Kwabase-Efesu 5

1 Ngakho banini ngabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo;

BE ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;

2 njalo lihambe ethandweni, njengalokhu uKristu laye wasithanda, wazinikelela thina abe ngumnikelo lomhlatshelo kuNkulunkulu ukuba luqhatshi olumnandi.

and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an oblation and sacrifice to God, for an odour of a sweet smell.

3 Kodwa ubufebe lakho konke ukungcola kumbe umhawu kakungaphathwa lakanye phakathi kwenu, njengoba kufanele abangcwele;

But fornication and all impurity, or insatiable desire, let it not be mentioned among you, as becometh saints;

4 lamanyala, lokukhuluma okuyize, kumbe ukusoma okulenhlamba, okuyizinto ezingafanelanga; kodwa kulalokhu, ukubonga.

or obscenity, or foolish talk, or loose witticisms; things which become not a Christian, but rather thanksgiving.

5 Ngoba lokhu liyakwazi, ukuthi sonke isifebe, kumbe ongcolileyo, kumbe olomhawu, ongumkhonzi wezithombe, kalalifa embusweni kaKristu lokaNkulunkulu.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, or impure person, or avaricious, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Kakungabi lamuntu olikhohlisayo ngamazwi ayize; ngoba ngenxa yalezizinto ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.

7 Ngakho lingabi ngabahlanganyeli labo.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 Ngoba lake laba ngumnyama, kodwa khathesi liyikukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya,

For ye were formerly darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light;

9 ngoba isithelo sikaMoya sikubo bonke ubuhle lokulunga leqiniso,

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; )

10 lihlolisise okuthokozisayo eNkosini;

proving what is acceptable to the Lord.

11 njalo lingahlanganyeli lemisebenzi yobumnyama engelazithelo, kodwa-ke kulalokho solani;

And have no society with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather rebuke them.

12 ngoba kuthelela inhloni lokukhuluma ngezinto ezenziwa yibo ekusithekeni.

For it is scandalous but to mention the things done of them in secret.

13 Kodwa konke okusolwayo yikukhanya kuyabonakaliswa; ngoba konke okubonakaliswayo kuyikukhanya,

But all things which are rebukeable are made manifest by the light; for it is the light, by which every thing is made manifest.

14 ngakho uthi: Phaphama wena oleleyo uvuke kwabafileyo, njalo uKristu uzakukhanyisela.

Wherefore he saith, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

15 Ngakho qaphelani ukuthi lihamba njani ngonanzelelo, kungabi njengezithutha, kodwa njengabahlakaniphileyo,

Take heed, then, that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 lihlenga isikhathi, ngoba insuku zimbi.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Ngakho lingabi yizithutha, kodwa liqedisisa okuyintando yeNkosi.

Therefore be not unwise, but intelligent concerning what is the will of the Lord.

18 Njalo lingadakwa liwayini, okukulo umsindo, kodwa gcwaliswani nguMoya,

And be not drunk with wine, in which there is sottishness, but be filled with the Spirit;

19 likhulumisana ngezihlabelelo langamahubo okudumisa langezingoma zomoya, lihlabelele licule eNkosini enhliziyweni yenu,

speaking one to another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord;

20 limbonga njalo uNkulunkulu loBaba ngazo zonke izinto ebizweni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu,

giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God even the Father;

21 lizehlisela ngaphansi omunye komunye ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu.

being subject one to another in the fear of God.

22 Bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, njengeNkosini,

Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23 ngoba indoda iyinhloko yomfazi, njengoba uKristu laye eyinhloko yebandla, njalo yena unguMsindisi womzimba.

For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and is himself the saviour of the body.

24 Kodwa njengoba-ke ibandla lehliselwe ngaphansi kukaKristu, ngokunjalo labafazi kwawabo amadoda kuyo yonke into.

As then the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Madoda, thandani abenu abafazi, njengoKristu laye walithanda ibandla, wasezinikelela lona;

Husbands, love your own wives, as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 ukuze azingcwelisele lona, eselihlambulule ngesihlambo samanzi ngelizwi,

that he might sanctify it, purifying it in the laver of water by the word,

27 ukuze azimisele lona, ibandla elilenkazimulo, elingelachatha, kumbe umxhele kumbe okunye nje, kodwa ukuze libe ngcwele lingelacala.

that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having blemish, nor wrinkle, nor any such things; but that it may be holy and unblameable.

28 Ngokunjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda abawo abafazi njengeyawo imizimba. Othanda owakhe umfazi, uyazithanda yena;

So ought husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself.

29 ngoba kakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kodwa uyayondla ayiphathe kuhle, njengalokhu leNkosi isenza kubandla;

For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30 ngoba siyizitho zomzimba wakhe, okwenyama yakhe lokwamathambo akhe.

for we are the members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 Ngenxa yalokhu umuntu uzatshiya uyise lonina anamathele kumkakhe, njalo laba ababili bazakuba nyamanye.

For this reason shall a man forsake his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be as one flesh.

32 Inkulu le imfihlo; kodwa mina ngikhuluma ngoKristu lebandla.

This mystery is great: but I am speaking with regard to Christ, and with regard to the church.

33 Ngalokho lonke ngokukhethekileyo lani-ke, ngulowo lalowo kathande ngokunjalo owakhe umfazi njengaye; lomfazi ukuze ahloniphe indoda.

Nevertheless let every one of you individually see that each love his own wife even as himself; but the wife that she stand in awe of the husband.