KwabaseKholose 1
1 UPawuli umphostoli kaJesu Kristu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, loTimothi umzalwane,
This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the will of God, and from our brother Timothy.
2 kubo abangcwele labazalwane abathembekileyo kuKristu abaseKolose: Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.
To the believers and trusting Christians at Colossae: may you have grace and peace from God our Father.
3 Siyambonga uNkulunkulu loYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, sikhuleka ngani njalonjalo,
We are always thankful to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for you, and pray for you.
4 sesizwile ngokholo lwenu kuKristu Jesu, langothando olukwabangcwele bonke,
We've heard about your trust in Christ Jesus and your love for all the believers
5 ngethemba elibekelwe lona emazulwini, elezwa ngalo ngaphambili ngelizwi leqiniso levangeli,
because of the hope prepared for you in heaven. You already heard about this in the good news, the message of truth
6 eselifikile kini, njengalokhu lemhlabeni wonke, njalo lithela izithelo, njengoba kunjalo laphakathi kwenu, kusukela ngosuku elezwa laseliwazi umusa kaNkulunkulu ngeqiniso;
that came to you just as it has gone throughout the whole world, spreading widely and bringing results. It's done the same for you too, ever since you heard it and realized the true nature of God's grace.
7 njengalokhu lani lafunda kuEpafra othandekayo wethu inceku kanye lathi, oyisikhonzi esithembekileyo sikaKristu ngani,
Our dear friend and fellow-worker Epaphras, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on our behalf, taught you about this.
8 ositshele futhi ngothando lwenu kuMoya.
He's also made clear to us your love in the Spirit.
9 Ngakho lathi, kusukela ngosuku esezwa ngalo, kasiyekeli ukulikhulekela, lokucela ukuthi ligcwaliswe ngolwazi lwentando yakhe ngenhlakanipho yonke lokuqedisisa okungomoya,
Because of this we continue to pray for you from the time we heard about you, asking God to give you understanding of what he wants you to do and to give you every kind of spiritual wisdom and understanding.
10 ukuze lihambe ngokufanele iNkosi kukho konke okuthokozisayo, lithela izithelo kuwo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo njalo likhule elwazini lukaNkulunkulu;
That way you'll live lives that rightly represent the Lord and please him, producing all kinds of good results and gaining greater knowledge of God.
11 liqiniswe ngamandla wonke njengokwamandla obukhosi bakhe, ekubekezeleni konke lesineke, lenjabulo;
May you be made powerfully strong by his wonderful strength, having great patience and endurance.
12 sibonge uBaba owasenza safanela ekuhlanganyeleni kwelifa labangcwele ekukhanyeni,
May you happily praise the Father, who has made it possible for us to share in the inheritance of God's people who live in the light.
13 owasikhulula emandleni obumnyama, wasesisa embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe,
He rescued us from the tyranny of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 esilohlengo kuyo ngegazi layo, uthethelelo lwezono.
through whom we have been set free and our sins forgiven.
15 Engumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonwayo, izibulo lesidalwa sonke;
The Son is the visible picture of the invisible God. He was before all creation,
16 ngoba kuyo zonke izinto zadalwa, ezisemazulwini lezisemhlabeni, ezibonwayo lezingabonwayo, loba izihlalo zobukhosi, loba ubuphathamandla, loba imibuso, loba amandla; zonke izinto zidalwa ngayo zadalelwa yona;
for everything was created through him—in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, empires, rulers, leaders and authorities—everything was created through him and for him.
17 yona-ke ingaphambi kwazo zonke izinto, njalo ngayo zonke izinto zibambene.
He existed before everything, and he holds everything together.
18 Njalo yona yinhloko yomzimba, olibandla; eyikuqala, izibulo kwabafileyo, ukuze yona ibe ngeyokuqala ezintweni zonke;
He is also the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the first and highest of those raised from the dead, so that he is supreme in everything.
19 ngoba kwamthokozisa uBaba ukuthi ukugcwala konke kuhlale kiyo,
God was pleased to have his full nature live in him,
20 njalo ngayo enze izinto zonke zibuyisane laye uqobo, esenze ukuthula ngegazi lesiphambano sayo, ngayo, loba yizinto ezisemhlabeni loba ezisemazulwini.
and through him brought back everything in the universe to himself, since he made peace through the blood of his cross, through him reconciling all those on the earth and in heaven.
21 Lani elalikade lingabemzini lezitha ngengqondo emisebenzini emibi, kodwa khathesi usebuyisene lani
You once were alienated from God, enemies in the way you thought and the way you acted,
22 emzimbeni wenyama yayo ngokufa ukuthi alimise phambi kwakhe lingcwele njalo lingelacala njalo lingasoleki,
but now he has reconciled you through his dying human body, bringing you into his presence where you stand holy, pure, and faultless.
23 uba-ke lihlala ekholweni lisekelwe liqinile, lingasuswa ethembeni levangeli elalizwayo, elatshunyayelwa kuso sonke isidalwa esingaphansi kwezulu, engenziwe isikhonzi salo mina Pawuli.
But your trust in him must continue rock-solid and immovable. Don't be shaken from the hope of the good news that you heard, the good news that's been shared throughout the world—that's the work that I Paul have been doing.
24 Khathesi-ke ngiyathokoza ekulihluphekeleni kwami, njalo okusileleyo kwenhlupheko zikaKristu ngiyakugcwalisa enyameni yami esikhundleni somzimba wakhe, olibandla;
I'm happy to have trouble for your sake, for by means of what happens to me physically I'm part of Christ's sufferings that he continues to experience for the sake of his body, the church.
25 mina engenziwa isikhonzi salo, njengokwesimiso sikaNkulunkulu enganikwa sona maqondana lani, ukugcwalisa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu,
I serve the church following the direction God gave me about you, to present fully the word of God to you.
26 imfihlo ebifihliwe kusukela ezikhathini zendulo njalo kusukela kuzizukulwana; kodwa khathesi ibonakaliswe kwabangcwele bakhe, (aiōn g165)
This is the mystery that was hidden down through the ages and for many generations, but it's now been revealed to God's people. (aiōn g165)
27 kubo uNkulunkulu wathanda ukubazisa ukuthi iyini inotho yobukhosi balimfihlo phakathi kwabezizwe, enguKristu phakathi kwenu, ithemba lenkazimulo;
God wanted to make known to them the glorious wealth of this mystery to the nations: Christ living in you is the glorious hope!
28 esimtshumayelayo thina, sixwayisa wonke umuntu, sifundisa wonke umuntu ngayo yonke inhlakanipho, ukuze silethe wonke umuntu ephelele kuKristu Jesu;
We're telling everyone about him, instructing and teaching them in the best way we know how so that we can bring everyone before God fully mature in Christ.
29 engikutshikatshikelayo lami, ngisilwa njengokusebenza kwakhe, okusebenza kimi ngamandla.
That's what I'm working for too, making every effort as I rely on his strength which is powerfully at work in me.
