Eyokuqala KuThimothi

2 Okokuqala, ngicela ukuthi imithandazo yokuncenga, lemithandazo yonke nje, lokuthandazela abanye kanye lokubonga, kwenzelwe yonke imihlobo yabantu, 2 lamakhosi labo bonke abasezikhundleni eziphezulu*+ ukuze siqhubeke silenhlalakahle lokuthula, sizinikele kuNkulunkulu ngokupheleleyo njalo singathathi izinto lula.+ 3 Lokhu kuhle futhi kuyamukeleka phambi kukaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu + 4 ngoba intando yakhe yikuthi abantu bemihlobo yonke basindiswe+ njalo bathole ulwazi oluqondileyo lweqiniso. 5 KuloNkulunkulu oyedwa+ lomlamuli oyedwa+ phakathi kukaNkulunkulu labantu,+ uKhristu uJesu.+ Nguye umuntu 6 owazinikelayo waba yinhlawulo efaneleyo yabantu bonke*+ njalo lokhu kuzafakazelwa ngesikhathi sakho esifaneleyo. 7 Ngabekwa ukuthi ngibe ngumtshumayeli lomphostoli+ ukuze ngikufakazele lokhu.+ Ngikhuluma iqiniso kangiqambi manga, ngabekwa ukuthi ngifundise abezinye izizwe+ mayelana lokholo leqiniso.

8 Ngakho engikufisayo yikuthi ezindaweni zonke amadoda aqhubeke ethandaza ephakamisa izandla eziqotho+ kungela kuzonda+ lezimpikiswano.+ 9 Labesifazana kumele bacece ngezigqoko ezilesithunzi, ezingadlulisi amalawulo futhi ezitshengisa ukuthi bazisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo zabo,* kungabi ngezitayila zokweluka inwele kumbe ngegolide langamaphareli loba ngezigqoko ezidula kakhulu+ 10 kodwa ngendlela efanele abesifazana abathi bazinikele kuNkulunkulu,+ okutsho ukuthi bacece ngemisebenzi emihle.

11 Owesifazana kafunde ethule,* ezehlisa ngokupheleleyo.+ 12 Angimvumeli owesifazana ukuthi afundise kumbe ukuthi abuse indoda kodwa kumele ahlale ethule.*+ 13 Phela u-Adamu nguye owabunjwa kuqala, kwasekubunjwa u-Eva.+ 14 Kanti njalo u-Adamu kaqilwanga kodwa owesifazana waqilwa ngokupheleleyo,+ wephula umlayo kaNkulunkulu. 15 Lanxa kunjalo, owesifazana uzalondolozwa ngokuzala abantwana+ nxa kuyikuthi uqhubeka esekukholweni lasethandweni, engcwele futhi eyisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yakhe.*+