1 Ngalezonsuku kwaphinde kwabuthana elinye ixuku labantu. Kwathi ngoba bengelalutho lokudla uJesu wabiza abafundi bakhe wathi kubo, 2 “Ngilosizi ngalaba abantu; sebebe lami okwensuku ezintathu, kodwa bengadli lutho. 3 Ngingababuyisela emakhaya belambile bazayatha endleleni ngoba abanye babo bavela khatshana.”

4 Abafundi bakhe baphendula bathi, “Kodwa kungaphi endaweni emi yodwa kanje umuntu angathola khona izinkwa ezanele ukubapha?”

5 UJesu wababuza wathi, “Lilezinkwa ezingaki na?”

Bathi, “Eziyisikhombisa.”

6 Wasetshela ixuku labantu ukuthi lihlale phansi. Wathi esezithethe izinkwa eziyisikhombisa njalo esebongile, wazihlephula waziqhubela abafundi bakhe ukuba baqhubele abantu. Lakanye benza khonokho. 7 Njalo babelenhlanzi ezincane ezimbalwa, wazikhulekela lazo wathi abafundi bazabele abantu. 8 Abantu badla basutha. Ngemva kwalokho abafundi badobha imvuthu kwagcwala izitsha eziyisikhombisa. 9 Ababekhona kwakungamadoda azinkulungwane ezine. Esebabuyisele emakhaya, 10 wangena esikepeni labafundi bakhe baya emangweni waseDalimanutha.

11 AbaFarisi beza baqalisa ukumbuza uJesu. Bamlinga ngokuthi kabatshengise isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini. 12 Wakhokha umoya ngamandla wathi, “Kungani isizukulwane lesi sicela isibonakaliso? Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, kakulasibonakaliso esizakuphiwa lesisizukulwane.” 13 Wasesuka kubo wabuyela esikepeni wachaphela ngakwelinye iphetsheya.

14 Abafundi bakhohlwa ukuza lesinkwa ngaphandle kwesisodwa ababelaso esikepeni. 15 UJesu wabaxwayisa wathi, “Limukani, liqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi lekaHerodi.”

16 Bakhulumisana ngalokhu bathi, “Utsho ngoba singelasinkwa.”

17 UJesu wakunanzelela ababekukhuluma, wasebabuza wathi, “Kungani likhuluma ngokungabi lasinkwa na? Lilokhu lingaboni njalo lingazwisisi na? Inhliziyo zenu sezintunyile na? 18 Kungani lithi lilamehlo lehluleke ukubona, lilezindlebe lehluleke ukuzwa? Kalikhumbuli yini? 19 Ngize ngihlephunele abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu izinkwa ezinhlanu labutha izitsha ezingaki zemvuthu?”

Bathi, “Ezilitshumi lambili.”

20 “Ngize ngihlephunele abazinkulungwane ezine izinkwa eziyisikhombisa labutha imvuthu kwaba yizitsha ezingaki na?”

Baphendula bathi, “Eziyisikhombisa.”

21 Wasesithi kubo, “Lilokhu lingezwisisi yini?”

22 Bafika eBhethisayida, abanye abantu baletha indoda eyayiyisiphofu bancenga uJesu ukuba ayibeke izandla. 23 Wasithatha isiphofu leso wasibamba ngesandla wasiholela ngaphandle komuzi. Esekhafulele emehlweni aso wasibeka izandla uJesu wabuza wathi, “Kukhona okubonayo na?”

24 Sathalaza sathi, “Ngibona abantu; bakhangeleka njengezihlahla ezihambahambayo.”

25 UJesu waphinde wabeka izandla zakhe emehlweni ayo indoda leyo. Amehlo ayo avuleka, yabona kuhle, isibona zonke izinto kakuhle. 26 UJesu wayibuyisela ekhaya layo wathi, “Ungayi edolobheni ukuyakhuluma ngale indaba.”

27 UJesu labafundi bakhe baya emizini eduze leKhesariya Filiphi. Besendleleni wababuza wathi, “Kambe abantu bathi ngingubani?”

28 Baphendula bathi, “Abanye bathi unguJohane uMbhaphathizi; abanye bathi ungu-Elija; njalo abanye bathi ungomunye wabaphrofethi.”

29 Wasebabuza wathi, “Kodwa lina-ke? Lithi ngingubani?”

UPhethro waphendula wathi, “UnguKhristu.”

30 UJesu wabaqonqosela ukuthi bangatsheli muntu ngaye.

31 Waqalisa ukubafundisa ngokuthi iNdodana yoMuntu imele ihlupheke kakhulu, yaliwe ngabadala bebandla, abaphristi abakhulu labafundisi bomthetho, njalo lokuthi kumele ibulawe kuthi ngemva kwensuku ezintathu ivuke njalo. 32 Wakukhuluma kamhlophe lokho, uPhethro wamdonsela eceleni waqalisa ukumkhuza.

33 Kodwa waphenduka wakhangela abafundi bakhe, wasemkhuza uPhethro wathi, “Suka emuva kwami, Sathane! Kawunakani ngezinto zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngezinto zabantu.”

34 Wasebiza ixuku labantu kanye labafundi bakhe wathi, “Nxa umuntu efuna ukungilandela, kumele azidele athathe isiphambano sakhe angilandele. 35 Ngoba yilowo ofuna ukulondoloza impilo yakhe izamlahlekela, kodwa olahlekelwa yimpilo yakhe ngenxa yami kanye levangeli uzayilondoloza. 36 Kumsizani umuntu ukuzuza wonke umhlaba, kodwa alahlekelwe ngumphefumulo wakhe? 37 Loba, kuyini umuntu angakunika kube yinhlawulo yomphefumulo wakhe na? 38 Nxa umuntu eyangeka ngami kanye lamazwi ami kulesi isizukulwane esifebayo lesonayo, iNdodana yoMuntu izakuyangeka ngaye nxa isifika enkazimulweni kaYise lezingilosi ezingcwele.”

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