Incwadi KaJakhobe
2 Bafowethu, nxa lilobandlululo liyabe libambelele yini ekholweni elilalo eNkosini yethu ekhazimulayo uJesu Khristu?+ 2 Nxa emhlanganweni wenu kungafika indoda elendandatho zegolide eminweni futhi egqoke impahla ezinhle kakhulu, besekufika lenye engumyanga egqoke impahla ezingcolileyo, 3 liqakathekisa egqoke impahla ezinhle kakhulu yini beselisithi, “Wena hlala lapha endaweni le enhle,” kodwa lithi kulo ongumyanga, “Wena qhubeka umi,” kumbe lithi, “Hlala laphaya esenabelweni* senyawo zami”?+ 4 Nxa lisenza njalo, liyabe lingakhethani+ yini njalo liyabe lingayisibo abahluleli abakhipha izahlulelo ezimbi yini?+
5 Lalelani bafowethu abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini abantu abangabayanga ngokubona komhlaba lo ukuthi babe ngabanothileyo ekukholweni+ futhi babe zindlalifa zoMbuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo?+ 6 Kodwa lina libeyisile abayanga. Abanothileyo kayisibo yini abalicindezelayo+ labalihudulela phambi kwemithethwandaba? 7 Abalithuki yini ibizo elihle elaliphiwayo? 8 Lenza kuhle sibili nxa lisenza okusemthethweni wobukhosi* osembhalweni othi, “Kumele uthande umakhelwane wakho ngendlela ozithanda ngayo.”+ 9 Kodwa nxa liqhubeka libandlululana+ lenza isono njalo umthetho ulithola lilecala lokuba yizephulamthetho.+
10 Nxa umuntu elalela wonke uMthetho kodwa aphambuke kokukodwa kuphela, uyabe esewephule wonke+ 11 ngoba lowo owathi, “Ungafebi,”*+ waphinda wathi, “Ungabulali.”+ Ngakho nxa ungafebi kodwa ubulala usuyisephulamthetho. 12 Qhubekani likhuluma futhi liziphatha njengabantu abazakwahlulelwa ngumthetho wabakhululekileyo*+ 13 ngoba lowo ongaphathi abanye ngesihawu kasoze enzelwe isihawu nxa esesahlulelwa.+ Isihawu sinqoba ukwahlulela.
14 Kunceda ngani bafowethu nxa umuntu esithi ulokholo kodwa engelamisebenzi?+ Kambe ukholo lolo lungamsindisa yini?+ 15 Nxa kulabafowethu loba odadewethu abaswela okokugqoka* lokudla okweneleyo kwalolosuku, 16 omunye wenu abesesithi kubo, “Hambani ngokuthula likhudumale futhi lidle lisuthe,” kodwa angabaniki lokho abakuswelayo ukuze baphile, kunceda ngani lokho?+ 17 Yikho-ke lokholo olungelamisebenzi lufile.+
18 Lanxa kunjalo, omunye uzakuthi: “Wena ulokholo, mina ngilemisebenzi. Ngitshengisa ukholo lwakho olungelamisebenzi, mina ngizakutshengisa ukholo lwami ngemisebenzi yami.” 19 Uyakholwa yini ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa? Wenza kuhle sibili. Kodwa lamadimoni ayakukholwa futhi aqhaqhazele.+ 20 Muntu ongelalwazi, uyafuna yini ukwazi ukuthi ukholo olungelamisebenzi alusizi ngalutho? 21 Ubaba wethu u-Abrahama akuzange yini kuthiwe ulungile ngemisebenzi ngemva kokunikela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka e-alithareni?+ 22 Uyabona ukuthi watshengisa ngemisebenzi ukuthi ulokholo futhi ukholo lwakhe lwapheleliswa yimisebenzi yakhe,+ 23 kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “U-Abrahama wakholwa kuJehova* kwathiwa ulungile,”+ wasebizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaJehova.*+
24 Liyabona ukuthi umuntu kuzathiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi hatshi ngokholo kuphela. 25 Kwaba njalo langoRahabi owayeyisifebe. Akuzange yini kuthiwe ulungile ngemisebenzi ngemva kokwamukela kuhle izithunywa lokuzitshela ukuthi zihambe ngenye indlela?+ 26 Njengoba nje umzimba ongelamoya* ufile,+ lokholo olungelamisebenzi lufile.+