2 Corinthians 5
1 We know that [these bodies] we live in [here in this world are like] [MET] tents. [They are like temporary living/dwelling places]. [So we should not be concerned about what happens to our bodies]. We know that if we are killed {if [someone] kills us}, God will give us [permanent living places. Those permanent living places] [MET] will not be houses that people have made. They [will be new bodies in which we will live forever] in heaven. (aiōnios g166)
Siyakwazi ukuthi nxa ithente lethu lasemhlabeni lidilizwa, silesakhiwo esivela kuNkulunkulu, indlu yaphakade ezulwini, engakhiwanga ngezandla zabantu. (aiōnios g166)
2 [While we are here on earth, we suffer]. We often groan because we desire [to go] to heaven [where God] will give us our new [bodies] [MET].
Okwakhathesi siyabubula, sifisa ukwembeswa ngekhaya lethu lasezulwini,
3 When [God gives us(inc) our new bodies] [MET], our [spirits will have] [LIT, MET] bodies to live in [that will last forever].
ngoba nxa sesembesiwe kasiyikutholakala sinqunu.
4 [It is true that] while we are still living in these bodies [MET] [that do not last forever], we often groan [DOU] [because we desire to be free from them]. We are not longing to be without a body. Instead, [we groan because] we desire to receive our new bodies [MET] in heaven. We long for this to happen so that these bodies that are going to die some day will suddenly be changed [into bodies] that will live [forever].
Ngoba nxa sisesekuleli ithente, siyabubula njalo siyasindwa ngoba kasifisi ukwembulwa kodwa ukwembeswa ngekhaya lethu lasezulwini ukuze okufayo kuginywe yikuphila.
5 It is God himself who has prepared us to [receive] these [new bodies]. He is also the one who has guaranteed/assured us [(inc)] that this will happen. He has guaranteed it by sending his Spirit [to live inside us now].
UNkulunkulu nguye owasidala ngenxa yale injongo njalo wasinika uMoya njengesibambiso, eqinisa okuzayo.
6 So, [because God’s Spirit lives in us], we are always confident [that God will give us new bodies]. We know that as long as we have bodies here on [earth], we are not yet [living together] with the Lord [Jesus in heaven].
Ngakho sihlezi silethemba njalo siyakwazi ukuthi nxa sisesekhaya emzimbeni, sikhatshana leNkosi.
7 While we [(exc)] live [here, we] do not have our [new bodies, but we are] trusting [that God will give them to us].
Ngoba siphila ngokukholwa hatshi ngokubona.
8 [As I said], we [(exc)] are confident [that he will give us new bodies]. We [(exc)] would much prefer to leave these bodies [which we have now], and be with the Lord [Jesus in our] home in [heaven].
Ngithi silethemba njalo ngingakhetha ukuba khatshana lomzimba ngisekhaya kanye leNkosi.
9 Because of all that, we always want to please [Jesus in everything that we do]. Whether we [(exc)] are [still living] here [in these] bodies or whether we have [left] them and are living in our home [in heaven], we want to please him.
Ngakho sikwenza kube yinjongo yethu ukuyithokozisa, langabe sisekhaya emzimbeni loba kude lawo.
10 [And we need to try hard to do that] because each one of us [believers] must stand before Christ [to be] judged [by him] {[when he will] judge [his people]}. [At that time] he will [reward each one of] us according to what we have done [while we lived in this world] in these bodies. [He will reward us according to] whether we have done good things or whether we have done evil things.
Ngoba sonke kumele sime phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKhristu ukuze lowo lalowo amukele okumfaneleyo, okwezinto azenzayo esemzimbeni, langabe ngezinhle loba ezimbi.
11 It makes me fearful [to think that some day I will stand before the Lord for him to judge me]. So I [do everything that I can to] convince people [that they should believe] (OR, [that I teach] sincerely) [God’s message]. God knows very well [how I conduct my life and what I teach], and I really believe that you know it, too.
Ngakho njengoba sikwazi ukuthi ukwesaba iNkosi kuyini, siyazama ukubancenga abantu. Lokhu thina esiyikho kusobala kuNkulunkulu njalo ngithemba kusobala lakuzazela zenu.
