1 UPhetro 2
1 Ngakho lahlani ububi bonke lobuqili bonke lokuzenzisa lomhawu lokuhleba konke,
Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
2 njengezingane ezisanda ukuzalwa, fisani uchago olungaqungwanga lwelizwi, ukuze likhuliswe ngalo,
as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,
3 uba-ke selinambithile ukuthi iNkosi ilomusa.
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 Elizayo kuyo, ilitshe eliphilayo, elaliwa isibili ngabantu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu likhethiwe, liligugu,
Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5 lani njengamatshe aphilayo lakhiwe indlu yokomoya, ubupristi obungcwele, ukuze linikele imihlatshelo yokomoya eyemukelekayo kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu.
You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Ngakho kukhona lembhalweni ukuthi: Khangela ngiyabeka eSiyoni ilitshe lengonsi, elikhethiweyo eliligugu; lokholwa kuye kasoze ayangeke.
Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
7 Ngakho kini elikholwayo uligugu; kodwa kwabangalaleliyo, ilitshe abakhi abalalayo, leli selibe yinhloko yengonsi,
For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 lelitshe lokukhubekisa, ledwala lokuwisa; abakhubeka elizwini, bengalaleli; okuyikho labo ababekumiselwe;
and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
9 kodwa lina liluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abatholiweyo, ukuze litshumayele jikelele ukulunga kwalowo owalibiza livela emnyameni laya ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo;
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called 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 not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Bathandekayo, ngiyalincenga njengabemzini lezihambi ukuthi lizithinte enkanukweni zenyama, ezilwa lomphefumulo;
Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 lilokuhamba okuhle phakathi kwabezizwe, ukuze kuthi, ekulihlebeni njengabenzi bobubi, ezenzweni ezinhle abazibonileyo bangadumisa uNkulunkulu osukwini lokuhanjelwa.
having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Ngakho zehliseleni ngaphansi kwaso sonke isimiso sabantu ngenxa yeNkosi; loba kuyinkosi, njengebusayo;
Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme,
14 loba kubabusi, njengabathunywe yiyo ekujezisweni kwabenzi bobubi, kodwa kube lodumo lwabenzi bokuhle.
or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.
15 Ngoba injalo intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuthi ngokwenza okuhle lifake isayeke emlonyeni wokungazi kwabantu abayizithutha;
For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 njengabakhululekileyo, kodwa lingabi lenkululeko njengesigubuzelo sobubi, kodwa njengezigqili zikaNkulunkulu.
Live as free people, yet not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
17 Hloniphani bonke. Thandani ubuzalwane. Mesabeni uNkulunkulu. Hloniphani inkosi.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Zinceku, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwamakhosi ngokwesaba konke, kungeyisikho kulawo alungileyo lamnene kuphela, kodwa lakulawo angaqondanga.
Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
19 Ngoba lokhu kungumusa, uba umuntu ethwala izinhlupheko ngenxa yesazela kuNkulunkulu, ehlupheka ngokungafanelanga.
For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.
20 Ngoba kulenzuzo bani, uba lisona beselitshaywa libekezela? Kodwa uba lisenza okuhle njalo lihlupheke libekezela, lokhu kungumusa kuNkulunkulu.
For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
21 Ngoba labizelwa lokho, ngoba uKristu laye wasihluphekela, esitshiyela isibonelo, ukuze lilandele izinyathelo zakhe;
For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,
22 ongenzanga isono, lenkohliso kayificwanga emlonyeni wakhe;
who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
23 owathi ethukwa kazaphindisela ngokuthuka, ehlupheka kazasongela, kodwa wazinikela kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga;
When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
24 yena ngokwakhe owathwala izono zethu emzimbeni wakhe esihlahleni, ukuze kuthi, sesifile esonweni, siphile ekulungeni; okungemivimvinya yakhe lisilisiwe.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.
25 Ngoba lalinjengezimvu ezilahlekayo; kodwa khathesi selibuyele kuMelusi loMbonisi wemiphefumulo yenu.
For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
