Matthew 18
1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Ngalesosikhathi abafundi beza kuJesu babuza bathi, “Ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu na?”
2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them
Wabiza umntwana omncinyane wamisa phakathi kwabo.
3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Wasesithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, ngaphandle kokuba liguquke libe njengabantwana abancinyane, kalisoze lafa langena embusweni wezulu.
4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ngakho lowo ozithobayo njengomntwana lo nguye omkhulu kulabo bonke embusweni wezulu.
5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
Njalo lowo owamukela umntwana omncane njengalo ebizweni lami wamukela mina.”
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
“Nxa umuntu ekhubekisa oyedwa walaba abancinyane abakholwa kimi ukuthi enze isono, kungabangcono kuye ukuthi kulengiswe entanyeni yakhe inkalakatha yembokodo yokuchola agaluliswe enzikini yolwandle.
7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
Maye kuwo umhlaba ngenxa yezinto ezenza abantu benze isono! Izinto ezinjalo zivele ziyafika kodwa maye kulowomuntu ezifika ngaye!
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the consummate (aiōnios g166) fire.
Nxa isandla sakho loba unyawo lwakho kukwenzisa isono, kuqume ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini kumbe ugogekile kulokuba lezandla zombili kumbe inyawo zombili uphoselwe emlilweni ongapheliyo. (aiōnios g166)
9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna (Geenna g1067) of fire.
Nxa ilihlo lakho likwenzisa isono, likopole ulilahle. Kungcono kuwe ukungena ekuphileni ulelihlo elilodwa kulokuba lamehlo amabili kodwa uphoselwe esihogweni somlilo.” (Geenna g1067)
10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
“Nanzelelani ukuthi lingeyisi lamunye walaba abancinyane. Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi izingilosi zabo zezulu zihlezi zibona ubuso bukaBaba ezulwini. [
11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
INdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukusindisa okwakulahlekile.]
12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does not he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
Kambe likhumbulani? Nxa indoda ilezimvu ezilikhulu, enye iqambuke kwezinye, kayiyikuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezintabeni iyedinga leyo eqambukileyo?
13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
Ithi ingayithola, ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, iyathokoza ngaleyo ukwedlula lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye ezingazange zilahleke.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Ngokufanayo, uYihlo osezulwini kafisi ukuthi lamunye walaba abancinyane abhubhe.”
15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
“Nxa umfowenu ekona, yana kuye umtshengise isiphambeko sakhe lilodwa lobabili. Nxa ekulalela usumzuzile umfowenu.
16 But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Kodwa nxa engakulaleli, biza omunye loba ababili ukuze ‘indaba yonke ivele obala ilabofakazi ababili loba abathathu.’
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
Nxa esala ukubalalela, tshela ibandla, nxa esala ukulilalela lalo ibandla mthatheni njengomhedeni kumbe njengomthelisi.
18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, loba yini eliyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo lokho elikuthukululayo emhlabeni kuzathukululwa lasezulwini.
19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
Njalo ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi nxa ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana loba ngalutho bani abalucelayo bazalwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
Ngoba lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona lami.”
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
UPhethro weza kuJesu wabuza wathi, “Nkosi, umfowethu loba udadewethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngithi hatshi kasikhombisa kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Ngakho umbuso wezulu unjengenkosi eyayifuna ukuqeda izikwelede zayo lezinceku zayo.
24 When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
Yathi isiqalisa ukuthonisa kwalethwa kuyo indoda eyayilesikwelede samathalenta azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
25 But because he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Kwathi ngoba ingelamandla okuhlawula inkosi yalaya ukuthi yona, umkayo, abantwana lakho konke eyayilakho kuthengiswe ukuze kuqedwe umlandu.
26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
Inceku yaguqa phambi kwenkosi yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizahlawula konke.’
27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
Inkosi yenceku leyo yayizwela usizi, yayithethelela, yawesula umlandu yayiyekela yahamba.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
Kodwa leyo yonela ukuphuma, yafumana eyinye inceku eyayilesikwelede sayo samadenari alikhulu. Yayibamba ngomphimbo, yayiklinya, yathi ngolaka, ‘Hlawula isikwelede sami!’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’
Leyonceku layo yawa ngamadolo yayincenga yathi, ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakuhlawula.’
30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.
Kodwa yona yala. Endaweni yalokho, yahamba yenza ukuba leyondoda iphoselwe entolongweni ize iqale ihlawule isikwelede.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
Kwathi ezinye izinceku sezibonile okwakwenzakele, zathukuthela kakhulu zayaceba enkosini ngalokho okwenzakeleyo.
32 Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
Inkosi yayibiza leyonceku, yathi, ‘Wena nceku embi. Ngikuthethelele, ngasesula sonke isikwelede sakho ngoba ungincengile.
33 Should not you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
Kungani pho ungazwelanga omunye wakho isihawu njengalokhu ngenzile kuwe?’
34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.
Inkosi yayo yathukuthela kakhulu, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele ukuthi bayihlukuluze ize isihlawule sonke isikwelede.
35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you do not each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Yiyo le indlela uBaba osezulwini azaphatha ngayo lowo lalowo wenu nxa lingathetheleli abazalwane kuphuma enhliziyweni.”