12 Once again [I say, as I write this], I am not just [trying to] make you think well/highly of me, [as some people will probably say that I am]. Instead, I am [telling you in this letter why you have] good reason [to tell those who criticize me] that you think highly of me. [I am telling you this] so that you will know what to say to those [teachers of false doctrine among you]. They are proud [of what they have done], instead of [making sure that] they [are right with God and being pleased with that].
Kasizami ukuzibika kini futhi kodwa silinika ithuba lokuba lizigqaje ngathi, ukuze lenelise ukubaphendula labo abazigqaja ngokubonakalayo endaweni yalokho okusenhliziyweni.
13 [Some of them say that after God has enabled me to see visions], I [talk like] a crazy person. If [that is so, I want you to realize that I talk that way in order to please] God. On the other hand, if [you think that] I [speak and act] wisely, [that is good. I want you to know that I do] speak and act wisely in order to [help] you.
Nxa sesiphambene ingqondo, kungenxa yokwenzela kwethu uNkulunkulu; nxa siphelele engqondweni, senzela lina.
14 [I speak and act the way I do] because the love that Christ [has for people] influences me [in everything that I say and do]. When Christ died, [he suffered the punishment] for [the sins of] all people. So, we should all [think of ourselves as having] died with him, [being as unresponsive to sinful desires as] [MET] a corpse is.
Ngoba uthando lukaKhristu luyasifuqa, ngoba siyakholwa ukuba oyedwa wafela bonke, ngakho bonke bafa.
15 When [Christ] died for the everyone, he died in order that [we believers who are alive now] should not conduct our lives in a way that will just [please ourselves]. Instead, [we should conduct our lives in a way that will please] Christ, [because] he is the one who died for us and was brought back to life {whom [God] raised} again.
Wafela abantu bonke ukuze abaphilayo bangaziphileli bona ngokwabo kodwa lowo owabafelayo wavuswa njalo.
16 So, [because I realize how much Christ loves everyone], I no longer think about people in the way that those who do not believe [in Christ] think about [them]. Before I [was a believer], I thought about Christ in the way that other non-believers did. But I do not think of him that way any more.
Ngakho-ke, kusukela khathesi kusiya phambili kasikhangeli muntu ngengqondo yasemhlabeni. Lanxa sake sakhangela uKhristu ngale indlela, kasisakwenzi.
17 The fact is that God makes every one [of us] who [trusts] in Christ to be completely different [than we were before]. Our old [way of conducting our lives] is gone. We now have a [completely] new way of [conducting our lives].
Ngakho-ke, nxa umuntu ekuKhristu, uyisidalwa esitsha; okudala akusekho, sekufike okutsha.
18 This [complete change in our lives] is all something that God [does]. It is God who made it possible for us to have a peaceful relationship with him. [He was able to do that] because of what Christ [did for us]. Now God [has sent] me, and those [who work] with me, to tell [people that they] can have a peaceful relationship with him.
Konke lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu owasibuyisela kuye ngoKhristu wasinika imfundiso yokubuyisana:
19 That is, [he sent us(exc) to tell them that] when Christ [died], God was [making it possible for everyone] [MTY] in the world to have a peaceful relationship with him. He no longer keeps a record of the sinful things that [we believers] have done. The message that [God] has given to us [to tell people is how we can have a] peaceful relationship with him.
ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebuyisa umhlaba kuye ngoKhristu, abantu engababaleli izono zabo. Njalo usesinike ilizwi lokubuyisana.
20 So, it is I and my companions who are Christ’s representatives [in this world. When we tell people the message about Christ], it is God himself who is pleading with them by means of what we [say]. So, as true representatives of Christ, we plead with you: [Believe God’s true message about Christ in order that you may] be reconciled to {have a peaceful relationship with} him.
Ngokunjalo, singabameli bakaKhristu, ngokungathi uNkulunkulu wenza isikhalazo sakhe ngathi. Siyalincenga simele uKhristu sithi: Buyisanani loNkulunkulu.
21 [You must believe that even though] Jesus never sinned, God [punished him for all the] sinful things [that people do, just] as [if Jesus had done those sinful things himself]. And because of our close relationship with Christ, God has erased the record of our sins/declared us no longer guilty for our sins.
UNkulunkulu wamenza waba yisono owayengelasono ngenxa yethu ukuze kuthi kuye sibe yikulunga kukaNkulunkulu.
