INCWADZI YEKUCALA LEYA KUTHIMOTHI

1 Mine Pawula, umphostoli waKhristu Jesu lotfunywe ngemyalo waNkulunkulu longuMsindzisi wetfu, newaKhristu Jesu lolitsemba letfu,+ 2 ngibhalela Thimothi*+ umntfwana lowetsembekile+ emsebentini weNkhosi:

Shengatsi ungemukela umusa lomkhulu, nesihawu, kanye nekuthula lokuvela kuNkulunkulu longuBabe nakuKhristu Jesu iNkhosi yetfu.

3 Njengobe nje ngakukhutsata kutsi uhlale e-Efesu ngesikhatsi ngiya eMasedoniya, nanyalo ngisakukhutsata kutsi wente njalo kuze uyale labatsite kutsi bangafundzisi lenye imfundziso, 4 futsi banganaki tindzaba letingemanga+ nemilandvo yetinhlu tekutalana. Tintfo letinjalo atizuzisi ngalutfo,+ kodvwa tibangela imibuto ledzinga kuhlolwa futsi atihlangani netintfo letivela kuNkulunkulu leticinisa kukholwa kwetfu. 5 Ecinisweni injongo yalomyalo* kutsi kube nelutsandvo+ loluvela enhlitiyweni lemhlophe, kunembeza lomsulwa nasekukholweni+ lokute kutentisa. 6 Ngekuphambuka kuletintfo, labanye bawele enkhulumeni lengenamsebenti.+ 7 Bafuna kuba bafundzisi+ bemtsetfo, kodvwa abaticondzi tintfo labatishoko nobe leto labafunga bagomele kutsi tinjalo.

8 Tsine siyati kutsi uMtsetfo muhle yingci nje nangabe umuntfu awusebentisa kahle,* 9 ngobe siyati kutsi umtsetfo awuzange wentelwe umuntfu lolungile kodvwa wentelwa bantfu lababi,+ labavukelako, labangamhloniphi Nkulunkulu, labatoni, labangaketsembeki,* labangakuhloniphi lokungcwele, lababulala bobabe nabomake babo, nalababulala labanye, 10 tingwadla,* emadvodza lalalana nemadvodza, labatfumba bantfu, labacamba emanga, labangatigcini tifungo,* kanye nalabo labenta nobe yini lenye lemelene nemfundziso lephilile*+ 11 levumelana netindzaba letimnandzi letikhatimulako taNkulunkulu lojabulako lengiphatsiswe tona.+

12 Ngiyambonga Khristu Jesu iNkhosi yetfu longinike emandla, ngobe ungibone ngetsembekile ngekunginika umsebenti,+ 13 nanobe ekucaleni bengihlambalata, ngihlupha labanye futsi ngedzelela.+ Kodvwa wangihawukela ngobe bengentiswa kungati futsi bengingakholwa. 14 Kepha iNkhosi yetfu yangentela umusa lomkhulu kakhulu futsi ngatfola kukholwa nelutsandvo loluvela kuKhristu Jesu. 15 Etsembekile futsi kufanele emukelwe ngalokuphelele lamavi latsi: Khristu Jesu weta emhlabeni kutosindzisa toni,+ futsi mine ngingulesihamba embili.+ 16 Nanobe kunjalo ngentelwa umusa kuze ngami, mine lengisoni lesihamba embili, Khristu Jesu avete konkhe kubeketela kwakhe khona ngitewuba sibonelo kulabo labatawetsembela kuye kute batfole kuphila lokuphakadze.+

17 Ludvumo nenkhatimulo aluye eNkhosini yaphakadze,+ lengabhubhi,+ lengabonakali,+ nalokungiyo kuphela lenguNkulunkulu,+ kuze kube phakadze naphakadze. Amen.

18 Lomyalo* ngiwunika wena Thimothi mntfwanami, ngekuvumelana netiphrofetho letashiwo mayelana nawe kuze ngato uchubeke ulwa kulwa lokuhle,+ 19 futsi uhlale unekukholwa nanembeza lomuhle.+ Labanye bakubekele eceleni loko, kwaphumela ekulimaleni kwekukholwa kwabo njengemkhumbi lowephukile. 20 Humenayosi+ na-Alekzanda bangulabanye babo, futsi ngibanikele kuSathane+ kuze bayalwe kutsi bangahlambalati.

