Kwabase-Efesu
6 Bantwana, lalelani abazali benu+ njengoba nje iNkosi ifuna lenze njalo* ngoba lokho kulungile. 2 Umlayo othi, “Hlonipha uyihlo lonyoko,”+ yiwo umlayo wokuqala olesithembiso esithi: 3 “Ukuze kukuhambele kuhle* njalo uhlale isikhathi eside emhlabeni.” 4 Lani bobaba lingabazondisi abantwabenu+ kodwa qhubekani libakhulisa ngokulaya+ langokuxwayisa* okuvela kuJehova.*+
5 Zigqili, lalelani amakhosi enu asemhlabeni+ ngenhlonipho langokwesaba, liwalalele ngenhliziyo eqotho, ngendlela elilalela ngayo uKhristu. 6 Lokho lingakwenzi abantu belikhangele kuphela lisenzela ukubathokozisa+ kodwa libe njengezigqili zikaKhristu ezenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo* wonke.+ 7 Kumele lisebenze ngenhliziyo yonke angathi lisebenzela uJehova*+ hatshi abantu 8 ngoba liyakwazi ukuthi loba yikuphi okuhle umuntu ngamunye akwenzayo, uJehova* uzambuyisela khona+ kungelani lokuthi uyisigqili kumbe ukhululekile. 9 Lani makhosi qhubekani liphatha izigqili zenu ngendlela le. Lingazisongeli ngoba liyakwazi ukuthi iNkosi yazo leyenu isemazulwini+ futhi yona kayikhethi muntu.
10 Ngiphetha ngokulikhuthaza ukuthi liqhubeke lithola amandla+ eNkosini lasemandleni ayo amakhulu. 11 Gqokani zonke izigqoko zokuzivikela empini+ eliziphiwa nguNkulunkulu ukuze lenelise ukuma liqine, limelane lezenzo zikaDeveli zobuqili,* 12 ngoba asilwi+ lenyama legazi kodwa silwa labohulumende, leziphathamandla, lababusi bomhlaba lo olobumnyama, lezidalwa zomoya ezimbi+ ezisezindaweni ezisemazulwini. 13 Ngenxa yalokho gqokani zonke izigqoko zokuzivikela empini eliziphiwa nguNkulunkulu+ ukuze lenelise ukumelana lesitha ngosuku olubi. Nxa lingakwenza konke lokhu lizenelisa ukuma liqine.
14 Ngakho manini liqine, ibhanti leqiniso libotshelwe ekhalweni lwenu,+ ligqoke isivikelo sesifuba esiyikulunga,+ 15 lasenyaweni zenu ligqoke amanyathela lilungele ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zokuthula.+ 16 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, thathani ihawu elikhulu lokholo+ elizakwenelisa ukucitsha ngalo yonke imitshoko yomubi evuthayo.+ 17 Yemukelani lengwane yensindiso+ kanye lenkemba yomoya, eyilizwi likaNkulunkulu,+ 18 njalo liqhubeke lithandaza ngomoya+ zikhathi zonke, ngayo yonke imihlobo yemithandazo+ lokuncenga. Hlalani liphapheme, liqhubeke lithandaza lincengela bonke abangcwele. 19 Lingithandazele lami ukuthi ngiphiwe amazwi lapho sengivula umlomo wami ukuze ngenelise ukukhuluma ngesibindi nxa sengiveza imfihlo engcwele yezindaba ezinhle+ 20 engingummeli wazo+ ngibotshwe ngamaketane, kanye lokuthi ngikhulume ngazo ngilesibindi njengoba kumele ngikhulume njalo.
21 UThikhikhu+ umfowethu othandekayo njalo oyinceku ethembekileyo eNkosini uzalitshela konke ukuze lani likwazi ngami langalokho engikwenzayo.+ 22 Yikho ngimthuma kini ukuthi azolitshela ukuthi sinjani lokuthi aduduze inhliziyo zenu.
23 Sengathi abafowethu bangaba lokuthula lothando kanye lokholo oluvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba laseNkosini uJesu Khristu. 24 Umusa omkhulu kawube kubo bonke abathanda iNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu ngothando olungapheliyo.