KwabaseFiliphi 3
1 Elokucina, bazalwane bami, thokozani eNkosini. Ukulibhalela izinto ezifananayo, mina kakungidinisi, kodwa lina kuyaliqinisa.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write these same things again to you is no trouble for me, and it keeps you safe.
2 Nanzelelani izinja, linanzelele izisebenzi ezimbi, linanzelele ukusika;
Watch out for the dogs, those evil workers, those who mutilate the flesh.
3 ngoba thina siyikusoka, esikhonza uNkulunkulu ngoMoya, siziqhenya kuKristu Jesu, njalo singathembeli enyameni;
For it is we who are the circumcision. It is we who worship by the Spirit of God. It is we who take pride in Christ Jesus, and who have no confidence in the flesh.
4 lanxa mina ngilethemba futhi enyameni; uba omunye ecabanga ukuthemba enyameni, mina kakhulu;
Even so, I myself could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he has confidence in the flesh, I could have even more.
5 ngasokwa ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, ngingowohlanga lukaIsrayeli, owesizwe sakoBhenjamini, umHebheru wamaHebheru, ngokomlayo umFarisi,
I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; with regard to the law, a Pharisee.
6 ngokokukhuthala ngazingela ibandla, ngokokulunga okusemlayweni ngingasoleki.
As for zeal, I persecuted the church; as for righteousness under the law, I was blameless.
7 Kodwa izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi, lezo ngazibala njengokulahlekelwa ngenxa kaKristu.
But whatever things were a profit for me, I have considered them as loss because of Christ.
8 Yebo isibili, futhi ngikubala konke njengencithakalo ngenxa yobuhlekazi bolwazi lukaKristu Jesu iNkosi yami; okungenxa yakhe ngilahlekelwe yikho konke, njalo ngakuthatha njengezibi, ukuze ngizuze uKristu,
In fact, now I count all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have given up all things—and I consider them rubbish—so that I may gain Christ
9 njalo ngificwe kuye, ngingelakho okwami ukulunga okuvela emlayweni, kodwa lokho okungokholo lukaKristu, ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngokholo;
and be found in him. I do not have a righteousness of my own from the law. Instead, I have the righteousness that is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that is from God based on faith.
10 ukuze ngimazi yena lamandla okuvuka kwakhe, lokuhlanganyela kwenhlupheko zakhe, ngenziwe ngifuze ukufa kwakhe,
So now I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. I want to be transformed into the likeness of his death,
11 uba kungenzeka ngifinyelele ekuvukeni kwabafileyo.
so somehow I may experience the resurrection from the dead.
12 Kangitsho ukuthi sengikubambile, kumbe ukuthi sengiphelelisiwe; kodwa ngixotshana lakho, ukuthi futhi ngingakubambisisa lokho engabanjisiselwa khona nguKristu Jesu.
It is not true that I have already received these things, or that I have become complete. But I press on in order that I may grasp that for which I was grasped by Christ Jesus.
13 Bazalwane, mina kangibali ukuthi mina uqobo sengikubambisisile; kodwa kunye engikwenzayo, ngikhohlwa okungemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili,
Brothers, I do not think that I myself have yet grasped it. But there is one thing: I forget what is behind and strain for what is ahead.
14 ngigijimela umzila ngokunxwanela emvuzweni wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu kuKristu Jesu.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Ngakho sonke esesiphelele, kasikhumbule lokhu; njalo uba licabanga ulutho olwehlukeneyo, lalokhu uNkulunkulu uzalembulela khona;
All of us who are mature, let us think this way; and if you think differently about anything, God will also reveal that to you.
16 kodwa kulokhu esesifike kukho, kasihambeni ngesimiso sinye, sikhumbule intonye.
However, whatever we have reached, let us hold on to it.
17 Banini ngabahlanganyeli abangabalingiseli bami, bazalwane, njalo baqaphelisiseni abahamba ngokunjalo, njengoba lilathi njengesibonelo.
Be imitators of me, brothers. Closely watch those who are walking by the example that you have in us.
18 Ngoba abanengi bahamba, engalitshela kanengi ngabo, lakhathesi ngitsho ngezinyembezi ngithi, bayizitha zesiphambano sikaKristu;
Many are walking—those about whom I have often told you, and now I am telling you with tears—as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 abakuphela kwabo kuyikubhujiswa, abankulunkulu wabo uyisisu, lodumo lwabo lusehlazweni labo, abacabanga izinto zomhlaba.
Their end is destruction. For their god is their stomach, and their pride is in their shame. They think about earthly things.
20 Ngoba ikithi isemazulwini, lalapho esilindele ukuthi uMsindisi avele khona, iNkosi uJesu Kristu;
But our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
21 ozaphendula umzimba wethu wobuphansi, ukuze ufanane lomzimba wakhe wenkazimulo, njengokusebenza elamandla ngitsho okwehlisela ngaphansi kwakhe zonke izinto.
He will transform our lowly bodies into bodies formed like his glorious body, formed by the might of his power to subject all things to himself.
