Matthew 18

Omkhulu Kulabo Bonke Embusweni Wezulu

1Kusonalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”

2Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wammisa phakathi kwabo. 3Wasesithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuba liguquke libe njengabantwana abancinyane, kalisoze lafa langena embusweni wezulu. 4Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.

5“Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo egameni lami wemukela mina. 6Kodwa loba ngubani owenza omunye walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi ukuthi enze isono, kungaba ngcono kuye ukuthi kulengiswe entanyeni yakhe ilitshekazi lokuchola agaluliswe enzikini yolwandle.

7“Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezenza abantu benze isono! Izinto ezinjalo zivele ziyafika, kodwa maye kulowomuntu ezifika ngaye! 8Aluba isandla sakho loba unyawo lwakho lukwenzisa isono kuqume ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini kumbe ugogekile kulokuba lezandla ezimbili kumbe izinyawo ezimbili ujinge uphoselwe emlilweni waphakade. 9Aluba ilihlo lakho likwenzisa isono, likopole ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuba lamehlo amabili kodwa uphoselwe emlilweni wesihogo.

Umzekeliso Wemvu Elahlekileyo

10“Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Phela ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo ezulwini zihlezi zibubona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. ( 11INdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.)

12“Kambe lithini na? Uma indoda ilezimvu ezilikhulu enye iqambuke kwezinye, kayiyikuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi aficamunye lesificamunye ezintabeni iyoyidinga leyo eqambukileyo? 13Ithi ingayifumana, ngiyalitshela, iyathokoza ngaleyo okudlula lezo ezingamatshumi aficamunye lesificamunye ezingazange ziqambuke. 14Ngaleyondlela uYihlo ezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane alahleke.

Umfowenu Owenza Isono Kuwe

15“Uma umfowenu esenza okubi kuwe, yana kuye umtshengise isiphambeko sakhe lilodwa lobabili. Uma ekulalela usumzuzile umfowenu.

16Kodwa nxa engalaleli biza omunye loba ababili ukuze indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu. 17Uma esala ukubalalela tshela ibandla; uma esala ukulilalela lalo ibandla mthatheni njengongakholwayo kumbe njengomthelisi.

18“Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, ingqe yikuphi elikubophayo emhlabeni kuzabotshwa ezulwini, njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa ezulwini.

19“Njalo ngiyalitshela ukuthi aluba ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana loba ngalutho bani elilucelayo lizalwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.

20Ngoba lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona labo lami.”

Umzekeliso Wenceku Engelasihawu

21UPhethro weza kuJesu wabuza wathi, “Nkosi, umfowethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kakhombisa na?”

22UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi, hatshi kakhombisa, kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.

23“Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezisebenzi zayo.

24Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi. 25Kwathi ngoba ingelamandla okubhadala inkosi yalaya ukuthi yona lomkayo labantwana lakho konke ayelakho kakuthengiswe ukuze kuqedwe umlandu.

26“Isisebenzi satshaya ngamadolo phansi phambi kwenkosi sayincenga sathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizabhadala konke.’ 27Inkosi yesisebenzi leso yasizwela usizi yawesula umlandu yasiyekela sahamba.

28“Kodwa lesosisebenzi sonela ukuphuma, safumana esinye isisebenzi esasilesikwelede saso samadenariyu alikhulu. Sasibamba ngomphimbo sasiklinya sathi ngolaka, ‘Bhadala isikwelede sami!’

29“Lowo owayesebenza laye wawa ngamadolo wamncenga wathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakubhadala.’

30“Kodwa yena wala. Endaweni yalokho, wahamba wenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ibhadale isikwelede.

31Kwathi ezinye izisebenzi sezibonile okwakwenzakele zacaphuka kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakalayo.

32“Inkosi yase isibiza lesosisebenzi, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngisesulile sonke isikwelede sakho ngokuba ungincengile. 33Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’ 34Inkosi yakhe yazonda yafa yamnikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bamchukuluze aze asibhadale sonke isikwelede.

35“Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu uma lingathetheleli umfowenu kuphuma enhliziyweni.”