1 Thessalonians 1
1 [I], Paul, [am writing this letter]. Silas and Timothy [are with me]. [We(exc) are sending this letter] to [you who are] the congregation [of believers] in Thessalonica [city]. We [(inc)] all [worship] (OR, [trust in]) God [our] Father [MET] and [our] Lord Jesus Christ. [We three desire/pray that God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, will continue to] act kindly toward you and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.
UPawuli loSilivanu loTimothi, kubandla labeThesalonika kuNkulunkulu uBaba, leNkosi uJesu Kristu: Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu, leNkosi uJesu Kristu.
2 We always thank God for you all [when] we mention you while we pray (OR, [when] we pray [for you]).
Sibonga uNkulunkulu ngezikhathi zonke ngani lonke, siliphatha emikhulekweni yethu,
3 [We thank God because] we continually remember that you work [for God because] you trust [in him] and you earnestly/energetically help people because you love them. You also endure [it when people cause you to suffer]. You endure it because you confidently expect that our Lord Jesus Christ [will soon return from heaven to rescue you]!
sikhumbula ngokungaphezi isenzo senu sokholo, lomsebenzi onzima wothando, lokuqina kwethemba eNkosini yethu uJesu Kristu, phambi kukaNkulunkulu loBaba wethu;
4 My fellow believers whom God loves, we [also thank him because] we know that he chose you [to become his people].
sisazi, bazalwane abathandiweyo nguNkulunkulu, ukukhethwa kwenu;
5 We know that he chose you because [when] we told that message to you, we did not speak only words. The Holy Spirit [helped us to speak] powerfully/effectively, and he strongly assured [us that he was powerfully working in you by means of] the message [about Christ] that we [told to you. You yourselves know that], because you know how we spoke and how we conducted ourselves when we were with you, in order that [we might help] you.
ngoba ivangeli lethu kalifikanga kini ngelizwi kuphela, kodwa langamandla, langoMoya oNgcwele, langokuqiniswa okukhulu, njengoba lisazi ukuthi sasinjani phakathi kwenu ngenxa yenu.
6 We also [know that God chose you] because we have now heard that you have endured your troubles when [people] caused you to suffer very much [because you believed in Christ]. You endured just like the Lord [Jesus Christ] endured, and just like we did [when people caused us to suffer]. At that time you were joyful because the Holy Spirit caused you to be joyful.
Lani laba ngabalingisi bethu labeNkosi, selilemukele ilizwi ekuhluphekeni okukhulu lilentokozo kaMoya oNgcwele,
7 As a result [of your joyfully enduring your troubles], all the believers who live in Macedonia and Achaia [provinces have heard how firmly you trust God. So they know that they should firmly trust in God] as you do.
laze laba yizibonelo kubo bonke abakholwayo eMakedoniya leAkaya.
8 Other people have heard you tell the message [from] the Lord [Jesus]. Then they also have proclaimed the message to people who live throughout Macedonia and Achaia [provinces]. Not only that, but [people who live] in many far-away places [HYP] have heard that you trust in God. As a result, we do not need to tell people [what God has done in your lives].
Ngoba kini kwezwakala ilizwi leNkosi, kungeyisikho eMakedoniya leAkaya kuphela, kodwa ukholo lwenu kuNkulunkulu lwaphumela lakuyo yonke indawo, okokuthi kwakungasadingeki ukuthi sikhulume ulutho.
9 People [who live far from you are telling others what happened when we were with you]. They also report that you stopped [worshipping things that] ([you/your ancestors]) [considered to be] gods and now you worship God. [As a result], you serve the God who is all-powerful and who is the real God.
Ngoba bona uqobo lwabo balandisa ngathi ukuthi saba lokungena okunjani kini, lokuthi laphendukela njani kuNkulunkulu livela ezithombeni, ukuthi likhonze uNkulunkulu ophilayo loweqiniso,
10 They tell us that now you wait expectantly for his Son [to return to earth] from heaven. You firmly believe that God caused him to live again after he died. You believe also that Jesus will rescue [all of] us, [who trust in him], from [God’s] punishing us [MTY].
lilindele iNdodana yakhe ivela emazulwini, ayivusa kwabafileyo, uJesu osihlangula elakeni oluzayo.
