1 Bantwana lalelani abazali benu eNkosini ngoba lokhu kulungile. 2 “Hlonipha uyihlo lonyoko,” okungumlayo wakuqala olesithembiso, 3 “ukuze kukulungele lokuba ube lempilo ende emhlabeni.”*UDutheronomi 5.16

4 Bobaba†Kumbe Bazali, lingabathukuthelisi abantwana benu kodwa bondleni ngokufundisa langokulaya kweNkosi.

5 Zisebenzi, lalelani amakhosi enu asemhlabeni ngenhlonipho langokwesaba, langobuqotho benhliziyo, ngendlela elingalalela ngayo uKhristu. 6 Lingawalaleli ukuba liwathokozise nje kuphela nxa elikhangele kodwa njengezisebenzi zikaKhristu, lisenza intando kaNkulunkulu kuvela ezinhliziyweni zenu. 7 Sebenzani ngenhliziyo yonke kube sengathi lisebenzela iNkosi hatshi abantu 8 ngoba liyakwazi ukuthi iNkosi izakupha umuntu wonke umvuzo ngenxa yokuhle akwenzayo loba eyisigqili kumbe ekhululekile.

9 Lani makhosi phathani izigqili zenu ngendlela efanayo. Lingazisongeli njengoba likwazi ukuthi lowo oyiNkosi yazo leyenu usezulwini njalo akukho ubandlululo kuye.

10 Ekucineni, qinani eNkosini lasemandleni ayo amakhulu. 11 Fakani isihlangu esipheleleyo sikaNkulunkulu ukuze lenelise ukumelana lamacebo kaSathane. 12 Ngoba kasilwi lenyama legazi kodwa silwa lababusi, lemibuso kanye lamandla omhlaba lo ogcwele ubumnyama, silwe njalo lamabutho emimoya emibi emibusweni yasemazulwini. 13 Ngakho-ke, fakani isihlangu esipheleleyo sikaNkulunkulu ukuze kuthi lapho usuku lobubi lufika libe lamandla okuma kuthi lalapho selenze konke, lime. 14 Manini liqine, ibhanti leqiniso libotshelwe ngensimbi ezinkalweni zenu, lesihlangu sasesifubeni sokulunga sisendaweni yaso, 15 lezinyawo zenu zigqokiswe zalungiselelwa ngokuvela evangelini lokuthula. 16 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, thathani ihawu lokukholwa elizacitsha ngalo yonke imitshoko yomubi evuthayo. 17 Thathani ingowane yokusindiswa lenkemba kaMoya eyilizwi likaNkulunkulu.

18 Khulekani ngoMoya ezikhathini zonke ngezinhlobo zonke zemikhuleko lezicelo. Lilalokhu emicabangweni, qaphelani liqhubeke kokuphela libakhulekela bonke abantu beNkosi abangcwele. 19 Lami lingikhulekele ukuba kokuphela lapho ngivula umlomo wami, ngiphiwe amazwi ukuze ngitshumayele ngesibindi imfihlakalo yevangeli, 20 engingumeli walo ngibotshwe ngamaketane. Khulekani ukuba ngilitshumayele ngesibindi njengokumele ngikwenze.

21 UThikhikhasi umzalwane othandekayo loyinceku ethembekileyo eNkosini uzalitshela konke ukuze lani lazi ukuba nginjani kanye lengikwenzayo. 22 Ngimthuma kini ngenjongo yokuthi likwazi ukuthi sinjani lokuthi alikhuthaze.

23 Ukuthula kakube kubazalwane, lothando lokukholwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu uYise laseNkosini uJesu Khristu.

24 Umusa kawube kubo bonke abayithandayo iNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu ngothando olungapheliyo.

<- Abase-Efesu 5