2 Kwekucala, ngikhutsata kutsi kuncusa, imithantazo, ticelo kanye nekubonga kwentelwe tonkhe tinhlobo tebantfu, 2 emakhosi nabo bonkhe labasetikhundleni letiphakeme,*+ kuze sichubeke siphila ngekuthula, setsembeke kuNkulunkulu futsi sitimisele kuko konkhe.+ 3 Loku kuhle futsi kuyemukeleka kuNkulunkulu longuMsindzisi wetfu,+ 4 intsandvo yakhe lekutsi tonkhe tinhlobo tebantfu tisindziswe,+ titfole nelwati lolungulonalona lweliciniso. 5 Ngobe kunaNkulunkulu munye,+ kantsi munye nemlamuli+ emkhatsini waNkulunkulu nebantfu,+ lokunguKhristu Jesu,+ 6 lowatinikela waba yinhlawulo* yabo bonkhe,*+ futsi loku kufanele kufakazwe ngako ngesikhatsi lesifanele. 7 Ngobe ngenca yalobufakazi+ ngabekwa kutsi ngibe ngumshumayeli nemphostoli,+ futsi ngikhuluma liciniso hhayi emanga, ngifundzisa tive+ mayelana nekukholwa neliciniso.

8 Ngako-ke ngifisa kutsi kuyo yonkhe indzawo labadvuna bachubeke bangcwele, futsi baphakamise tandla tabo bathantaze,+ hhayi ngelulaka+ nekuphikisana.+ 9 Ngendlela lefanako, labasikati kufanele batihlobise ngetimphahla letilungiswe kahle,* ngekuzitsa nangekuvutfwa,* hhayi ngetitayela temichino, ngeligolide, ngematje laligugu nobe ngetimphahla letidule kakhulu,+ 10 kodvwa abatihlobise ngemisebenti lemihle, ngendlela lefanele labasikati labatsi bahlonipha Nkulunkulu.+

11 Lomsikati akabindze* nakafundziswa futsi atitfobe ngalokugcwele.+ 12 Angivumi kutsi afundzise nobe abe neligunya endvodzeni, kodvwa kufanele abindze.*+ 13 Ngobe Adamu wadalwa kucala, kwaba ngukhona kudalwa Eva.+ 14 Kantsi futsi Adamu akazange ayengwe, kodvwa ngumfati lowayengwa+ wase uba soni. 15 Ngako-ke labasikati batawuphepha ngekutfola bantfwana,+ yingci nje nabachubeka ekukholweni, elutsandvweni, ekubeni ngcwele nasekuvutfweni.*+

3 Etsembekile lamavi latsi: Nangabe umuntfu enta imetamo kuze abe ngumbonisi,+ usuke afisa umsebenti lomuhle. 2 Ngako umbonisi kufanele abe yindvodza lengasoleki, lenemfati munye, letitsibako, lenengcondvo lebhadlile,*+ lehlelekile, leyemukela tihambi,+ nalekwatiko kufundzisa,+ 3 angabi sidzakwa+ nobe sidlova,* kodvwa acabangele,+ angabi silwi,+ angayitsandzi imali,+ 4 abe yindvodza lelengamela* kahle likhaya layo, lenebantfwana labalalelako nalabatiphetse kahle+ 5 (ngobe nangabe indvodza ingakhoni kwengamela* likhaya layo, ingalinakekela njani-ke libandla laNkulunkulu?), 6 angabi yindvodza lesandza kuba ngumKhristu,*+ ngobe angahle agcwale umgcabho bese utfola sehlulelo lesatfolwa nguDeveli. 7 Ngetulu kwaloko, kufanele afakazelwe* kahle ngulabangephandle,+ kuze angakhulunyelwa kabi* futsi awele elugibeni lwaDeveli.

8 Tinceku letisebentako nato kufanele tingatsatsi tintfo melula, tingabi nelulwimi lolumphacambili,* tingatitiki ngeliwayini lelinyenti, tingafuni kutizuzisa tona,+ 9 futsi tiphatse imfihlo lengcwele yekukholwa nganembeza lohlantekile.+

10 Laba kufanele bahlolwe kucala kutsi bayakufanela yini kwenta lomsebenti;* ngemuva kwaloko sebangaba tinceku, njengobe kutawube kute labasolwa ngako.+

11 Labasikati nabo kufanele bangatsatsi tintfo melula, banganyundzeli,+ batitsibe, futsi betsembeke kuto tonkhe tintfo.+

12 Inceku lesebentako kufanele kube yindvodza lenemfati munye, ibengamele kahle bantfwana nelikhaya layo. 13 Ngobe emadvodza lawenta kahle umsebenti wawo atitfolela ligama lelihle, futsi aba nenkhululeko lenkhulu yekukhuluma ekukholweni mayelana naKhristu Jesu.

