KwabaseFiliphi 1

1 UPawuli loTimothi, izinceku zikaJesu Kristu, kubo bonke abangcwele kuKristu Jesu abaseFiliphi, kanye lababonisi labadikoni:

PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.

grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekulikhumbuleni konke,

I give thanks to my God on every remembrance of you,

4 ngezikhathi zonke kuwo wonke umkhuleko wami ngani lonke ngincenga ngentokozo,

always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy,

5 ngokuhlanganyela kwenu evangelini, kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube khathesi;

for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day even until now;

6 ngilethemba lakhona lokhu, ukuthi owaqalisa umsebenzi omuhle kini uzawuphelelisa kuze kube sosukwini lukaJesu Kristu;

being confident of this very thing, that he who hath wrought in you the good work will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

7 njengoba kulungile kimi ukuthi ngikhumbule lokhu ngani lonke, ngoba ngilani enhliziyweni, ukuthi lekubotshweni kwami, lekuvikeleni lekuqiniseleni ivangeli, lina lonke lingabahlanganyeli bomusa wami.

as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I bear you on my heart, both in my bonds and in my defence and the confirmation of the gospel, as being all of you sharers in my grace.

8 Ngoba uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi wami, wokuthi ngililangatha kangakanani lonke emibilini kaJesu Kristu.

For God is my witness, how earnestly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9 Njalo ngikhuleka lokhu, ukuthi uthando lwenu luvame-ke lusanda ngokwanda elwazini lekuqedisiseni konke,

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all understanding;

10 ukuze lizivume izinto ezinhle kakhulu, ukuze lihlambuluke lingasoleki kuze kube sosukwini lukaKristu,

that ye may prove the things that are excellent, in order that ye may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ;

11 ligcwaliswe ngezithelo zokulunga ezingoJesu Kristu, ebukhosini lodumo lukaNkulunkulu.

filled with fruits of righteousness, which by Jesus Christ are to the glory and praise of God.

12 Kodwa ngithanda ukuthi lazi, bazalwane, ukuthi izinto ezangehlelayo zenza kakhulu ukuqhutshelwa phambili kwevangeli;

Now I wish you, brethren, to know, that the things which have befallen me have rather conduced to the progress of the gospel;

13 zize izibopho zami kuKristu zibonakale esigodlweni sonke lakwabanye bonke,

so that my bonds are manifest in Christ through the whole palace, and all other places;

14 labazalwane abanengi eNkosini, beqiniswe ngezibopho zami, sebelesibindi esikhulu sokukhuluma ilizwi ngokungesabi.

and very many of our brethren in the Lord, assuming confidence from my chains, are more abundantly bold, fearlessly to preach the word.

15 Abanye kambe batshumayela uKristu ngomona langombango, labanye kambe ngenhliziyo enhle;

Some indeed do it in a spirit of envy and strife; but some also preach Christ with cordial good-will:

16 laba batshumayela uKristu ngokuphikisana, bengelaqiniso, besithi baletha ukuhlupheka ekubotshweni kwami;

the one indeed preach Christ out of contention, not with purity of intention, thinking to add affliction to my bonds:

17 kodwa labo ngothando, besazi ukuthi ngimiselwe ukuvikela ivangeli.

but the others of love, knowing that I am exposed for the defence of the gospel.

18 Kuyini pho? Loba kunjalo kuyo yonke indlela, loba ekuzenziseni, kumbe eqinisweni, uKristu uyatshunyayelwa; kulokhu-ke ngiyathokoza, yebo ngizathokoza futhi.

What then? if Christ is preached in whatever manner it be, whether in pretext or reality, even in this do I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19 Ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuzaphendukela kimi esindisweni ngomkhuleko wenu, langokwelekelela kukaMoya kaJesu Kristu,

For I know that this shall issue in my salvation through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 njengokulindela okukhulu lethemba lami, ukuthi kangiyikuyangiswa ngalutho, kodwa ngesibindi sonke, njengesikhathi sonke, lakhathesi uKristu uzakhuliswa emzimbeni wami, loba ngempilo, kumbe ngokufa.

according to my firm expectation and hope, that I shall be confounded by no event, but that with all boldness, as always hitherto, Christ shall now also be magnified in my body, whether by my life or death.

21 Ngoba kimi ukuphila kunguKristu, lokufa kuyinzuzo.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 Kodwa uba ukuphila enyameni kuyisithelo somsebenzi kimi, lengizakukhetha kangikwazi.

But if it be his will, that I should live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my travail: and what to chuse I know not.

23 Ngoba ngiminyezelwe ngokubili; ngilesifiso sokusuka lokuba loKristu, okungcono kakhulukazi;

For I am in a strait between the two, having an earnest longing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, for this is far, far better:

24 kodwa ukuhlala enyameni kuyasweleka kakhulu ngenxa yenu.

but to abide in the flesh may be more necessary for you.

25 Njalo ngilalelithemba ngiyazi ukuthi ngizakuba khona, ngihlale lani lonke, ekuqhubekeni kwenu lentokozweni yokholo,

And being so persuaded, I know that I shall stay and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith;

26 ukuze ukuzincoma kwenu ngami kwengezwe kuKristu Jesu kimi, ngobukhona bami kini futhi.

that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus for me by my coming again unto you.

27 Kuphela hambani ngokufanele ivangeli likaKristu, kuze kuthi, loba ngifika ngilibona, loba ngingekho, ngizwe indaba zenu, zokuthi limi emoyeni munye, ngangqondonye lilwela ukholo lwevangeli ndawonye,

Only conduct yourselves worthily as becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul wrestling together in the faith of the gospel;

28 njalo lingethuswa ngalutho ngabaphikisayo; okuyisibonakaliso kubo sokubhubha, kodwa kini esosindiso, njalo lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu;

and not dismayed on any occasion by your adversaries; which is indeed the proof of perdition to them, but of salvation to you, and that from God.

29 ngoba lanikwa ngesihle esikhundleni sikaKristu, kungeyisikho ukukholwa kuye kuphela, kodwa lokumhluphekela;

For this favour on the part of Christ is granted you, not only that ye should believe on him, but also that ye should suffer for his sake;

30 lilokulwa okufananayo njengalokho elakubona kimi, lelikuzwa kimi khathesi.

experiencing the same conflict which ye have seen in me, and now hear to be in me.