Isambulo 2
1 Kuso isithunywa sebandla leEfesu bhala uthi: Lezizinto uyazitsho lowo ophethe inkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sakhe sokunene, ohamba phakathi kweziqobane zezibane zegolide eziyisikhombisa,
“To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: “These things says He who holds the seven stars on His right hand, who walks about in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2 uthi: Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, lomsebenzi wakho onzima, lokubekezela kwakho, lokuthi ungebamele ababi, lokuthi ubahlolile labo abazithi bangabaphostoli kodwa bengeyisibo, wasubathola bengabaqambimanga,
‘I know your works, yes the labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot stand those who are evil. And you have tested those who claim to be apostles and are not, and found them to be liars;
3 wasuthwala, ulokubekezela, wakhuthala ngenxa yebizo lami, kawudinwanga.
and you have born up and endured on account of my name, and not grown weary.
4 Kodwa ngilokumelene lawe ukuthi udelile uthando lwakho lwakuqala.
“‘Nevertheless I have against you that you have left your first love.
5 Ngakho khumbula lapho owe khona, ubusuphenduka wenze imisebenzi yakuqala; uba kungenjalo, ngizakuza kuwe ngokuphangisa, ngizasusa isiqobane sesibane sakho endaweni yaso, uba ungaphenduki;
So think about from where you have drifted and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come at you swiftly and remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you do repent.
6 kanti ulalokhu ukuthi uyayizonda imisebenzi yamaNikolayitha, engiyizondayo lami.
But you do have this, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.’
7 Lowo olendlebe kezwe lokho akutshoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo ngizamnika ukuthi adle okwesihlahla sempilo esiphakathi kweParadise likaNkulunkulu.
“He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will grant to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of my God.
8 Lakuso isithunywa sebandla leSemerna bhala uthi: Lezizinto utsho owokuqala lowokucina, owayefile njalo uyaphila:
“And to the messenger of the church in Smyrna write: “These things says the First and the Last, who became dead and came to life:
9 Ngiyayazi imisebenzi lokuhlupheka lobuyanga bakho (kanti unothile) lenhlamba yalabo abathi bangamaJuda, kanti bengeyisiwo, kodwa belisinagoge likaSathane.
‘I know your works and affliction and poverty (but you are rich), and the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Ungesabi lutho lwalezozinto ozahlupheka ngazo; khangela udiyabhola uzaphosela abanye kini entolongweni, ukuze lilingwe; futhi lizakuba lenhlupheko insuku ezilitshumi. Bana ngothembekileyo kuze kube sekufeni, njalo ngizakunika umqhele wempilo.
Do not fear any of the things that you are about to suffer: Take note, the devil is really about to throw some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will have an affliction of ten days. Stay faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.’
11 Olendlebe kezwe lokho akutshoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo kasoze alinyazwa yikufa kwesibili.
“He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The one who overcomes will absolutely not be harmed by the second death.
12 Lakuso isithunywa sebandla elisePergamo bhala uthi: Lezizinto utsho lowo olenkemba ebukhali inhlangothi zombili:
“And to the messenger of the church in Pergamos write: “These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, lalapho ohlala khona, lapho okukhona isihlalo sobukhosi sikaSathane; njalo ugcinile ibizo lami, kawuphikanga ukholo lwami, ngitsho ensukwini zikaAntipasi, umfakazi wami othembekileyo, owabulawelwa phakathi kwenu, lapho uSathane ahlala khona;
‘I know your works, and where you live, where Satan's throne is. And you hold my name fast and did not deny my faith during the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan lives.
14 kodwa ngilezinto ezinlutshwana ezimelene lawe, ukuthi ulabo lapho ababambelela emfundisweni kaBalami, owafundisa uBalaki ukuphosa isikhubekiso phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, sokuthi badle okuhlatshelwe izithombe lokuthi baphinge.
“‘Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you have there adepts of the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things offered to idols and to fornicate.
15 Ngokunjalo lawe ulabo ababambelela emfundisweni yamaNikolayitha, into engiyizondayo.
Thus you also have adepts of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans as well.
16 Phenduka; uba kungenjalo, ngizakuza kuwe ngokuphangisa, ngizakulwa ngimelene labo ngenkemba yomlomo wami.
Repent! Or else I will come at you swiftly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.’
17 Olendlebe kezwe lokho akutshoyo uMoya emabandleni. Onqobayo ngizamnika ukuthi adle okwemana efihliweyo, njalo ngizamnika ilitshe elimhlophe, laphezu kwelitshe ibizo elitsha elilotshiweyo, okungelamuntu olaziyo ngaphandle kolemukelayo.
“He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will grant to eat from the hidden manna. And I will give him a white pebble, and on the pebble a new name written, which no one knows except the receiver.
18 Lakuso isithunywa sebandla eliseTiyathira bhala uthi: Lezizinto itsho iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, elamehlo ayo anjengelangabi lomlilo, lenyawo zayo zifanana lethusi elikhazimulayo:
“And to the messenger of the church in Thyatira write: “These things says the Son of God, He who has the eyes like a flame of fire and the feet like fine brass:
19 Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, lothando, lokukhonza, lokholo, lokubekezela kwakho, lemisebenzi yakho, ukuthi eyokucina minengi kuleyokuqala.
‘I know your works—the love, the faith, the service—and your endurance; in fact your last works are greater than the first.
20 Kodwa ngilezinto ezinlutshwana ezimelene lawe, ukuthi uvumele owesifazana uJezebeli, ozibiza ngokuthi ungumprofethikazi, ukufundisa aduhise inceku zami, ukuthi ziphinge lokuthi zidle okuhlatshelwe izithombe.
“‘Nevertheless I have against you that you tolerate your wife Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my slaves to fornicate and to eat things offered to idols.
21 Futhi ngamnika ithuba lokuthi aphenduke ekufebeni kwakhe, njalo kaphendukanga.
I even gave her time so that she might repent, but she does not want to repent of her fornication.
22 Khangela mina ngizamphosela embhedeni, labaphingayo laye ekuhluphekeni okukhulu, uba bengaphenduki emisebenzini yabo.
So, I am throwing her into a sickbed and those adulterating with her into great affliction, unless they repent of her works.
23 Njalo ngizabulala abantwana bakhe ngokufa; lamabandla wonke azakwazi ukuthi nginguye ohlola izinso lezinhliziyo; futhi ngizalinika, ngulowo lalowo, ngokwemisebenzi yenu.
And I will execute her children; and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24 Kodwa ngikhuluma lani labanye abaseTiyathira, bonke abangelayo le imfundiso, labangakwaziyo okujulileyo kukaSathane, njengokutsho kwabo: Kangiyikulethesa omunye umthwalo.
“‘Now to the rest of you who are in Thyatira I say—to as many as do not hold this teaching, those who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say—I will not put any other burden on you;
25 Kodwa lokho elilakho kubambisiseni, ngize ngifike.
just hold fast what you have until I come.
26 Lonqobayo logcina imisebenzi yami kuze kube sekupheleni, ngizamnika amandla phezu kwezizwe;
And as for the one who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations;
27 njalo uzazibusa ngentonga yensimbi; zizaphahlazwa njengezimbiza zebumba; njengalokhu lami ngikwemukele kuBaba.
and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron; they will be smashed like clay pots
28 Futhi ngizamnika indonsakusa.
—just as I have received from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.’
29 Olendlebe kezwe lokho akutshoyo uMoya emabandleni.
“He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