14 Ngisho nobe ngetsemba kutsi ngitawufika kuwe masinyane, ngikubhalela letintfo, 15 kuze kutsi nakwenteka ngephuta, wati kutsi kufanele utiphatse njani njengobe ulilunga lemndeni waNkulunkulu,+ lokulibandla laNkulunkulu lophilako, leliyinsika nesisekelo seliciniso. 16 Lemfihlo lengcwele yalokwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu yinkhulu kakhulu, itsi: ‘Jesu waba ngumuntfu,+ kwatsiwa ulungile ngemoya,+ wativeta etingilosini,+ kwashunyayelwa ngaye etiveni,+ live lamkholwa,+ futsi wemukelwa ezulwini ngenkhatimulo.’

4 Kodvwa livi leliphefumulelwe* lisho ngalokucacile kutsi etikhatsini letitako labanye batawukuwa ekukholweni, banake tinkhulumo letiphefumulelwe letidukisako*+ kanye netimfundziso temadimoni, 2 futsi batawulalela emanga lakhulunywa ngulabo labatentisako,+ labanabonembeza labashile shengatsi bashiswe yinsimbi yekubeka luphawu. 3 Balela bantfu kutsi bashade,+ futsi babayala kutsi bangakudli kudla lokutsite,+ kantsi Nkulunkulu wadala loko kudla kutsi kudliwe+ ngulabo labanekukholwa+ nalabalati kahle liciniso bese babonga Nkulunkulu. 4 Yonkhe indalo yaNkulunkulu yinhle,+ futsi kute lokufanele kwaliwe+ nangabe kwemukelwa ngekubonga, 5 ngobe kungcweliswe ngelivi laNkulunkulu nangekuthantazelwa.

6 Nawunika bazalwane leseluleko utawuba sisebenti lesihle saKhristu Jesu, lesondliwe ngemavi ekukholwa newemfundziso lenhle loyilandzele edvute.+ 7 Ungatilaleli tindzaba letingemanga letedzelela Nkulunkulu,+ njengaleto letikhulunywa talukati. Kunaloko ticeceshe unemgomo wekwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu. 8 Ngobe kucecesha umtimba* kuzuzisa kancane, kodvwa kwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu kuzuzisa kuto tonkhe tintfo, ngenca yekutsi kwenta umuntfu atfole tibusiso nyalo nasesikhatsini lesitako.+ 9 Lamavi etsembekile futsi kufanele emukelwe ngalokuphelele. 10 Kungako sisebenta kamatima futsi sitikhandla,+ ngobe litsemba letfu silibeke kuNkulunkulu lophilako, longuMsindzisi+ wato tonkhe tinhlobo tebantfu,+ ikakhulukati labo labetsembekile.

11 Chubeka ukhipha lemiyalo futsi ufundzisa ngayo. 12 Ungavumeli muntfu kutsi edzelele busha bakho. Kodvwa ngekukhuluma, ngekutiphatsa, ngelutsandvo, ngekukholwa nangekuba msulwa,* bani sibonelo kulabetsembekile. 13 Chubeka utimisela ekufundzeleni linyenti,+ ekukhutsateni, nasekufundziseni, kuze kube ngulapho ngifika. 14 Sinake sipho lowanikwa sona ngesiphrofetho lesakhishwa ngesikhatsi sigungu salabadzala sikubeka tandla.+ 15 Cabangisisa* ngaletintfo, utinikele kuto, kuze intfutfuko yakho itewubonakala kahle kubo bonkhe bantfu. 16 Hlale utinaka wena, unake naloko lokufundzisako.+ Phikelela kuletintfo, ngobe nawenta njalo utawutisindzisa wena kanye nalabo labakulalelako.+

5 Ungayikhahlameti indvodza lendzala.+ Kepha yiyale njengababe wakho, labadvuna labasebasha ubayale njengabomnakenu, 2 bafati lasebakhulile ubayale njengabomake wakho, nalabasikati labasebasha ubayale njengabodzadzewenu ngabo bonkhe bumsulwa.

