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1 Kuba ndithanda ukuba nikwazi ukuba kukhulu kwako ukuzama endikuzamayo ngenxa yenu, nabo baseLawodike, nabo bonke abangabubonanga ubuso bam ngokwenyama;2 ukuze zithuthuzelwe iintliziyo zabo, bebandakanyiwe ngothando, kusingise kuyo yonke indyebo yokuqonda okuqinisekileyo, kusingise ekwazini imfihlelo kaThixo uYise, nekaKristu,3 ekufihlwe kuye bonke ubutyebi bobulumko nobokwazi.

4 Nditsho ke, ukuze kungabikho bani unilukuhlayo ngentetho egudileyo.5 Kuba nangona ndingekhoyo ngenyama, khona ngomoya ndinani, ndivuya, ndibona ulungelelwano lwenu, nokuzimaseka kokukholwa kwenu kuKristu.6 Njengokuba ngoko namamkelayo uKristu Yesu iNkosi, hambani kuye, nendele nakhelwe kuye,7 naqiniswa ngokholo, njengoko nafundiswayo nafezeka kulo, ninombulelo.8 Lumkani, kungabikho bani unithimbayo ngayo intanda-bulumko, nangokulukuhla okungento yanto, ngokwesithethe sabantu, ngokweziqalelo zehlabathi, kungengokukaKristu.9 Ngokuba kuhleli kuye konke ukuzaliseka kobuThixo ngokomzimba;10 kanjalo nigqibelele kuye, oyintloko yabo bonke ubulawuli negunya;11 enathi kuye naluswa nokwaluswa ngolwaluko olungenakwenziwa ngazandla, ngako ukuhluba umzimba wenyama, ngalo ulwaluko lukaKristu;12 ningcwatywe naye elubhaptizweni; enathi nikuye, navuswa nokuvuswa naye, ngokukholwa kwenu kukusebenza kukaThixo, owamvusa kubo abafileyo.

13 Nani, nifile nje ziziphoso nakukungaluki kwenyama yenu, unidlise ubomi ndawonye naye, enixolele zonke iziphoso.14 Ewucimile umbhalo wesandla owalana nathi, owawumelene nathi ngayo imimiselo, uwususile ke kanye, ngokuwubethelela emnqamlezweni;15 ebabhunyule obalawuli nomagunya, wabenza isibonelo ekuhleni, ememelela ngabo ekuwo umnqamlezo.

16 Makungabikho mntu ngoko unigwebayo ngento edliwayo, nangento eselwayo, nangendawo yomthendeleko, nangenyanga ethwasileyo, nangeesabatha;17 ezisisithunzi sezinto eziza kuza; ke sona isiqu sesikaKristu.18 Makungabikho namnye unilahlekanisa nomvuzo wenu, ethanda ukwenjenjalo ngokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokunqula izithunywa zezulu, engena ezintweni angazibonanga, efumana wakhukhumaliswa yiyo ingqiqo yenyama yakhe,19 engabambe yona iNtloko, ekuphuma kuyo ukuthi umzimba wonke ukhule ngokukhulisa kukaThixo, uncedwa, ubandakanywa ngako konke ukuxhomekelelana kwamalungu nemisipha.20 Ukuba ngoko nafa noKristu, nakhululeka kuzo iziqalelo zehlabathi, yini na ukuba ninge nisadla ubomi ngokwabehlabathi, nimiselwe imimiselo21 (eyokuthi, Musa ukuphatha, musa ukungcamla, musa ukuchukumisa,22 kanti zonke ezi zinto zezonakaliswa kukudliwa), nenze ngokwemithetho neemfundiso zabantu?23 Okunene zizinto ezo ezidunyelwe bubulumko ngokunqula okuzithandelayo, nangokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokubandezela umzimba, kodwa kungengambeko yanelisa inyama.