KwabaseFiliphi 1

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

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, and to the elders and deacons.

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

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekulikhumbuleni konke,

Upon every remembrance of you I am ever thanking my God for you all;

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

in every petition of mine in your behalf I am offering my prayer with joy for your fellowship in forwarding the gospel,

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

from the first day you heard it until now.

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

Of this I am fully persuaded, that He who has begun a good work in you will go on completing 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.

It is but just that I should be thus mindful of you all, because I have you in my heart, and because in these fetters of mine and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel you are all my fellow partners in the privilege.

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

God is my witness how I yearn for you all in the tenderness of Christ Jesus.

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

And it is my prayer that your love may abound yet more and more in intelligence and insight

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

for testing things that differ, so that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

11 ligcwaliswe ngezithelo zokulunga ezingoJesu Kristu, ebukhosini lodumo lukaNkulunkulu.

being filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

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

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has turned out rather to help than to the hindrance of the gospel.

13 zize izibopho zami kuKristu zibonakale esigodlweni sonke lakwabanye bonke,

Throughout the whole Praetorian guard and among all the others it has become plain that these chains of mine are for the sake of Christ;

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

and most of the brothers in the Lord, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, are much emboldened to speak God’s message with free and fearless confidence.

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

Some indeed are preaching Christ out of envy and contentiousness, but others from good-will.

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

but the former preach Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely, because they think they are adding bitterness to my bonds.

17 kodwa labo ngothando, besazi ukuthi ngimiselwe ukuvikela ivangeli.

These latter out of their love, because they know that I am set here for the defense of the gospel;

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

What of it? In any case, whether in pretence or in honest truth, Christ is still preached, and in that I am rejoicing, yes, and will rejoice.

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

For I know that these things will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and a rich 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.

So it is my keen expectation and hope that I shall never feel ashamed, but that with fearless courage, now as hither to, Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by my life or by my death.

21 Ngoba kimi ukuphila kunguKristu, lokufa kuyinzuzo.

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

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

But now, if life in the flesh, if this be the fruit of my toil - what to choose I do not know,

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

but am in a quandary between the two. I am perplexed. I have a strong desire to break camp and to be with Christ, which is far better;

24 kodwa ukuhlala enyameni kuyasweleka kakhulu ngenxa yenu.

but for your sakes it is more necessary that I should still live on in the body.

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

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I shall live, and go on working side by side with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

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

so that you may find me fresh cause of exultation in Christ Jesus, because of my presence among you once more.

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 do lead lives worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come to see you or hear reports concerning you in my absence, I may know that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul, enlisted in a common struggle for the faith of the gospel,

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

and in no way terrorized by its enemies. For you fearlessness is a clear indication of coming ruin for them, but of salvation for you at the hands of God.

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

For it has been granted you in Christ’s behalf, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,

30 lilokulwa okufananayo njengalokho elakubona kimi, lelikuzwa kimi khathesi.

while you wage the same conflict which you once saw in me, and now hear that I maintain.