Kwabase-Efesu 5

1 Ngakho banini ngabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo;

BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear 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 hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

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

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

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

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

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

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any 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 cometh the wrath of God upon 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 sometimes 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 unto the Lord.

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

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 ngoba kuthelela inhloni lokukhuluma ngezinto ezenziwa yibo ekusithekeni.

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

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

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

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,

See 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.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

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

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

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

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 lizehlisela ngaphansi omunye komunye ekumesabeni uNkulunkulu.

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, njengeNkosini,

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto 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, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

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

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so 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 wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 ukuze azingcwelisele lona, eselihlambulule ngesihlambo samanzi ngelizwi,

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing 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 spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

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

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

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

For no man ever yet 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 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 cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 Inkulu le imfihlo; kodwa mina ngikhuluma ngoKristu lebandla.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and 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 in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.