Ephesians 2
1 Formerly, because you were habitually sinning [DOU], you were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as a] corpse [MET] is).
Lina lalifile eziphambekweni lasezonweni zenu,
2 You were acting in the same [evil] way as those who oppose Christ [MTY] act. That is, you were behaving in the [evil] ways [that Satan wanted you to behave]. He rules over evil spiritual beings that no person can see [MTY]. He is the spirit who now powerfully controls the people who disobey God. (aiōn g165)
elaliphila kuzo ngesikhathi lisalandela izindlela zalo umhlaba lezombusi wombuso wasemoyeni, umoya osebenzayo lakhathesi kulabo abangalaleliyo. (aiōn g165)
3 Formerly, we all used to disobey God as they do. We did the things that our self-centered nature wanted us to do. We habitually did those [evil] deeds that our bodies and our minds wanted to do. When we were acting like that, it was certain that [God] would punish [MTY] us, just like he will certainly punish all other [evil people].
Lathi sonke sake saphila phakathi kwabo ekuqaleni, sithokozisa izinkanuko zemvelo yethu yesono, silandela lezifiso kanye lemicabango yazo. Njengabanye, ngokwemvelo sasifanele ulaka.
4 But God always acts very mercifully, and he loves us very much.
Kodwa ngenxa yothando lwakhe olukhulu kithi, uNkulunkulu olesihawu esikhulu,
5 As a result, even when we were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as] a corpse [MET] is) because we were habitually sinning, he enabled us to receive [spiritual]/[eternal] life because of our relationship with Christ. [Do not forget this: It is only] because God has acted so kindly toward you, in a way that you did not deserve, that you are saved {that [he] saved you} [from the guilt of your sin]
wasenza saba ngabaphilayo loKhristu lanxa sasifile eziphambekweni, ngomusa selisindisiwe.
6 And [it is as though] God gave us spiritual life when he caused Christ Jesus to be alive again after he died [MET]. And [it is as though] God caused us to sit [and rule] [MTY] with him in heaven,
UNkulunkulu wasivusa ekufeni kanye loKhristu wasihlalisa laye ebukhosini basezulwini kuKhristu uJesu
7 in order that he might show to everyone at all times in the future that he has acted toward us in an extremely kind way because of what Christ Jesus [did for us]. (aiōn g165)
ukuze kuthi ezikhathini ezizayo atshengise inotho yomusa wakhe engeke ilinganiswe, ebalulwe yibubele bakhe kithi kuKhristu uJesu. (aiōn g165)
8 It is [only] by [God] acting [PRS] [toward you] in a way that you did not deserve that you have been saved {that he has saved you} as a result of your trusting [in Christ]. You did not save yourselves. His saving you was his gift to you.
Ngoba ngomusa lisindisiwe, kungokukholwa njalo lokhu akuveli kini, kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu,
9 He did not save any of you because of anything you yourselves did. Because you have done nothing [to save yourselves], you cannot be proud of your efforts to save yourselves.
hatshi ngemisebenzi, ukuze kungabi lozazincoma.
10 It is God who has made us what we are now. Because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, he has enabled us to receive [spiritual/eternal] life in order that we should conduct our lives habitually doing the good deeds that God previously planned for us to do.
Ngoba siyibuciko bukaNkulunkulu, sidalelwe kuKhristu uJesu ukuba senze imisebenzi emihle, uNkulunkulu ayilungisa ngaphambili ukuba siyenze.
11 You [Ephesians] have been non-Jews from the time that you were born. The Jews ([insult you/say that you are not God’s people]) [by] calling you ‘those who are not circumcised’. They [proudly] call themselves ‘we [(exc)] who are circumcised’. [They have allowed people to] circumcise [them to indicate that they are God’s people, but] that has [only] changed their bodies, [not their] ([inner beings/hearts]).
