Kwabase-Efesu 1
1 UPawuli, umphostoli kaJesu Kristu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, kubo abangcwele abaseEfesu, labathembekileyo kuKristu Jesu:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to God's holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful in Christ Jesus.
2 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu laseNkosini uJesu Kristu.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Ubusisiwe uNkulunkulu loYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, osibusisileyo ngaso sonke isibusiso somoya ezintweni zezulwini kuKristu;
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
4 njengoba wasikhetha kuye ngaphambi kokusekelwa komhlaba, ukuthi sibe ngcwele, njalo singasoleki phambi kwakhe ethandweni,
God chose us in him from the beginning of the world, that we may be holy and blameless in his sight in love.
5 esesimisele ngaphambili ukuma kwabantwana kuye ngoJesu Kristu, njengokufisa okuhle kwentando yakhe,
God chose us beforehand for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will.
6 kube ludumo lobukhosi bomusa wakhe, asiphe wona ngesihle ngaye oThandiweyo;
Our adoption results in the praise of his glorious grace that he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 esilohlengo kuye ngegazi lakhe, uthethelelo lweziphambeko, njengokwenotho yomusa wakhe,
In Jesus Christ we have redemption through his blood and the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
8 awengezelele kithi kuyo yonke inhlakanipho lokuqonda,
He lavished this grace upon us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 esesazisile imfihlo yentando yakhe, njengokufisa kwakhe okuhle, akumisa kuye ngokwakhe,
God made known to us the hidden purpose of his will, according to what pleased him, and which he demonstrated in Christ,
10 ukuze, ekuphatheni kokugcwaliseka kwezikhathi, ahlanganise ndawonye izinto zonke kuKristu, zombili ezisemazulwini lezisemhlabeni;
with a view to a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things together, all things in heaven and on earth, under one head, even Christ.
11 ngitsho kuye, lathi esabelwa ilifa kuye, esamiselwa ngaphambili njengokwesimiso sakhe owenzayo izinto zonke njengokwecebo lentando yakhe,
In Christ we were appointed as heirs. We were decided on beforehand according to the plan of him who works out everything according to the purpose of his will.
12 ukuze sibe ngabodumo lobukhosi bakhe, esathemba kuKristu kuqala;
God appointed us as heirs so that we might be the first to have a certain hope in Christ, so we would be for the praise of his glory.
13 eselithemba kuye lani, selizwile ilizwi leqiniso, ivangeli losindiso lwenu; kuye selikholiwe lani laphawulwa nguMoya oNgcwele wesithembiso,
In Christ, you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, you believed in him and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 oyisibambiso selifa lethu, kube yikuhlengwa okuzuziweyo, kudumo lobukhosi bakhe.
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we take full possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
15 Ngenxa yalokho lami sengizwile ngokholo lwenu eNkosini uJesu lothando kubo bonke abangcwele,
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's holy people,
16 kangiyekeli ukulibongela, ngiliphatha emikhulekweni yami;
I have not stopped thanking God for you as I mention you in my prayers.
17 ukuze uNkulunkulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wodumo, alinike umoya wenhlakanipho lowesambulo elwazini lwakhe;
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
18 amehlo engqondo yenu akhanyiswe, ukuze lazi ukuthi liyini ithemba lobizo lwakhe, lokuthi iyini inotho yodumo lwelifa lakhe kwabangcwele,
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, that you may know the hope to which he has called you and the riches of his glorious inheritance among all God's holy people.
19 lokuthi buyini ubukhulu bamandla akhe obudlula amalawulo kithi esikholwa njengokusebenza kobuninimandla bamandla akhe,
In my prayers I ask that you may know the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great strength.
20 awasebenzisa kuKristu, emvusa kwabafileyo, njalo emhlalisa ngakwesokunene sakhe endaweni zezulu,
This is the same power that God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.
21 phezulu kakhulu kwakho konke ukubusa lobukhulu lamandla lobukhosi, lebizo lonke elibizwayo, kungeyisikho kulesisikhathi kuphela, kodwa lakwesizayo; (aiōn g165)
He seated Christ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named. Christ will rule, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
22 wasebeka konke ngaphansi kwenyawo zakhe, wamnikela ukuba yinhloko phezu kwakho konke kulo ibandla,
God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as head over all things.
23 elingumzimba wakhe, ukugcwala kwalowo ogcwalisa konke kukho konke.
The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
