1 Emva kwalokho iNkosi yamisa abanye abangamashumi ayisikhombisa, yabathumela ngababili phambi kwayo emizini nasezindaweni zonke ebizakuya kuzo yona.
2 Yathi kubo: “Ukuvuna kukhulu, kepha izisebenzi ziyingcosana; ngakho-ke nxusani inkosi yokuvuna ukuba ithumele izisebenzi ekuvuneni kwayo.
3 Hambani; bhekani, ngiyanithuma ninjengezimvu phakathi kwezimpisi.
4 Ningaphathi sikhwama, nayika, nazicathulo, ningabingeleli muntu endleleni.
5 “Nakuyiphi indlu eningena kuyo, qalani nithi: ‘Ukuthula makube kule ndlu.’
6 Kuyakuthi uma kukhona lapho indodana yokuthula, ukuthula kwenu kohlala phezu kwayo; kepha uma kungenjalo, kuzakubuyela kini.
7 Hlalani kuleyo ndlu, nidle, niphuze abanipha khona; ngokuba isisebenzi sifanele inkokhelo yaso. Ningangenisi ezindlini ngezindlu.
8 “Nakumuphi umuzi eningena kuwo, benamukele, yidlani okubekwa phambi kwenu,
9 niphulukise abagulayo abakuwo, nithi kubo: ‘Umbuso kaNkulunkulu usondele kini.’
10 Kepha nakumuphi umuzi eningena kuwo, benganamukeli, phumelani ezitaladini zawo, nithi:
11 ‘Nothuli lomuzi wenu olunamathele ezinyaweni zethu siyaluhlangulela kini; nokho-ke yazini lokhu ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu usondele.’
12 Ngithi kini: Kuyakuba ngcono kwabaseSodoma ngalolo suku kunakulowo muzi.
13 “Maye kuwe Korazini! Maye kuwe Betsayida! Ngokuba uma kwakwenziwe eTire naseSidoni imisebenzi yamandla eyenziwe kini, ngakube kade yaphenduka, ihlala ngesaka nangomlotha.
14 Kepha kuyakuba ngcono kulo iTire neSidoni ekwahlulelweni kunakini.
15 Nawe Kapernawume uyakuphakanyiselwa ezulwini na? Uyakwehliselwa eHayidese.*
16 “Onizwayo nina uyangizwa mina; onalayo nina uyangala mina; ongalayo mina uyamala ongithumileyo.”
17 Babuya-ke abangamashumi ayisikhombisa ngokujabula, bathi: “Nkosi, namademoni ayasithobela ngegama lakho.”
18 Wathi kubo: “Ngabona uSathane ewa ezulwini njengonyazi.
19 Bhekani, ngininikile igunya lokunyathela izinyoka nawofezela naphezu kwamandla onke esitha; anisoze noniwa lutho.
20 Nokho ningathokozi ngalokhu kokuthi omoya bayanithobela, kepha thokozani ngokuthi amagama enu alotshiwe ezulwini.”
21 Ngasona leso sikhathi wathokoza ngoMoya oNgcwele, wathi: “Ngiyakubonga, Baba, Nkosi yezulu nomhlaba, ngokuba ukufihlile lokho kwabahlakaniphileyo nabanokuqonda, wakwambulela izingane; yebo, Baba, ngokuba kwaba kuhle phambi kwakho ukuba kube njalo.
22 Konke ngikunikelwe nguBaba; akakho owazi ukuthi iNdodana ingubani, kuphela uYise, nokuthi uYise ungubani, kuphela iNdodana nalowo iNdodana ethanda ukumambulela yena.”
23 Waphendukela kubafundi bebodwa, wathi: “Abusisiwe amehlo abona enikubonayo.
24 Ngokuba ngithi kini: Baningi abaprofethi namakhosi ababethanda ukubona enikubonayo, abakubonanga, nokuzwa enikuzwayo, abakuzwanga.”
25 Bheka, kwase kusukuma isazimthetho esithile, samlinga sathi: “Mfundisi, ngizakwenzani ukuba ngidle ifa lokuphila okuphakade na?”
26 Wathi kuso: “Kulotshweni emthethweni? Ufunda kanjani?”
27 Saphendula sathi: “Woyithanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho, nomakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.”
28 Wayesethi kuso: “Uphendule kahle; yenza lokho, uzakuphila.”
29 Kepha sona sithanda ukuzithetha sathi kuJesu: “Umakhelwane wami ngubani na?”
30 UJesu waphendula wathi: “Umuntu othile wehla eJerusalema eya eJeriko; watheleka phakathi kwezigcwelegcwele, zamhlubula izingubo, zamshaya, zamuka zimshiya umndondo nje.
31 Kwaqabuka kwehla umpristi othile ngaleyo ndlela; wathi embona, wamgwemela.
32 Kanjalo nomLevi, efika kuleyo ndawo embona, wamgwemela.
33 Kepha umSamariya othile owayesendleleni wafika kuye; wathi ukuba ambone, wamhawukela;
34 waya kuye, wabopha amanxeba akhe ewathela ngamafutha newayini, wamkhwelisa esilwaneni sakhe, wamusa endlini yezihambi, wamgcina.
35 Ngangomuso wakhipha odenariyu* ababili, wabanika umninindlu, wathi kuye: ‘Mgcine, nalokho okwelekelayo ngiyakukubuyisela kuwe ekubuyeni kwami.’
36 “Ngumuphi ngokubona kwakho kulaba abathathu owaba ngumakhelwane wakhe owatheleka phakathi kwezigcwelegcwele na?”
37 Sathi: “Yilowo owamenzela isihawu.”Wayesethi uJesu kuso: “Hamba wenze njalo nawe.”
38 Kwathi ekuhambeni kwabo wangena emzini othile; owesifazane othile, igama lakhe nguMarta, wamamukela endlini yakhe.
39 Wayenodadewabo othiwa nguMariya, owahlala ngasezinyaweni zeNkosi, walizwa izwi layo.
40 Kepha uMarta ekhathazekile ukusebenza okuningi waya kuye, wathi: “Nkosi, awukhathaleli ukuthi udadewethu ungishiyile, ngisebenze ngedwa, na? Ngakho yisho kuye ukuba angisize.”
41 Kepha iNkosi yamphendula yathi: “Marta, Marta, unakekela, ukhathazeka ngezinto eziningi.
42 Kodwa inye into edingekile; uMariya ukhethile isabelo esihle angayikwaphucwa sona.”