3 Bacabangele* bafelokati lababafelokati mbamba.*+ 4 Kodvwa nangabe umfelokati anebantfwana nobe batukulu, kufanele bacale bakhombise emakhaya kutsi besaba Nkulunkulu,+ futsi babuyisele loko lokufanele kubatali babo, kubogogo babo nakubomkhulu babo,+ ngobe loku kuyemukeleka kuNkulunkulu.+ 5 Umfati longumfelokati mbamba futsi longenabani ubeka litsemba lakhe kuNkulunkulu,+ uhlale ancusa futsi athantaza busuku nemini.+ 6 Kodvwa loyo lotinikela enkhanukweni usuke afile nanobe aphila. 7 Ngako-ke chubeka ubanika lemiyalo* kuze bangasoleki. 8 Ecinisweni, nangabe umuntfu angabanakekeli lababakhe, ikakhulukati bendlu yakhe, ukuphikile kukholwa futsi mubi kakhulu kunemuntfu longakholwa.+

9 Umfelokati longetulu kweminyaka lengu-60 budzala kufanele afakwe eluhlwini lwalabatawusitwa, nangabe bekanendvodza yinye, 10 atiwa ngemisebenti lemihle,+ sekakhulise bantfwana,+ emukela tihambi,+ ageza tinyawo talabangcwele,+ asita labahluphekile,+ futsi atinikela kuyo yonkhe imisebenti lemihle.

11 Ngakulokunye, bafelokati labasebasha ningabafaki kuloluhla, ngobe kutsi lapho tinkhanuko tabo tiphatamisa buhlobo babo naKhristu bese bafuna kushada. 12 Batawehlulelwa ngobe basephulile setsembiso sabo sasekucaleni.* 13 Ngesikhatsi lesifanako babese bayavilapha, baphume bangena emitini yebantfu, futsi abagcini nje ngekuvilapha, kodvwa bayahleba, batifake etindzabeni tebantfu,+ bakhulume nangetintfo letingakafaneli. 14 Ngako ngifisa kutsi bafelokati labasebasha bashade,+ batale bantfwana,+ banakekele emakhaya abo, futsi bangamniki umphikisi litfuba lekukhuluma kabi. 15 Ecinisweni, labanye sebavele baphambukile balandzela Sathane. 16 Nangabe umfati lokholwako anetihlobo letibafelokati, akatisite kuze libandla lingatfwali kamatima, khona litokwati kusita labo lababafelokati mbamba.*+

17 Emadvodza lamadzala lengamela ngendlela lekahle+ kufanele atsatfwe njengalafanelwe ludvumo lolukhulu,+ ikakhulukati lawo lasebenta kamatima ekukhulumeni nasekufundziseni.+ 18 Ngobe umbhalo utsi: “Ungayifaki sifonyo inkhabi nayibhula,”+ uphindze utsi: “Sisebenti sifanelwe ngumholo waso.”+ 19 Ungalaleli nangabe indvodza lendzala* ibekwa licala, ngaphandle nakunebufakazi bebantfu lababili nome labatsatfu.+ 20 Bantfu labenta sono+ ubobekhuta+ embikwabo bonkhe lababukile, kuze kube secwayiso kulabanye.* 21 Ngiyakuyalisisa embikwaNkulunkulu, embikwaKhristu Jesu nasembikwetingilosi letikhetsiwe, kutsi ugcine leticondziso ngaphandle kwekubandlulula nobe kukhetsa.+

22 Ungajaki kubeka nobe ngumuphi umuntfu tandla,*+ futsi ungahlanganyeli etonweni talabanye, kodvwa tigcine umsulwa.

23 Ungasawanatsi emanti,* kodvwa natsa liwayini lelincane ngenca yesisu sakho nangenca yekutsi ugula kanyenti.

24 Tono talabanye bantfu tisebaleni futsi bavele behlulelwe ngaleso sikhatsi, kodvwa talabanye tibonakala ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi.+ 25 Ngendlela lefanako, imisebenti lemihle isebaleni,+ naleyo lengabonakali ngeke ihlale ifihlekile.+

6 Labo labatigcili kufanele banike baphatsi babo ludvumo lolukhulu,+ kuze libito laNkulunkulu kanye nemfundziso yakhe kungakhulunywa kabi.+ 2 Nalabo labanebaphatsi labakholwako kufanele bangabedzeleli ngobe nje babazalwane. Kodvwa kufanele basebente ngekutimisela, ngobe labo labazuzako kulomsebenti lomuhle labawentako bangemakholwa lakanye nabo futsi latsandzekako.

