1 UJesu wakhuluma kubo njalo ngemizekeliso wathi: 2 “Umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyalungisela indodana yayo idili lomthimba. 3 Yathuma izinceku zayo kulabo ababenxusiwe edilini ukuba beze kodwa bala ukuza.

4 Yaphinda yathuma ezinye izinceku yathi, ‘Batsheleni labo abanxusiweyo ukuthi sengililungisile idili. Ngihlabe inkabi lenkomo ezinonisiweyo, konke sekulungile. Wozani edilini lomthimba.’

5 Kodwa kabakunanzanga lokho, bazihambela, omunye waya ensimini yakhe, omunye emsebenzini wakhe. 6 Abanye bazibamba izinceku zayo, bazihlukuluza bazibulala. 7 Inkosi yathukuthela. Yathumela impi yayo yababhuqa labobabulali yatshisa idolobho labo.

8 Yasisithi ezincekwini zayo, ‘Idili lomthimba selilungile kodwa labo engibanxusileyo bebengasafanele ukuza. 9 Hambani liye emahlanganweni ezindlela linxuse loba ngubani elimbonayo.’ 10 Ngakho izinceku zangena ezitaladini zabutha bonke abantu ezababonayo, abalungileyo lababi, indlu yomthimba yagcwala izethekeli.

11 Kodwa kwathi inkosi ingena ukuzabona izethekeli, yananzelela khonapho indoda eyeyingavunulanga izigqoko zomthimba. 12 Yabuza yathi, ‘Mngane, ungene njani lapha ungelazigqoko zomthimba?’ Indoda yatsha amathe.

13 Inkosi yasitshela izinceku zayo yathi, ‘Mbopheni izandla lezinyawo limphosele ngaphandle ebumnyameni, lapho okuzakuba khona ukukhala lokugedla kwamazinyo.’

14 Ngoba banengi ababiziweyo kodwa balutshwana abakhethiweyo.”

15 Lapho-ke abaFarisi basuka baphuma bayaceba ukuthi bambambe ngamazwi akhe. 16 Bathuma abafundi babo kuye behamba lamaHerodiya. Bathi, “Mfundisi, siyazi ukuthi uyindoda eqotho lokuthi ufundisa indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokweqiniso. Kawusuye uthathekile ngoba kawulani lokuthi bangobani. 17 Sitshele-ke, uthini ngalokhu? Kusemthethweni na ukuthela kuKhesari kumbe hatshi?”

18 UJesu ngokwazi inhloso yabo embi wathi, “Lina bazenzisi, lenzani lizama ukungithiya na? 19 Ake lingitshengise uhlamvu lwemali okuthelwa ngayo.” Bamlethela idenari, 20 wasebabuza wathi, “Ngumfanekiso kabani lo? Njalo luphawu lukabani lolu?”

21 Baphendula bathi, “NgokukaKhesari.”

Wasesithi kubo, “Phanini uKhesari okungokukaKhesari loNkulunkulu okungokukaNkulunkulu.”

22 Bathi besizwa lokhu bamangala. Ngakho basuka kuye bahamba.

23 Ngalelolanga abaSadusi, abathi kakukho ukuvuka kwabafileyo, beza kuye belombuzo. 24 Bathi, “Mfundisi, uMosi wasitshela wathi, nxa indoda ingafa ingazalanga mntwana, umfowabo kamthathe umfelokazi amzalele abantwana. 25 Kwakulabafowabo abayisikhombisa phakathi kwethu. Wathatha owakuqala wasesifa, kwathi ngoba engazuzanga mntwana watshiyela umkakhe umfowabo. 26 Kwaphinda lokho kowesibili lowesithathu njalo kwaze kwaba ngowesikhombisa. 27 Ekucineni wafa lowomfazi. 28 Pho-ke, ekuvukeni kwabafileyo uzakuba ngumkabani phakathi kwabayisikhombisa njengoba bonke babemthethe?”

29 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Liyalahleka ngoba kaliyazi imibhalo lamandla kaNkulunkulu. 30 Ekuvukeni kwabafileyo abantu kabayikuthatha loba bendiswe; bazakuba njengezingilosi ezulwini. 31 Kodwa mayelana lokuvuka kwabafileyo, kalibalanga yini lokho uNkulunkulu akutsho kini ukuthi, 32 ‘NginguNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, uNkulunkulu ka-Isaka loNkulunkulu kaJakhobe’*U-Eksodasi 3.6? KasuNkulunkulu wabafileyo kodwa owabaphilayo.”

33 Kwathi amaxuku abantu esizwa lokhu amangaliswa yikufundisa kwakhe.

34 AbaFarisi sebezwile ukuthi uJesu wayesebathulisile abaSadusi, bahlangana ndawonye. 35 Omunye wabo owayeyisazi somthetho wamlinga ngombuzo wathi, 36 “Mfundisi, yiwuphi umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni?”

37 UJesu waphendula wathi, “ ‘Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.’†UDutheronomi 6.5 38 Yiwo owokuqala njalo odlula yonke imilayo. 39 Owesibili unjengawo: ‘Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’‡ULevi 19.18 40 Wonke uMthetho labaPhrofethi kweyeme kuyonale imilayo emibili.”

41 Kwathi abaFarisi behlangene ndawonye uJesu wababuza wathi, 42 “Licabangani ngoKhristu? Uyindodana kabani?”

Baphendula bathi, “Yindodana kaDavida.”

43 Wathi kubo, “Kungani pho uDavida wathi ekhuluma ngoMoya umbiza athi ‘Nkosi’? Ngoba uthi,