Kwabase-Efese
5 Ngoko linganisani uThixo,+ njengabantwana abathandwayo nguye, 2 nize niqhubeke ninothando,+ kanye njengokuba noKristu wasithandayo,*+ waza wazinikela ngenxa yethu* ukuba abe ngumnikelo nombingelelo olivumba elimnandi kuThixo.+
3 Ukuziphatha kakubi ngesondo* nako konke ukungcola okanye ukunyoluka makungathethwa nokuthethwa ngako phakathi kwenu,+ kanye njengokuba kubafaneleyo abantu abangcwele,+ 4 nokuziphatha okulihlazo, ukuncokola ngezinto zobudenge nokuqhula ngezinto ezingcolileyo.+ Zonke ezo zinto azifanelekanga. Kunoko hlalani ninombulelo.+ 5 Kuba niyiqonda kakuhle into yokuba akukho mntu uziphatha kakubi ngesondo*+ okanye ongcolileyo okanye onyolukileyo,+ nto leyo ekukukhonza izithixo, oza kufumana ilifa kuBukumkani bukaKristu noThixo.+
6 Makungabikho mntu uniqhatha ngokucikoza into engekhoyo, kuba zizinto ezinjalo ezibangela ukuba uThixo abe nomsindo koonyana abangathobeliyo. 7 Ngoko sanukuzenza izinto abazenzayo; 8 kuba nanikhe nabubumnyama, kodwa ngoku nikukukhanya+ kuba nimanyene neNkosi.+ Qhubekani nihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya, 9 kuba ukukhanya kuthetha ukulunga kuyo yonke into, ukwenza ubulungisa nokuphila ngenyaniso.+ 10 Qhubekani niqinisekisa ngento efunwa+ yiNkosi; 11 niyeke ukwenza imisebenzi yobumnyama+ engavelisi siqhamo. Endaweni yoko, yibhenceni loo misebenzi. 12 Kuba izinto abantu abazenza emfihlekweni kuziintloni nokuzibalisa. 13 Zonke izinto ezibhencwayo zenziwa zibonakale kukukhanya, kuba yonke into eyenziwa ibonakale ikukukhanya. 14 Ngoko iZibhalo zithi: “Vuka, wena uleleyo, vuka kwabafileyo,+ yaye uKristu uza kukukhanyisela.”+
15 Ngoko hlalani nizigadile ukuba ningenzi izinto njengabantu abangezozilumko, kodwa nizenze njengezilumko, 16 nilisebenzise kakuhle ixesha,*+ kuba ixesha esiphila kulo libi. 17 Ngenxa yaloo nto, yekani ukungacingi, kodwa hlalani nijonga ukuba kuyintoni na ukuthanda kukaYehova.*+ 18 Kwakhona sanukunxiliswa yiwayini,+ nto leyo ebangela ukungalawuleki, kodwa qhubekani nigcwaliswa ngumoya kaThixo. 19 Xa nincokola, amazwi enu mawabe neendumiso, nimdumise uThixo ngeengoma; mculeleni uYehova*+ ngokungathi nidlala umculo+ ezintliziyweni zenu,+ 20 nisoloko nimbulela+ uThixo noTata wethu ngazo zonke izinto, egameni leNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.+
21 Thobelanani+ kuba nihlonipha uKristu. 22 Abafazi mababathobele abayeni babo+ ngendlela abayithobela ngayo iNkosi, 23 kuba umyeni uyintloko yomfazi wakhe+ njengokuba noKristu eyintloko yebandla,+ ekubeni engumsindisi walo mzimba. 24 Njengokuba ibandla limthobela uKristu, nabo abafazi bamele babathobele abayeni babo kuyo yonke into. 25 Bayeni, qhubekani nibathanda abafazi benu,+ kanye njengokuba noKristu walithandayo ibandla waza wazinikela ngenxa yalo,+ 26 ukuze alingcwalise, elicoca ngamanzi, oko kukuthi ngelizwi likaThixo,+ 27 ukuze alimise phambi kwakhe lilihle, lingenachaphaza, lingenamibimbi okanye nayiphi na into enjalo,+ kodwa libe ngcwele yaye lingabi nabala.+
28 Ngendlela efanayo, abayeni bafanele babathande abafazi babo njengokuba beyithanda imizimba yabo. Umyeni omthandayo umfazi wakhe uyazithanda, 29 kuba akukho mntu owakha wawucaphukela umzimba wakhe; kodwa uyawondla aze awuthande, kanye njengokuba noKristu elondla aze alithande ibandla, 30 kuba singamalungu omzimba wakhe.+ 31 “Ngenxa yeso sizathu, indoda iza kumshiya utata nomama wayo, ithi nca* emfazini wayo, baze babe nyama-nye.”+ 32 Le mfihlelo engcwele+ inkulu. Ndithetha ngoKristu kunye nebandla.+ 33 Ngoko ke, ngamnye wenu makamthande umfazi wakhe,+ kanye njengokuba ezithanda; kwelinye icala, umfazi umele amhloniphe kakhulu umyeni wakhe.+