Chubeka ufundzisa ngaletintfo, futsi ubayale kutsi batente. 3 Nangabe umuntfu afundzisa lenye imfundziso, angavumelani nesicondziso lesiphilile*+ lesivela eNkhosini yetfu Jesu Khristu, futsi angavumelani nemfundziso lehambisana nekwesaba Nkulunkulu,+ 4 usuke agcwele umgcabho futsi kute lakucondzako.+ Uhlale acabanga* ngekuphikisana nalabanye kanye nekulwa ngemagama.+ Letintfo tiveta umona, kubanga, kunyundzela,* netinsolo letimbi, 5 tiphindze tente kutsi bantfu labanetingcondvo letonakele+ nalabete liciniso basuse imibango lengapheli ngetindzaba letilite, babe bacabanga kutsi kwesaba Nkulunkulu kuyindlela yekuzuza lokutsite.+ 6 Kuliciniso kutsi kwesaba Nkulunkulu kuzuzisa kakhulu,+ nangabe nje seneliswa nguloko lesinako. 7 Ngobe asiletsanga lutfo eveni, futsi kute lesitawuhamba nako.+ 8 Ngako kufanele seneliswe kuba nekudla nekwekwembatsa.*+

9 Kodvwa labo labatimisele ngekunjinga bawela esilingweni, elugibeni,+ nasetifisweni letinyenti letingenangcondvo naletilimatako, letibangela bantfu inhlekelele nekufa.+ 10 Ngobe kutsandza imali kuyimphandze yato tonkhe tinhlobo tetintfo letilimatako, futsi ngenca yekutsandza imali, labanye badukile ekukholweni, batibangela* buhlungu lobunyenti.+

11 Kodvwa wena muntfu waNkulunkulu, tibalekele letintfo, ulwele kuba nekulunga, kwesaba Nkulunkulu, kukholwa, lutsandvo, kucinisela, kanye nemoya lophansi.*+ 12 Lwani kulwa lokuhle kwekukholwa, ubambisise kuphila lokuphakadze lowabitelwa kona futsi wakuvuma kahle embikwabofakazi labanyenti.

13 EmbikwaNkulunkulu lonika tonkhe tintfo kuphila, nasembikwaKhristu Jesu lowetfula bufakazi lobukahle embikwaPhontiyuse Pilatu,+ ngikuyala 14 kutsi ugcine lomyalo, uhlale ungenabala futsi ungasoleki kuze kube ngulapho iNkhosi yetfu Jesu Khristu ibonakaliswa.+ 15 Lokubonakaliswa kutawuvetwa nguloyo lokunguye kuphela uMbusi Lonemandla nalojabulako futsi kutawuvetwa ngesikhatsi lesifanele. UyiNkhosi yemakhosi neMbusi webabusi,+ 16 nguye yedvwa longafi,+ lohlala ekukhanyeni lokute umuntfu longasondzela kuko,+ nalokute umuntfu loke wambona nome longambona.+ Kuye akube ludvumo nemandla kuze kube phakadze. Amen.

17 Yala* labo labanjingile kulelive* kutsi bangatikhukhumeti,* futsi bangabeki litsemba labo emcebeni lophelako,+ kodvwa balibeke kuNkulunkulu, losinika ngalokuphuphumako tonkhe tintfo letisijabulisako.+ 18 Batjele kutsi bente lokuhle, bente imisebenti leminyenti lemihle, bephane,* bakulungele nekwabelana,+ 19 futsi ngaloko batibekele sisekelo lesihle sesikhatsi lesitako,+ kuze babambisise kuphila lokungukonakona.+

20 Thimothi, kunake loko lonikwe kona,+ ubalekele tinkhulumo letilite letingakuhloniphi lokungcwele, ubalekele nekuphikisana ngaloko lokutsiwa “lwati” kube kungasilo.+ 21 Ngenca yekutigabatisa ngelwati lolunjalo, labanye baphambukile ekukholweni.

Shengatsi umusa lomkhulu waNkulunkulu ungaba nani.