1 Kwathi ekungeneni kwakhe ngesabatha endlini yomunye waba yizikhulu kubaFarisi ukuba adle ukudla, bona uqobo babemqaphele.
2 Bheka, kwavela phambi kwakhe umuntu othile owayenesifo samanzi.
3 UJesu wathatha, wathi kuzo izazimthetho nabaFarisi: “Kuvunyelwe yini ukuphulukisa ngesabatha noma qha?”
4 Kepha bathula. Wayesemphatha, wamphulukisa, wammukisa.
5 Wathi kubo: “Ngumuphi kini ongathi indodana noma inkabi iyele emgodini, angayikhiphi masinyane ngosuku lwesabatha, na?”
6 Bahluleka ukuphendula kulokho.
7 Wabalandisa abamenyiweyo umfanekiso, ebona ukuzikhethela kwabo izihlalo eziphambili, wathi kubo:
8 “Nxa umenyiwe ngumuntu ukuya emshadweni, ungahlali esihlalweni esiphambili, funa ngabe ukhona omkhulu kunawe omenyiwe nguye,
9 eze yena onimeme wena naye, athi: ‘Mdedele lo;’ khona uqale uhlale kwesisenzansi unamahloni.
10 Kepha nxa umenyiwe, hamba uhlale endaweni esenzansi ukuba, nxa efika okumemileyo, athi kuwe: ‘Mhlobo, yenyukela enhla;’ khona uyakuba nodumo phambi kwabo bonke abahlezi nawe ekudleni.
11 Ngokuba oziphakamisayo uzakuthotshiswa; nozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.”
12 Wathi nakommemileyo: “Uma wenza isidlo sasemini noma esakusihlwa, ungabizi abahlobo bakho, nabafowenu, nomndeni wakho, nabakhelwane bakho abacebileyo, funa nabo babuye bakumeme, kube khona ukwenanana.
13 Kepha uma wenza isidlo, mema abampofu, nezinyonga, nezimpumputhe;
14 uyakubusiswa-ke, ngokuba bangekwenanisele; uyakwenaniselwa ekuvukeni kwabalungileyo.”
15 Esezwile lokho omunye wababehlezi naye ekudleni, wathi kuye: “Ubusisiwe lowo oyakudla isinkwa embusweni kaNkulunkulu.”
16 Kepha wathi kuye: “Umuntu othile wenza idili elikhulu, wamema abaningi.
17 Ngesikhathi sedili wathuma inceku yakhe ukuba isho kwabamenyiweyo ukuthi: ‘Zanini, ngokuba sekulungisiwe konke.’
18 “Kepha bonke baqala ukuzilandulela ngazwi linye; owokuqala wathi kuye: ‘Ngithengile insimu, kuswelekile ukuba ngiye ngiyibone; ngiyakuncenga, mawungilandulele.’
19 “Omunye wathi: ‘Ngithengile izinkabi eziyishumi, sengiya ukuzilinga; ngiyakuncenga, mawungilandulele.’
20 “Omunye wathi: ‘Ngithathile umfazi, ngalokho ngingeze.’
21 “Isibuyile inceku yabika lokho enkosini yayo. Khona umninindlu wathukuthela, wathi encekwini yakhe: ‘Khawuleza, uye emigwaqweni nasemingcingweni yomuzi, ungenise lapha abampofu, nezilima, nezimpumputhe, nezinyonga.’
22 “Yathi inceku: ‘Nkosi, sekwenziwe ngokuyala kwakho; kepha isekhona indawo.’
23 “Yathi inkosi encekwini: ‘Phuma uye ezindleleni nasezintangweni, ubacindezele bangene ukuba igcwale indlu yami.
24 Ngokuba ngithi kini: Ayikho neyodwa yalawo madoda abemenyiwe eyakulizwa idili lami.’ ”
25 Kwakuhamba naye izixuku eziningi; waphenduka, wathi kuzo:
26 “Uma umuntu eza kimi engamzondi uyise, nonina, nomkakhe, nabantwana, nabafowabo, nawodadewabo, yebo, nokuphila kwakhe, angebe ngumfundi wami.
27 Nalowo ongathwali isiphambano sakhe, angilandele, angebe ngumfundi wami.
28 “Ngokuba ngumuphi kini othi efuna ukwakha umbhoshongo, angaqali ahlale phansi, abale izindleko ukuthi unakho okokuwuqeda na?
29 Funa kuthi esebeke isisekelo, engenamandla okuqeda, bonke abakubonayo baqale ukumhleka,
30 bathi: ‘Lo muntu waqala kabanga namandla okuqeda.’
31 “Noma yiyiphi inkosi eya kwenye inkosi ukuhlaselana nayo engaqali ihlale phansi, ihlole ukuba inamandla yini ukuhlangabezana ngezinkulungwane eziyishumi naleyo eza kuyo, inezinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili na?
32 Kepha uma kungenzeke, ingathi isekude leyo, ithuma amanxusa, icele okokuthula.
33 Kunjalo-ke yilowo nalowo kini ongavalelisi nakho konke anakho angebe ngumfundi wami.
34 “Usawoti uyinto enhle; kepha uma usawoti edumele, uyakuhlaziywa ngani na?
35 Akasafanele namhlabathi namquba; uyalahlwa nje phandle; onezidlebe zokuzwa makezwe.”