Ngakho, khumbulani ukuthi kuqala lina elingabeZizweni ngokuzalwa njalo elibizwa ngokuthi “ngabangasokanga” yilabo abazibiza ngokuthi “ngabokusoka” (lokho okwenziwa emzimbeni ngezandla zabantu),
12 You should constantly remember these things: Formerly you did not have any relationship with Christ. You did not belong to the people of Israel, [the people whom God chose]. You did not know about the things God promised in his agreements [with his people]. You did not confidently expect to go to heaven after you die (OR, [that God would save you]). You [lived] in this world without knowing God.
khumbulani ukuthi ngalesosikhathi lalehlukene loKhristu, lingabalelwa enzalweni yako-Israyeli njalo lingabezizweni kusivumelwano sesithembiso, lingelathemba njalo lingelaye uNkulunkulu emhlabeni.
13 But now, because of your relationship with Christ Jesus, God has brought you, who had no relationship with him [MET], into his family [MET]. He did that because [you trusted in what Christ accomplished when] his blood [MTY] [flowed from his body when he died on the cross].
Kodwa khathesi kuKhristu uJesu lina elake laba khatshana le selisondezwe eduzane ngegazi likaKhristu.
14 Christ himself [has caused us Jewish and non-Jewish believers] to have peace [with each other]. He has made both [of our groups] to become one [group]. [Just like people] (tear down/demolish) a wall that separates [groups of people] [MET], he has destroyed the hatred [between Jews and non-Jews].
Ngoba yena uqobo uyikuthula kwethu, yena owenza ababili baba munye, wadiliza uthango olungumduli wobutha owehlukanisayo,
15 By dying [MTY] [for us on the cross] he made it no longer [necessary for us to obey] all the [Jewish] laws and rituals [in order to be saved]. He did that in order to enable the two [groups] to become one new group because of our relationship with him. The result was that he has caused us to have peace [with each other].
ngokuchitha emzimbeni wakhe umthetho lemilayo yawo kanye lezimiso. Injongo yakhe yayingeyokudala phakathi kwakhe umuntu oyedwa njalo omutsha ngabantu ababili, ngalokho enze ukuthula,
16 By [dying on] the cross [MTY] he caused both Jews and non-Jews to have a peaceful relationship with God. That is how he caused us to no longer be [MET] enemies [with God] (OR, [with each other]).
kuthi kulo umzimba munye kube lokubuyisana kwayo yomibili kuNkulunkulu ngesiphambano, achitha ngaso ubutha bayo.
17 He came [to earth] and proclaimed that you [non-Jews], who did not have a relationship with [MET] [God], and [us(exc) Jews], who [considered that we(exc) belonged to] [MET] God’s [family], can [all] now have peace [with God].
Weza wazatshumayela ukuthula kini elalikhatshana lokuthula kulabo ababeseduzane.
18 [We know that he has done that] because we both, [Jews and non-Jews], are [now] able to approach God the Father in prayer by the help of his Spirit, because of what Christ [has done].
Ngoba ngaye sobabili siyafinyelela kuYise ngoMoya munye.
19 So [God no longer treats] you [non-Jews] as [people treat] [MET] foreigners and strangers [who live among them] [MET]. Instead, along with all God’s people, [it is as though] you have become citizens of a country that he rules over, and [as though you have become] members of the family [of which he is the father] [MET].
Ngalokho-ke, kaliseyibo bezizweni lezihambi, kodwa seliyinzalo yakithi labantu bakaNkulunkulu, kanye lamalunga abendlu kaNkulunkulu,
20 [Just like] a building is built {[as someone] builds a building} on a foundation, [God has joined you into one group that originated/began] from what the apostles and prophets [taught]. Christ Jesus is the [most important one in that group, just like a] cornerstone [is the most important part of a building]. And
lakhelwe phezu kwesisekelo sabapostoli labaphrofethi, uKhristu uJesu yena uqobo eyilitshe elikhulu lekhoneni.
21 just like [a builder might] join together all the parts of a building to make it a temple that [people will] dedicate to the Lord [MET], [Christ is continually causing all of] you who have a relationship with [him to be united, in order that you will become one holy group].
Indlu yonke ihlanganiselwe kuye njalo ikhula ukuze ibe lithempeli elingcwele eNkosini.
22 And because of your relationship with Christ, [God] is joining you [non-Jews] together with [Jewish believers] to be [like] one building [MET] in which his Spirit lives.
Lani futhi lakhelwa ndawonye kuye ukuze libe yindawo yokuhlala uNkulunkulu ahlala kuyo ngoMoya wakhe.
