsho uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wobubele loNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke,

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised. He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

4 osiduduza ekuhluphekeni kwethu konke, ukuze sibe lamandla okududuza abasekuhluphekeni loba yikuphi, ngenduduzo esiduduzwa ngayo thina ngokwethu nguNkulunkulu;

God comforts us in all our affliction, so that we can comfort those who are in any affliction. We comfort others with the same comfort that God used to comfort us.

5 ngoba njengalokhu inhlupheko zikaKristu zengezelelekile kithi, ngokunjalo lenduduzo yethu yengezelelekile ngoKristu.

For just as the sufferings of Christ abound for our sake, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

6 Njalo loba sihlutshwa, kungokwenduduzo losindiso lwenu, okusetshenzwa ekubekezeleni kulezizinhlupheko ezifananayo esihlupheka ngazo lathi; loba siduduzwa, kungokwenduduzo losindiso lwenu;

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort. Your comfort is working effectively when you patiently share in the same sufferings that we also suffer.

7 njalo ithemba lethu ngani liqinile, sisazi ukuthi njengalokhu lihlanganyela ezinhluphekweni ngokunjalo lenduduzweni.

Our expectation concerning you is unshaken, for we know that as you share the sufferings, you also share our comfort.

8 Ngoba kasithandi ukuthi lingazi, bazalwane, ngokuhlupheka kwethu okwasehlela eAsiya, ukuthi sasindwa kakhulukazi ngokungaphezu kwamandla, saze saphelelwa lithemba lelempilo.

For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the troubles we had in Asia. We were so completely crushed beyond our strength that we despaired even of life.

9 Kodwa thina ngokwethu sasilaso kithi isigwebo sokufa, ukuze singazithembi thina kodwa kuNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo;

Indeed, we had the sentence of death on us. But that was to make us not put our trust in ourselves, but instead in God, who raises the dead.

10 owasophula ekufeni okungaka, losophulayo; esithemba kuye ukuthi uzasophula futhi.

He rescued us from such a deadly peril, and he will rescue us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.

11 Lani lisebenzela thina ndawonye ngomkhuleko, ukuze isipho somusa kithi esivela ebantwini abanengi singasibongelwa ngabanengi.

He will do this as you also help us by your prayer. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor given to us through the prayers of many.

12 Ngoba ukuzincoma kwethu yilokhu, ubufakazi besazela sethu, ukuthi ngokungelankohliso langobuqotho bukaNkulunkulu, kungeyisikho ngenhlakanipho yenyama kodwa emuseni kaNkulunkulu, saziphatha emhlabeni, njalo ngokukhethekileyo maqondana lani.

We are proud of this: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with holiness and godly sincerity, not relying on fleshly wisdom but on the grace of God.

13 Ngoba kasilibhaleli okunye, kodwa loba izinto elizifundayo kumbe njalo lizivume; ngithemba futhi ukuthi lizazivuma kuze kube sekupheleni;

We write to you nothing that you cannot read and understand. I expect that,

14 njengalokhu lathi selisivumile nganxanye, ukuthi siyikuzincoma kwenu njengalokhu lani lingabethu, osukwini lweNkosi uJesu.

as you have understood us in part, we will be your reason for boasting on the day of our Lord Jesus, just as you will be our reason to boast.

15 Langalelithemba ngafisa ukuza kini kuqala, ukuze libe lomusa wesibili;

Because I was confident about this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might receive the benefit of two visits.

16 njalo ukudlula kini ngisiya eMakedoniya, ngibuye kini futhi ngivela eMakedoniya, njalo ngidluliselwe yini eJudiya.

I was planning to visit you on my way to Macedonia. Then I wanted to visit you again on my trip from Macedonia, and then for you to send me on my way to Judea.

17 Ngakho ngiqonde lokho, besengisebenzisa yini ubulula? Kumbe izinto engizimisayo, ngimisa ngokwenyama yini, ukuze kube khona kimi uyebo, yebo; lohatshi, hatshi?

When I was thinking this way, was I hesitating? Do I plan things according to human standards, so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

18 Kodwa uNkulunkulu uthembekile, ukuthi ilizwi lethu elikini kalisuye uyebo lohatshi.

But just as God is faithful, we do not say both “Yes” and “No.”

19 Ngoba iNdodana kaNkulunkulu uJesu Kristu owatshunyayelwa yithi phakathi kwenu, yimi loSilivanu loTimothi, wayengeyisuye uyebo lohatshi, kodwa kuye kwakunguyebo.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom Silvanus, Timothy and I proclaimed among you, is not “Yes” and “No.” Instead, he is always “Yes.”

20 Ngoba zonke izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu, kuye zinguyebo, lakuye zinguAmeni, kube ludumo lukaNkulunkulu ngathi.

For all the promises of God are “Yes” in him. So also through him we say “Amen” to the glory of God.

21 Njalo osiqinisayo kanye lani kuKristu, owasigcobayo, nguNkulunkulu,

Now it is God who confirms us with you in Christ, and he appointed us,

22 owasiphawulayo lathi, wasenika isibambiso sikaMoya enhliziyweni zethu.

he set his seal on us and he gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee of what is to come.

23 Kodwa mina ngibiza uNkulunkulu ukuthi abe ngumfakazi phezu komphefumulo wami, ukuze ngiliyekele angikezi eKorinte.

Instead, I call God to bear witness for me that the reason I did not come to Corinth was so that I might spare you.

24 Kungesikuthi sibusa ukholo lwenu, kodwa siyizisebenzi ndawonye zentokozo yenu; ngoba limi ngokholo.

This is not because we are trying to control what your faith should be. Instead, we are working with you for your joy, as you stand in your faith.