Kwabase-Efesu 1
1 UPawuli, umphostoli kaJesu Kristu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, kubo abangcwele abaseEfesu, labathembekileyo kuKristu Jesu:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu laseNkosini uJesu Kristu.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Ubusisiwe uNkulunkulu loYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, osibusisileyo ngaso sonke isibusiso somoya ezintweni zezulwini kuKristu;
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 njengoba wasikhetha kuye ngaphambi kokusekelwa komhlaba, ukuthi sibe ngcwele, njalo singasoleki phambi kwakhe ethandweni,
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,
5 esesimisele ngaphambili ukuma kwabantwana kuye ngoJesu Kristu, njengokufisa okuhle kwentando yakhe,
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
6 kube ludumo lobukhosi bomusa wakhe, asiphe wona ngesihle ngaye oThandiweyo;
to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favour in the Beloved.
7 esilohlengo kuye ngegazi lakhe, uthethelelo lweziphambeko, njengokwenotho yomusa wakhe,
In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
8 awengezelele kithi kuyo yonke inhlakanipho lokuqonda,
which he made to abound towards us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 esesazisile imfihlo yentando yakhe, njengokufisa kwakhe okuhle, akumisa kuye ngokwakhe,
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
10 ukuze, ekuphatheni kokugcwaliseka kwezikhathi, ahlanganise ndawonye izinto zonke kuKristu, zombili ezisemazulwini lezisemhlabeni;
to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.
11 ngitsho kuye, lathi esabelwa ilifa kuye, esamiselwa ngaphambili njengokwesimiso sakhe owenzayo izinto zonke njengokwecebo lentando yakhe,
We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,
12 ukuze sibe ngabodumo lobukhosi bakhe, esathemba kuKristu kuqala;
to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.
13 eselithemba kuye lani, selizwile ilizwi leqiniso, ivangeli losindiso lwenu; kuye selikholiwe lani laphawulwa nguMoya oNgcwele wesithembiso,
In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 oyisibambiso selifa lethu, kube yikuhlengwa okuzuziweyo, kudumo lobukhosi bakhe.
who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
15 Ngenxa yalokho lami sengizwile ngokholo lwenu eNkosini uJesu lothando kubo bonke abangcwele,
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is amongst you and the love which you have towards all the saints,
16 kangiyekeli ukulibongela, ngiliphatha emikhulekweni yami;
don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
17 ukuze uNkulunkulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wodumo, alinike umoya wenhlakanipho lowesambulo elwazini lwakhe;
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 amehlo engqondo yenu akhanyiswe, ukuze lazi ukuthi liyini ithemba lobizo lwakhe, lokuthi iyini inotho yodumo lwelifa lakhe kwabangcwele,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 lokuthi buyini ubukhulu bamandla akhe obudlula amalawulo kithi esikholwa njengokusebenza kobuninimandla bamandla akhe,
and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20 awasebenzisa kuKristu, emvusa kwabafileyo, njalo emhlalisa ngakwesokunene sakhe endaweni zezulu,
which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 phezulu kakhulu kwakho konke ukubusa lobukhulu lamandla lobukhosi, lebizo lonke elibizwayo, kungeyisikho kulesisikhathi kuphela, kodwa lakwesizayo; (aiōn g165)
far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
22 wasebeka konke ngaphansi kwenyawo zakhe, wamnikela ukuba yinhloko phezu kwakho konke kulo ibandla,
He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
23 elingumzimba wakhe, ukugcwala kwalowo ogcwalisa konke kukho konke.
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
