IVangeli Elabhalwa NguLukha
15 Zonke izoni labo bonke abathelisi babelokhu bembuthanela ukuze bamuzwe.+ 2 AbaFarisi lababhali babengunguna besithi: “Indoda le yamukela izoni njalo idla lazo.” 3 Ngakho wabalandisela umzekeliso wathi: 4 “Ngubani phakathi kwenu ongathi elezimvu ezingu-100 abeselahlekelwa ngeyodwa, ongeke atshiye ezingu-99 egangeni ayedinga elahlekileyo aze ayithole?+ 5 Uzathi eseyitholile, ayithwale emahlombe esethabile. 6 Nxa efika ngekhaya uyabuthanisa abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami ngoba sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’+ 7 Ngilitshela ukuthi lasezulwini kuba lentokozo enkulu ngenxa yesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo,+ kulaleyo ebakhona ngenxa yabangu-99 abalungileyo okungadingakaliyo ukuthi baphenduke.
8 “Kumbe ukhona yini owesifazana ongathi elamadrakhima* alitshumi abeselahlekelwa ngelilodwa, ongeke alumathise isibane athanyele indlu yakhe, alidinge yonke indawo aze alithole? 9 Uzathi eselitholile abuthanise abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami ngoba sengilitholile idrakhima* lami ebelilahlekile.’ 10 Ngilitshela ukuthi lezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ziyathokoza nxa isoni esisodwa siphenduka.”+
11 Waqhubeka wathi: “Kulomuntu owayelamadodana amabili. 12 Encane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngicela ungabele impahla okumele ibe lilifa lami.’ Ngakho wawapha womabili impahla okwakumele ayithole. 13 Ngemva kwensukwana, indodana yakhe encane yathatha zonke izinto zayo yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika yachitha yonke impahla yayo ngokuphila impilo yokuxhwala.* 14 Ithe isithintithe konke eyayilakho, kwaba lendlala enzima kulo lonke ilizwe lelo. Yaqalisa ukuswela 15 yaze yasuka yayaqhatshwa ngesinye isakhamuzi sakulelolizwe esayithuma ukuthi iyekwelusa ingulube+ zayo egangeni. 16 Akulamuntu owayeyinika ukudla futhi yayisize ifisa lokudla ukudla kwengulube lezo.
17 “Kuthe kusithi dlwe engqondweni yayo yathi, ‘Kambe bangaki abantu abaqhatshwe ngubaba abadla isinkwa baze basitshiye, mina ngilokhu ngilapha ngibulawa yindlala? 18 Ngizasuka lapha ngiye kubaba, ngifike ngithi kuye: “Baba, ngonele izulu ngakonela lawe. 19 Akusangifanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho. Ngicela ukuthi lami ngibe yisisebenzi sakho.”’ 20 Ngakho yasuka yaya kuyise. Yathi isesekhatshana, uyise wathi mehlo suka wayibona wayizwela, wasegijima wafika wayigona* wayiqabuza. 21 Indodana yakhe yasisithi kuye, ‘Baba, ngonele izulu ngakonela lawe.+ Akusangifanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.’ 22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani ijazi elihle kulawo wonke limgqokise, lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela enyaweni. 23 Lethani lethole elinonileyo lilihlabe senze idili sidle 24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile kodwa isiphila,+ ibilahlekile kodwa isitholakele.’ Basebeqalisa ukuzikholisela.
25 “Ngalesosikhathi indodana yakhe endala yayisemasimini. Yathi isizafika endlini ivela emasimini yezwa izingoma labantu ababegida, 26 yasibiza enye inceku yayibuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani. 27 Inceku yathi kuyo, ‘Umfowenu ubuyile njalo uyihlo umhlabele iguqa elinonileyo ngoba uphenduke eziphilele.’ 28 Kodwa indodana endala yazonda yala ukungena. Uyise waseyilanda waqalisa ukuyincenga, 29 yona yathi kuyise, ‘Iminyaka yonke le bengikusebenzela futhi ngikulalela sonke isikhathi, kodwa awuzange uke ungiphe izinyane lokuthi ngidle ngizikholisele labangane bami. 30 Kodwa indodana yakho le eyatshaphaza impahla yakho lezifebe ithe ifika nje wayihlabela ithole elinonileyo.’ 31 Yena wathi kuyo, ‘Ndodana yami, ubulokhu ulami futhi konke okungokwami ngokwakho. 32 Lanxa kunjalo bekufanele silenze idili sithokoze ngoba umfowenu ubefile kodwa usephila, ubelahlekile kodwa usetholakele.’”