1 Ngakho-ke uma kukhona induduzo kuKristu, uma kukhona ukududuzeka kothando, uma kukhona inhlangano kaMoya, uma kukhona isisa nesihawu,
2 gcwalisani ukuthokoza kwami ukuba nibe nomqondo munye, ninothando lunye, nibe nhliziyonye, niqonde into inye;
3 ningenzi lutho ngombango nangodumo lwezwe; kepha ngokuthobeka nishaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunani,
4 yilowo nalowo angabheki okwakhe, kepha yilowo abheke nokwabanye.
5 Mawube kini lowo mqondo owawukhona nakuKristu Jesu
6 owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu,
7 kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu;
8 wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni kwesiphambano.
9 Ngalokho-ke uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu, wamnika igama eliphezu kwamagama onke,
10 ukuze kuthi ngegama likaJesu amadolo onke aguqe, awabasezulwini, nawabasemhlabeni, nawabangaphansi komhlaba,
11 nezilimi zonke zivume ngokuthi UJESU KRISTU UYINKOSI, kube yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uYise.
12 Ngakho-ke, bathandiweyo bami, njengalokho nilalele ngezikhathi zonke, kungesikho nxa ngikhona kuphela, kodwa ikakhulu manje nxa ngingekho, fezani ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela,
13 ngokuba nguNkulunkulu osebenza kini nokuthanda nokwenza njengentando yakhe.
14 Yenzani konke ngokungakhononi nokungangabazi,
15 ukuze nibe ngabangasolekiyo nabangenacala, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abangenasici phakathi kwesizukulwane esiyisigwegwe nesiphambeneyo, enikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezinkanyiso ezweni,
16 nibambelele ezwini lokuphila, ngize ngibe nokuzibonga ngosuku lukaKristu ngokuthi angigijimelanga ize, angisebenzelanga ize.
17 Yebo, nokuba nginikelwa emhlatshelweni nasenkonzweni yokukholwa kwenu, ngiyathokoza, ngithokoza kanye nani nonke;
18 ngokunjalo-ke thokozani nani, nithokoze kanye nami.
19 Kepha ngiyethemba eNkosini uJesu ukuthuma uThimothewu kini masinyane, ukuze nami ngename nxa sengazi izindaba zenu.
20 Ngokuba anginamuntu onenhliziyo enjengeyakhe, onganakekela izindaba zenu ngobuqotho;
21 ngokuba bonke bafuna okwabo, abafuni okukaJesu Kristu.
22 Kepha niyakwazi ukuthembeka kwakhe ukuthi ukhonzile kanye nami ngenxa yevangeli njengomntwana kuyise.
23 Yena-ke ngiyethemba ukumthuma masinyane, uma sengibonile ukuthi okuqondene nami kophelelaphi;
24 kepha ngiyethemba eNkosini ukuthi nami ngizakuza eduzane.
25 Kodwa ngibone ukuthi kudingekile ukuba ngithume kinina u-Ephafrodithu, umzalwane nesisebenzi nebutho kanye nami, nesithunywa senu, isikhonzi ekusweleni kwami,
26 lokhu wayenilangazelela nonke, eyaluza ngokuba nizwile ukuthi wayegula.
27 Ngokuba nempela wayegula ephansi kokufa; kepha uNkulunkulu wamhawukela, kungeyena yedwa, wangihawukela nami, ukuze ngingabi nalusizi phezu kosizi.
28 Ngalokho ngakhuthalela kakhulu ukumthuma, ukuze kuthi nxa senimbona futhi nithokoze, kimi kunciphe usizi.
29 Ngakho-ke mamukeleni eNkosini ngokuthokoza konke, abanjalo-ke nibaphathe ngokubatusa,
30 ngokuba ngenxa yomsebenzi kaKristu wacishe wafa ezidela amathambo, ukuze agcwalise okusileleyo ekungikhonzeni kwenu.