KwabaseFiliphi 1

1 UPawuli loTimothi, izinceku zikaJesu Kristu, kubo bonke abangcwele kuKristu Jesu abaseFiliphi, kanye lababonisi labadikoni:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

2 Umusa kawube kini lokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu leNkosini uJesu Kristu.

Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekulikhumbuleni konke,

I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you,

4 ngezikhathi zonke kuwo wonke umkhuleko wami ngani lonke ngincenga ngentokozo,

always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy,

5 ngokuhlanganyela kwenu evangelini, kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube khathesi;

because of your communion in the Gospel of Christ, from the first day even until now.

6 ngilethemba lakhona lokhu, ukuthi owaqalisa umsebenzi omuhle kini uzawuphelelisa kuze kube sosukwini lukaJesu Kristu;

I am confident of this very thing: that he who has begun this good work in you will perfect it, unto the day of Christ Jesus.

7 njengoba kulungile kimi ukuthi ngikhumbule lokhu ngani lonke, ngoba ngilani enhliziyweni, ukuthi lekubotshweni kwami, lekuvikeleni lekuqiniseleni ivangeli, lina lonke lingabahlanganyeli bomusa wami.

So then, it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, and because, in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.

8 Ngoba uNkulunkulu ungumfakazi wami, wokuthi ngililangatha kangakanani lonke emibilini kaJesu Kristu.

For God is my witness how, within the heart of Jesus Christ, I long for all of you.

9 Njalo ngikhuleka lokhu, ukuthi uthando lwenu luvame-ke lusanda ngokwanda elwazini lekuqedisiseni konke,

And this I pray: that your charity may abound more and more, with knowledge and with all understanding,

10 ukuze lizivume izinto ezinhle kakhulu, ukuze lihlambuluke lingasoleki kuze kube sosukwini lukaKristu,

so that you may be confirmed in what is better, in order that you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ:

11 ligcwaliswe ngezithelo zokulunga ezingoJesu Kristu, ebukhosini lodumo lukaNkulunkulu.

filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, in the glory and praise of God.

12 Kodwa ngithanda ukuthi lazi, bazalwane, ukuthi izinto ezangehlelayo zenza kakhulu ukuqhutshelwa phambili kwevangeli;

Now, brothers, I want you to know that the things concerning me happened for the advancement of the Gospel,

13 zize izibopho zami kuKristu zibonakale esigodlweni sonke lakwabanye bonke,

in such a way that my chains have become manifest in Christ in every place of judgment and in all other such places.

14 labazalwane abanengi eNkosini, beqiniswe ngezibopho zami, sebelesibindi esikhulu sokukhuluma ilizwi ngokungesabi.

And many from among the brothers in the Lord, becoming confident through my chains, are now much bolder in speaking the Word of God without fear.

15 Abanye kambe batshumayela uKristu ngomona langombango, labanye kambe ngenhliziyo enhle;

Certainly, some do so even because of envy and contention; and others, too, do so because of a good will to preach Christ.

16 laba batshumayela uKristu ngokuphikisana, bengelaqiniso, besithi baletha ukuhlupheka ekubotshweni kwami;

Some act out of charity, knowing that I have been appointed for the defense of the Gospel.

17 kodwa labo ngothando, besazi ukuthi ngimiselwe ukuvikela ivangeli.

But others, out of contention, announce Christ insincerely, claiming that their difficulties lift them up to my chains.

18 Kuyini pho? Loba kunjalo kuyo yonke indlela, loba ekuzenziseni, kumbe eqinisweni, uKristu uyatshunyayelwa; kulokhu-ke ngiyathokoza, yebo ngizathokoza futhi.

But what does it matter? As long as, by every means, whether under pretext or in truthfulness, Christ is announced. And about this, I rejoice, and moreover, I will continue to rejoice.

19 Ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuzaphendukela kimi esindisweni ngomkhuleko wenu, langokwelekelela kukaMoya kaJesu Kristu,

For I know that this will bring me to salvation, through your prayers and under the ministration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 njengokulindela okukhulu lethemba lami, ukuthi kangiyikuyangiswa ngalutho, kodwa ngesibindi sonke, njengesikhathi sonke, lakhathesi uKristu uzakhuliswa emzimbeni wami, loba ngempilo, kumbe ngokufa.

by means of my own expectation and hope. For in nothing shall I be confounded. Instead, with all confidence, now just as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

21 Ngoba kimi ukuphila kunguKristu, lokufa kuyinzuzo.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 Kodwa uba ukuphila enyameni kuyisithelo somsebenzi kimi, lengizakukhetha kangikwazi.

And while I live in the flesh, for me, there is the fruit of works. But I do not know which I would choose.

23 Ngoba ngiminyezelwe ngokubili; ngilesifiso sokusuka lokuba loKristu, okungcono kakhulukazi;

For I am constrained between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is the far better thing,

24 kodwa ukuhlala enyameni kuyasweleka kakhulu ngenxa yenu.

but then to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake.

25 Njalo ngilalelithemba ngiyazi ukuthi ngizakuba khona, ngihlale lani lonke, ekuqhubekeni kwenu lentokozweni yokholo,

And having this confidence, I know that I shall remain and that I shall continue to remain with all of you, for your advancement and for your joy in the faith,

26 ukuze ukuzincoma kwenu ngami kwengezwe kuKristu Jesu kimi, ngobukhona bami kini futhi.

so that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, through my return to you again.

27 Kuphela hambani ngokufanele ivangeli likaKristu, kuze kuthi, loba ngifika ngilibona, loba ngingekho, ngizwe indaba zenu, zokuthi limi emoyeni munye, ngangqondonye lilwela ukholo lwevangeli ndawonye,

Only let your behavior be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I return and see you, or whether, being absent, I hear about you, still you may stand firm with one spirit, with one mind, laboring together for the faith of the Gospel.

28 njalo lingethuswa ngalutho ngabaphikisayo; okuyisibonakaliso kubo sokubhubha, kodwa kini esosindiso, njalo lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu;

And in nothing be terrified by the adversaries. For what is to them an occasion of perdition, is to you an occasion of salvation, and this is from God.

29 ngoba lanikwa ngesihle esikhundleni sikaKristu, kungeyisikho ukukholwa kuye kuphela, kodwa lokumhluphekela;

For this has been given to you on behalf of Christ, not only so that you may believe in him, but even so that you may suffer with him,

30 lilokulwa okufananayo njengalokho elakubona kimi, lelikuzwa kimi khathesi.

engaging in the same struggle, of a kind which you also have seen in me, and which you now have heard from me.