1 UPhetro 2
1 Ngakho lahlani ububi bonke lobuqili bonke lokuzenzisa lomhawu lokuhleba konke,
So give up all the evil things that you do: all your dishonesty, hypocrisy, and jealousy, all the ways you speak badly about others.
2 njengezingane ezisanda ukuzalwa, fisani uchago olungaqungwanga lwelizwi, ukuze likhuliswe ngalo,
You should become like newborn babies who only want pure spiritual milk, so you can grow in salvation
3 uba-ke selinambithile ukuthi iNkosi ilomusa.
now you've tasted how good the Lord really is.
4 Elizayo kuyo, ilitshe eliphilayo, elaliwa isibili ngabantu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu likhethiwe, liligugu,
As you come to him—the living stone that people rejected as useless, but is chosen by God and precious to him—
5 lani njengamatshe aphilayo lakhiwe indlu yokomoya, ubupristi obungcwele, ukuze linikele imihlatshelo yokomoya eyemukelekayo kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu.
you also become like living stones, being built into a spiritual house. You are a holy priesthood that offers spiritual sacrifices that God welcomes through Jesus Christ.
6 Ngakho kukhona lembhalweni ukuthi: Khangela ngiyabeka eSiyoni ilitshe lengonsi, elikhethiweyo eliligugu; lokholwa kuye kasoze ayangeke.
As Scripture says, “See! I'm setting in Zion its main cornerstone, specially-chosen and valuable. Whoever trusts in him will not be disappointed.”
7 Ngakho kini elikholwayo uligugu; kodwa kwabangalaleliyo, ilitshe abakhi abalalayo, leli selibe yinhloko yengonsi,
He is very valuable to you who do trust. But for those who don't, “The stone the builders rejected that became the main cornerstone”
8 lelitshe lokukhubekisa, ledwala lokuwisa; abakhubeka elizwini, bengalaleli; okuyikho labo ababekumiselwe;
is “The stone that trips you up and the rock that makes you fall.” People stumble over this message because they refuse to accept it—which for them is entirely predictable.
9 kodwa lina liluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abatholiweyo, ukuze litshumayele jikelele ukulunga kwalowo owalibiza livela emnyameni laya ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo;
In complete contrast, you are a specially-chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Consequently you can reveal the wonderful things he's done, calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 elalikade lingeyisibo abantu, kodwa khathesi lingabantu bakaNkulunkulu; elalingahawukelwanga, kodwa khathesi selihawukelwe.
In the past you were nobodies, but now you are God's people. In the past you hadn't received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Bathandekayo, ngiyalincenga njengabemzini lezihambi ukuthi lizithinte enkanukweni zenyama, ezilwa lomphefumulo;
My friends, I'm pleading with you as foreigners and strangers in this world not to give in to physical desires that are in conflict with what is spiritual.
12 lilokuhamba okuhle phakathi kwabezizwe, ukuze kuthi, ekulihlebeni njengabenzi bobubi, ezenzweni ezinhle abazibonileyo bangadumisa uNkulunkulu osukwini lokuhanjelwa.
Be sure to act appropriately when you're with non-Christians, so even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see the good things you do and glorify God when he comes.
13 Ngakho zehliseleni ngaphansi kwaso sonke isimiso sabantu ngenxa yeNkosi; loba kuyinkosi, njengebusayo;
Obey human authority for the Lord's sake, whether it is the king as the highest authority,
14 loba kubabusi, njengabathunywe yiyo ekujezisweni kwabenzi bobubi, kodwa kube lodumo lwabenzi bokuhle.
or governors that God appoints to punish those who do evil and to commend those who do good.
15 Ngoba injalo intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuthi ngokwenza okuhle lifake isayeke emlonyeni wokungazi kwabantu abayizithutha;
By doing what is good and right God wants you to silence the ignorant accusations of foolish people.
16 njengabakhululekileyo, kodwa lingabi lenkululeko njengesigubuzelo sobubi, kodwa njengezigqili zikaNkulunkulu.
Yes, you are free people! So don't use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but live as God's servants.
17 Hloniphani bonke. Thandani ubuzalwane. Mesabeni uNkulunkulu. Hloniphani inkosi.
Respect everyone. Show your love to the community of believers. Have reverence for God. Respect the king.
18 Zinceku, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwamakhosi ngokwesaba konke, kungeyisikho kulawo alungileyo lamnene kuphela, kodwa lakulawo angaqondanga.
If you are a servant then submit to your master—not just those who are good and kind, but those who are harsh masters as well.
19 Ngoba lokhu kungumusa, uba umuntu ethwala izinhlupheko ngenxa yesazela kuNkulunkulu, ehlupheka ngokungafanelanga.
For this is what grace is: to endure life's pain and unfair suffering, keeping your focus on God.
20 Ngoba kulenzuzo bani, uba lisona beselitshaywa libekezela? Kodwa uba lisenza okuhle njalo lihlupheke libekezela, lokhu kungumusa kuNkulunkulu.
However, there's no credit when you're punished for doing something wrong. But if you suffer for doing what is good and right, and you put up with it, then God's grace is with you.
21 Ngoba labizelwa lokho, ngoba uKristu laye wasihluphekela, esitshiyela isibonelo, ukuze lilandele izinyathelo zakhe;
In fact this is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and gave you an example, so you should follow in his footsteps.
22 ongenzanga isono, lenkohliso kayificwanga emlonyeni wakhe;
He never sinned, he never lied;
23 owathi ethukwa kazaphindisela ngokuthuka, ehlupheka kazasongela, kodwa wazinikela kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga;
and when he was badly treated, he didn't retaliate. When he suffered, he didn't threaten to take revenge. He simply placed himself in the hands of the one who always judges rightly.
24 yena ngokwakhe owathwala izono zethu emzimbeni wakhe esihlahleni, ukuze kuthi, sesifile esonweni, siphile ekulungeni; okungemivimvinya yakhe lisilisiwe.
He took the consequences of our sins on himself in his body on the cross, so that we could die to sin and live rightly. “By his wounds you are healed.”
25 Ngoba lalinjengezimvu ezilahlekayo; kodwa khathesi selibuyele kuMelusi loMbonisi wemiphefumulo yenu.
At one time you were like sheep who had lost their way, but now you've returned to the Shepherd—the one who watches over you.
