2 KuThimothi 4
1 Ngakho mina ngiyalayisisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu, leNkosi uJesu Kristu, ozakwahlulela abaphilayo labafileyo, ekubonakaleni kwakhe lembusweni wakhe,
This is what I instruct you to do before God and Christ Jesus who will judge the living and the dead when he comes to establish his kingdom.
2 tshumayela ilizwi, ulunge ngesikhathi esilungileyo, ngesikhathi esingalunganga, sola, ukhuze, weluleke, ekubekezeleni konke lemfundisweni.
Speak God's word whether it is convenient or not, tell people where they're going wrong, warn them, encourage them. Do this with a great deal of patient teaching.
3 Ngoba kuzakuba lesikhathi lapho bengayikuvuma imfundiso ephilileyo, kodwa ngokowabo umhawu bazazibuthelelela abafundisi, belunywa zindlebe;
For the time is coming when people won't bother to listen to true teaching. Instead they will be curious to listen to something different, and will surround themselves with teachers who'll tell them what they want to hear.
4 njalo bazafulathelisa indlebe zabo eqinisweni, bazaphambukela ezinganekwaneni.
They will stop listening to the truth and wander off following myths.
5 Kodwa wena qonda ezintweni zonke, ubekezelele inhlupheko, wenze umsebenzi womvangeli, ugcwalise inkonzo yakho.
You need to keep your wits about you at all times. Put up with troubles, do the work of sharing the good news, fulfill your ministry.
6 Ngoba mina sengithululwe njengomnikelo wokunathwayo, lesikhathi sokusuka kwami sesifikile.
For I'm about to be sacrificed—the time of my death is approaching.
7 Ngilwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiqedile uhambo, ngilondolozile ukholo;
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept my trust in God.
8 kusukela khathesi, ngibekelwe umqhele wokulunga, ezanginika wona ngalolosuku iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo; kodwa kungeyisimi ngedwa, kodwa labo bonke abathanda ukubonakala kwayo.
Now there's a prize reserved for me—the crown for a life lived according to what is good and right. The Lord, (who is the judge that always does what's right), will give that to me on that Day. And not just to me, but to everyone who longs for his coming.
9 Khuthala ukuza kimi masinyane;
Please try to come to me as soon as you can.
10 ngoba uDema ungihlamukile, ethande umhlaba wakhathesi, waya eThesalonika; uKresena eGalathiya, uTitosi eDalmathiya. (aiōn g165)
Demas has abandoned me because he loves the things of this world more, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. (aiōn g165)
11 ULuka yedwa ulami. Thatha uMarko ubuye laye; ngoba uloncedo kakhulu kimi enkonzweni.
Only Luke is here with me. Bring Mark with you, because he can help me with my work.
12 Kodwa uTikiko ngimthume eEfesu.
I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13 Ulethe isembatho engasitshiya kuKarpo eTrowasi, nxa ubuya, lezingwalo, ikakhulu incwadi zesikhumba.
When you come please bring the cloak I left behind with Carpus in Troas—and the books, especially the parchments.
14 UAleksandro umkhandi wethusi wangitshengisa okubi okunengi; sengathi iNkosi ingambuyisela njengokwemisebenzi yakhe;
Alexander the coppersmith caused me a lot of trouble—may God judge him for what he did.
15 umxwaye lawe, ngoba wamelana kakhulukazi lamazwi ethu.
You watch out for him too, because he was very much against what we were saying.
16 Ekuziphenduleleni kwami kwakuqala kwakungekho muntu owangimelayo, kodwa bonke bangihlamuka; sengathi kungebalelwe kubo.
When it came to my first defense, no-one stood up for me—everyone abandoned me. May they not be blamed for this.
17 Kodwa iNkosi yangimela, yangipha amandla, ukuze ngami ukutshumayela kupheleliswe, lezizwe zonke zizwe; ngasengikhululwa emlonyeni wesilwane,
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that I could declare the whole of the message so that all the foreigners could hear it. I was rescued out of the lion's mouth!
18 njalo iNkosi izangikhulula kuwo wonke umsebenzi omubi, njalo izangisindisela umbuso wayo wezulu; kakube kuyo ubukhosi kuze kube phakade laphakade. Ameni. (aiōn g165)
The Lord will rescue me from all the evil things done against me, and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. His is the glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
19 Bingelela uPriska loAkwila, lendlu kaOnesiforo.
My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, and to Onesiphorus's family.
20 UErastu wasala eKorinte; kodwa uTrofimu ngamtshiya eMilethu egula.
Erastus stayed on in Corinth. I left Trophimus behind in Miletus because he was sick.
21 Khuthala ufike ubusika bungakafiki. UYubulu uyakubingelela, loPudeni, loLino, loKlawudiya, labo bonke abazalwane.
Please try to come before winter. Eubulus sends his best wishes—and Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters too.
22 INkosi uJesu Kristu kayibe lomoya wakho. Umusa kawube lani. Ameni.
The Lord be with you. May his grace be with you all.
