UMathewu 18

1 Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu, bathi: Kanti ngubani omkhulu embusweni wamazulu?

In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 UJesu wasebizela kuye umntwana omncane wammisa phakathi kwabo,

He called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them,

3 wathi: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Ngaphandle kokuthi liphenduke libe njengabantwana abancane, kalisoze lingene embusweni wamazulu.

and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Ngakho lowo ozazithoba njengalumntwana omncane, nguye omkhulu embusweni wamazulu.

Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 Njalo loba ngubani owemukela abe munye umntwana omncane onje ebizweni lami, wemukela mina.

Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

6 Kodwa loba ngubani okhubekisa omunye walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi, kungakuhle kuye ukuthi ilitshe lokuchola elikhulu lilengiswe entanyeni yakhe, abesetshoniswa enzikini yolwandle.

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

7 Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezikhubekiso! Ngoba izikhubekiso zimele ukufika; kodwa maye kulowomuntu, esifika ngaye isikhubekiso!

"Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. For there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes.

8 Njalo uba isandla sakho kumbe unyawo lwakho kukukhubekisa, kuqume ukulahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni uyingini kumbe uyisiqhwala, kulokuthi ulezandla ezimbili kumbe inyawo ezimbili uphoselwe emlilweni olaphakade. (aiōnios g166)

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. (aiōnios g166)

9 Futhi uba ilihlo lakho likukhubekisa, likhuphe ulilahlele khatshana lawe; kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa, kulokuthi ulamehlo amabili uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo. (Geenna g1067)

If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the fire of hell. (Geenna g1067)

10 Qaphelani lingadeleli omunye walaba abancinyane, ngoba ngithi kini: Emazulwini ingilosi zabo zihlala zibona ubuso bukaBaba osemazulwini.

See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11 Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu ize ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.

12 Licabangani? Uba umuntu othile elezimvu ezilikhulu, besekulahleka enye yazo, kazitshiyi yini ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, ahambe ezintabeni ukuyadinga elahlekileyo?

"What do you think? If someone has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?

13 Futhi uba kungenzakala ukuthi ayithole, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Uthokoza ngayo kakhulu kulalezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingalahlekanga.

If he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

14 Ngokunjalo kayisiyo intando kaYihlo osemazulwini ukuthi kubhubhe abe munye walaba abancinyane.

Even so it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 Kodwa nxa umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole phakathi kwakho laye lilodwa. Uba ekuzwa, umzuzile umfowenu;

"If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

16 kodwa uba engakuzwa, thatha abe munye kumbe babe babili kanye lawe futhi, ukuze lonke ilizwi liqiniswe ngomlomo wabafakazi ababili kumbe abathathu;

But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 njalo nxa esala ukubezwa bona, tshela ibandla; uba esala ukuzwa lalo ibandla, kabe njengowezizwe lomthelisi kuwe.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you as an unbeliever or a tax collector.

18 Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke elizakubopha emhlabeni, kuzakuba kubotshiwe ezulwini; njalo konke elizakukhulula emhlabeni, kuzakuba kukhululiwe ezulwini.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 Njalo ngithi kini: Uba ababili benu bevumelana emhlabeni loba ngaluphi ulutho abalucelayo, bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osemazulwini.

Again, truly I tell you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 Ngoba lapho ababili kumbe abathathu ababuthene khona ebizweni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."

21 UPetro wasemsondelela wathi: Nkosi, umfowethu uzangona kangaki, njalo ngimthethelela? Kuze kube kasikhombisa yini?

Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often can my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

22 UJesu wathi kuye: Kangitsho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa kuze kube ngamatshumi ayisikhombisa aphindwe kasikhombisa.

Jesus said to him, "I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23 Ngakho umbuso wamazulu ufananiswa lomuntu oyinkosi, owayethanda ukulandiselana lenceku zakhe.

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.

24 Kwathi eseqalile ukulandisa, kwalethwa kuye enye elomlandu kuyo wamathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.

When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25 Kodwa njengoba yayingelalutho lokuhlawula, inkosi yayo yalaya ukuthi ithengiswe, lomkayo labantwana bayo, lakho konke elakho, besekuhlawulwa.

But because he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 Ngakho inceku yawa phansi imkhothamela, yathi: Nkosi, ngibekezelela, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all.'

27 Inkosi yaleyonceku yasisiba lesihelo yayikhulula, yayixolela umlandu.

The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 Kodwa yaphuma leyonceku yathola omunye oyinceku kanye layo, olomlandu kuyo wabodenariyo abalikhulu, yambamba yamkhama, yathi: Ngihlawula okufaneleyo.

"But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

29 Ngakho oyinceku kanye layo wawa phansi ezinyaweni zayo wayincenga, wathi: Ungibekezelele, futhi ngizakuhlawula konke.

"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you all.'

30 Kodwa yona kayivumanga, kodwa yasuka yayiphosela entolongweni, ize iwuhlawule umlandu.

He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.

31 Kwathi abayizinceku kanye layo bebona izinto ezazenzakele badabuka kakhulu; beza babikela inkosi yabo konke okwakwenzekile.

So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.

32 Inkosi yayo yasiyibizela kiyo yathi kiyo: Wena nceku embi, ngakuxolela wonke lowomlandu, ngoba wangincenga;

Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant. I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.

33 ngabe lawe kawumhawukelanga yini omunye oyinceku kanye lawe, njengoba lami ngakuhawukela?

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'

34 Inkosi yayo yasithukuthela yayinikela kubahlukuluzi, ize ihlawule konke okufaneleyo kuyo.

His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due.

35 Uzakwenza njalo kini laye uBaba osezulwini, uba lingathetheleli lowo lalowo umfowenu iziphambeko zabo ngenhliziyo zenu.

So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you do not each forgive your brother his trespasses from your heart."