1 Elokugcina, bazalwane bami, thokozani eNkosini. Ukunilobela khona lokho angikwenqeni, kepha nina kuyanigcina.
2 Xwayani izinja, nixwaye izisebenzi ezimbi, nixwaye abokusika.
3 Ngokuba singukusoka thina esikhonza ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu, sizibonga kuKristu Jesu, singethembi enyameni,
4 nakuba nami bengingaba nokwethemba enyameni. Uma omunye umuntu ecabanga ukuthi unokwethemba enyameni, mina kakhulu;
5 ngasokwa ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili ngingowohlanga luka-Israyeli, owesizwe sakwaBenjamini, umHeberu wamaHeberu, ngokomthetho umFarisi;
6 ngokokushisekela ngingowazingela ibandla, ngokokulunga okusemthethweni ngingongasolekiyo.
7 Kanti-ke lokho okwakuyinzuzo kimi ngakushaya indiva ngenxa kaKristu.
8 Yebo impela, konke ngikushaya indiva ngobukhulu bokumazi uKristu Jesu iNkosi yami, engilahlekelwe yikho konke ngenxa yakhe, ngikushaya izibi, ukuze ngizuze uKristu,
9 ngifunyanwe kuyena, ngingenakho ukulunga okungokwami okuya ngomthetho kodwa lokho okuya ngokukholwa nguKristu, ngisho ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngokukholwa,
10 ukuze ngimazi yena, namandla okuvuka kwakhe, nokuhlanganyela ezinhluphekweni zakhe, ngimfuze ngokufa kwakhe,
11 uma mhlawumbe ngingaze ngifinyelele ekuvukeni kwabafileyo,
12 kungesikho ukuthi sengibambile nokuthi sengiphelelisiwe, kepha ngijonga ukuba kumbe ngingakubamba yini lokho nami engabanjelwa khona nguKristu Jesu.
13 Bazalwane, angisho ukuthi mina uqobo sengikubambile; kepha kunye engikwenzayo: ngikhohlwa okungasemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili,
14 ngijonge emgomeni, emklomelweni wokubizwa okukhulu kwaphezulu nguNkulunkulu kuJesu Kristu.
15 Ngakho-ke thina sonke esiphelele masibe nokuqonda okunjalo; kepha uma kokuthile niqonda ngokunye, nalokho uNkulunkulu uyakunambulela khona,
16 kuphela ukuthi kwesesifinyelele kukho, sihambe ngawo lowo mkhondo.
17 Ngilingiseni, bazalwane, nibabhekisise abahamba njengathi esiyisibonelo kini.
18 Ngokuba abaningi, enganitshela kaningi ngabo namanje nginitshela nangezinyembezi, bahamba beyizitha zesiphambano sikaKristu,
19 abakuphela kwabo ngukubhujiswa, abankulunkulu wabo yisisu, nodumo lwabo lusehlazweni labo, abangabanaka okomhlaba.
20 Kepha thina singabombuso wasezulwini, lapho futhi silindela khona ukuba kuvele uMsindisi, iNkosi uJesu Kristu,
21 oyakuguqula isimo somzimba wethu wokuthotshiswa, ufane nomzimba wakhe wenkazimulo, ngamandla angazihlelela ngawo konke phansi kwakhe.