Kwabase-Efesu 4
1 Ngakho ngiyalincenga, mina isibotshwa eNkosini, ukuthi lihambe ngokufanele ubizo elabizwa ngalo,
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
2 kanye lokuthobeka konke lobumnene, lokubekezela, libekezelelane ethandweni,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 likhuthale ukugcina ukuhlangana koMoya ngesibopho sokuthula.
and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 Munye umzimba njalo munye uMoya, njengalokhu lani labizwa ethembeni linye lobizo lwenu;
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
5 yinye iNkosi, lunye ukholo, lunye ubhabhathizo,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 munye uNkulunkulu loYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke, langabo bonke, lakini lonke.
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 Kodwa ngulowo lalowo wethu waphiwa umusa njengokwesilinganiso sesipho sikaKristu.
Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Ngakho uthi: Ekwenyukeleni kwakhe phezulu wathumba ukuthunjwa, wanika abantu izipho.
This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
9 Lokhu-ke ukuthi: Wenyuka, kuyini ngaphandle kokuthi laye wehlela kuqala kungxenye ezingaphansi zomhlaba?
What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?
10 Owehlayo, nguye owenyukela futhi khatshana ngaphezulu kwamazulu wonke, ukuze agcwalise izinto zonke.
He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
11 Yena wasenika abanye babe ngabaphostoli, labanye babe ngabaprofethi, labanye babe ngabavangeli, labanye babe ngabelusi labafundisi,
And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 ekuphelelisweni kwabangcwele, emsebenzini wenkonzo, ekwakhiweni komzimba kaKristu;
to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
13 size sifike sonke ebunyeni bokholo, lobolwazi lweNdodana kaNkulunkulu, endodeni epheleleyo, esilinganisweni sesimo sokugcwala kukaKristu;
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
14 ukuze singabe sisaba zinsane, ezizuliswa ngamagagasi njalo ezithwalelwa le lale yiwo wonke umoya wemfundiso, ngenkohliso yabantu, ngobuqili becebo lokuphambuka;
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 kodwa sikhulume iqiniso ethandweni sikhule kukho konke kuye, oyinhloko, uKristu,
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
16 okuvela kuye umzimba wonke, ohlanganiswe kuhle njalo ubambene, ngokwelekelelana kwalo lonke ilunga, njengokusebenza esilinganisweni saleso laleso isitho, wenza ukukhula komzimba ekuzakheni kwawo ethandweni.
From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
17 Ngakho ngitsho lokho ngifakaza eNkosini, ukuthi lingabe lisahamba lanjengabanye abezizwe behamba ebuzeni bengqondo yabo,
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 befiphaziwe engqondweni, benziwe abemzini empilweni kaNkulunkulu ngokungazi okukibo, ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo;
They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
19 abathi sebentunyile, bazinikela emanyaleni, ekwenzeni kokungcola konke ngomhawu.
Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
20 Kodwa lina kalimfundanga ngokunjalo uKristu,
But this is not the way you came to know Christ.
21 uba-ke limzwile lafundiswa kuye, njengoba iqiniso likuJesu;
Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—
22 ukuthi lilahle mayelana lohambo lokuqala, umuntu omdala, owonakala mayelana lezifiso zenkohliso;
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 njalo lenziwe batsha emoyeni wengqondo yenu,
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
24 njalo lembathe umuntu omutsha, odalwe njengokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni lebungcweleni beqiniso.
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Ngakho lilahla amanga, khulumani iqiniso ngulowo lalowo lomakhelwane wakhe; ngoba siyizitho omunye komunye.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
26 Thukuthelani lingoni; ilanga kalingatshoni phezu kolaka lwenu;
“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
27 futhi lingamniki indawo udiyabhola.
and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 Owebayo kangabe eseba; kodwa kulalokhu kakhuthale, asebenze okuhle ngezandla zakhe, ukuze abe lakho ukwabela olenswelo.
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
29 Kakungaphumi emlonyeni wenu lalinye ilizwi elibolileyo, kodwa kuphela okuhle okulungele ukwakha njengokufaneleyo, ukuze kunike umusa kubo abezwayo.
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
30 Njalo lingamdabukisi uMoya oyiNgcwele kaNkulunkulu, elaphawulwa ngaye kuze kube lusuku lohlengo.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Konke ukubaba lentukuthelo lolaka lomsindo lokunyeya kakususwe kini, kanye layo yonke inzondo;
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 kodwa libe mnene omunye komunye, lilesihawu, lithethelelane, njengalokhu uNkulunkulu laye walithethelela kuKristu.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
