1 Njengezisebenzi zikaNkulunkulu siyalincenga ukuba lingamukeli umusa kaNkulunkulu ngeze. 2 Ngoba uthi:
“Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo kimi ngalizwa,
langosuku lokusindiswa ngalisiza.”*U-Isaya 49.8
Zwanini, khathesi sekuyisikhathi esifaneleyo, khathesi lusuku lokusindiswa.
Inhlupheko ZikaPhawuli
3 Kasibeki zikhubekiso endleleni yomuntu ukuze imfundiso yethu ingasolwa. 4 Kodwa, njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu sizethula ngazozonke izindlela: ngokubekezela okukhulu; ekuhluphekeni, ebunzimeni kanye lasezinsizini; 5 ekutshayweni, ekuvalelweni entolongweni laseziphithiphithini; ukusebenza nzima, ukungalali ebusuku kanye lendlala; 6 ukuhlambuluka, ukuqedisisa, ukubekezela kanye lomusa, ngoMoya oNgcwele langothando oluqotho, 7 ngokukhuluma iqiniso langamandla kaNkulunkulu; ngezikhali zokulunga esandleni sokudla lesenxele; 8 ngodumo langehlazo, ukukhulunyelwa kubi lokukhulunyelwa kuhle; siqotho, kodwa sikhangelwa njengabakhohlisi; 9 siyaziwa kodwa sikhangelwa njengabangaziwayo, abafayo, kodwa siqhubeka siphila; siyatshaywa kodwa kasibulawa, 10 sisosizini kodwa sihlezi sijabula; simpofu kodwa sinothisa abanengi; kasilalutho kodwa silezinto zonke.
11 Sikhulume kini sikhululekile, maKhorinte, sazivula ngokupheleleyo inhliziyo zethu kini. 12 Kasilugodli uthando lwethu kini kodwa lina liyalugodla olwenu kithi. 13 Okungaba yikuphana okuhle, ngikhuluma njengasebantwaneni bami, lani zivuleni ngokupheleleyo inhliziyo zenu kithi.
Lingadlelani Labangakholwayo
14 Lingahlanganyeli labangakholwayo. Ngoba ukulunga lobubi kulokuhambelana bani na? Loba yibudlelwano bani obungaba khona phakathi kokukhanya lobumnyama na? 15 Yikuzwana bani okukhona phakathi kukaKhristu loBheliyali na? Yikuhambelana bani okholwayo alakho longakholwayo na? 16 Yisivumelwano bani esikhona phakathi kwethempeli likaNkulunkulu lezithombe na? Ngoba thina silithempeli likaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Njengoba uNkulunkulu wathi:
“Ngizahlala labo
ngihambe phakathi kwabo
njalo ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wabo
bona babengabantu bami.ӠULevi 26.12; UJeremiya 32.38; UHezekhiyeli 37.27
17 Ngakho,
“phumani kubo
lehlukane labo,
kutsho iNkosi.
Lingathinti lutho olungcolileyo,
mina ngizalemukela.”‡U-Isaya 52.11; UHezekhiyeli 20.34, 41
18 Njalo,
“mina, ngizakuba nguYihlo,
lina lizakuba ngamadodana lamadodakazi ami,