< KwabaseFiliphi 3 >
1 Elokucina, bazalwane bami, thokozani eNkosini. Ukulibhalela izinto ezifananayo, mina kakungidinisi, kodwa lina kuyaliqinisa.
2 Nanzelelani izinja, linanzelele izisebenzi ezimbi, linanzelele ukusika;
3 ngoba thina siyikusoka, esikhonza uNkulunkulu ngoMoya, siziqhenya kuKristu Jesu, njalo singathembeli enyameni;
4 lanxa mina ngilethemba futhi enyameni; uba omunye ecabanga ukuthemba enyameni, mina kakhulu;
5 ngasokwa ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, ngingowohlanga lukaIsrayeli, owesizwe sakoBhenjamini, umHebheru wamaHebheru, ngokomlayo umFarisi,
6 ngokokukhuthala ngazingela ibandla, ngokokulunga okusemlayweni ngingasoleki.
7 Kodwa izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi, lezo ngazibala njengokulahlekelwa ngenxa kaKristu.
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,
9 njalo ngificwe kuye, ngingelakho okwami ukulunga okuvela emlayweni, kodwa lokho okungokholo lukaKristu, ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngokholo;
10 ukuze ngimazi yena lamandla okuvuka kwakhe, lokuhlanganyela kwenhlupheko zakhe, ngenziwe ngifuze ukufa kwakhe,
11 uba kungenzeka ngifinyelele ekuvukeni kwabafileyo.
12 Kangitsho ukuthi sengikubambile, kumbe ukuthi sengiphelelisiwe; kodwa ngixotshana lakho, ukuthi futhi ngingakubambisisa lokho engabanjisiselwa khona nguKristu Jesu.
13 Bazalwane, mina kangibali ukuthi mina uqobo sengikubambisisile; kodwa kunye engikwenzayo, ngikhohlwa okungemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili,
14 ngigijimela umzila ngokunxwanela emvuzweni wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu kuKristu Jesu.
15 Ngakho sonke esesiphelele, kasikhumbule lokhu; njalo uba licabanga ulutho olwehlukeneyo, lalokhu uNkulunkulu uzalembulela khona;
16 kodwa kulokhu esesifike kukho, kasihambeni ngesimiso sinye, sikhumbule intonye.
17 Banini ngabahlanganyeli abangabalingiseli bami, bazalwane, njalo baqaphelisiseni abahamba ngokunjalo, njengoba lilathi njengesibonelo.
18 Ngoba abanengi bahamba, engalitshela kanengi ngabo, lakhathesi ngitsho ngezinyembezi ngithi, bayizitha zesiphambano sikaKristu;
19 abakuphela kwabo kuyikubhujiswa, abankulunkulu wabo uyisisu, lodumo lwabo lusehlazweni labo, abacabanga izinto zomhlaba.
20 Ngoba ikithi isemazulwini, lalapho esilindele ukuthi uMsindisi avele khona, iNkosi uJesu Kristu;
21 ozaphendula umzimba wethu wobuphansi, ukuze ufanane lomzimba wakhe wenkazimulo, njengokusebenza elamandla ngitsho okwehlisela ngaphansi kwakhe zonke izinto.
