Isahluko 23
1 Khona uJesu wakhuluma ezixukwini nakubafundi bakhe,
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wathi: “Ababhali nabaFarisi bahlezi esihlalweni sikaMose.
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Ngakho-ke konke abanitshela khona, kwenzeni, nikugcine, kodwa ningenzi njengemisebenzi yabo; ngokuba bayakhuluma, bangenzi;
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babopha imithwalo enzima, bayibeke emahlombe abantu; kepha bona abavumi ukuyifukula ngomunwe wabo.
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“Kepha imisebenzi yonke yabo bayenza ukuba babonwe ngabantu; amafilakteriyu abo bawenza abe banzi, bawenze abe makhulu amachopho.
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Bathanda izindawo ezingenhla ekudleni nezihlalo eziphambili emasinagogeni,
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nokubingelelwa ezigcawini, nokubizwa ngabantu ngokuthi ‘Rabi’.
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“Kepha nina maningabizwa ngokuthi ‘Rabi’; ngokuba munye umfundisi wenu, nina nonke ningabazalelwane.
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Ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo; ngokuba munye uyihlo, osezulwini.
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Futhi ningabizwa ngokuthi abaholi; ngokuba munye umholi wenu, uKristu.
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Kodwa omkhulu kini akabe yisikhonzi senu.
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Kepha yilowo nalowo oziphakamisayo uzakuthothiswa, nalowo ozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu! Ngokuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukungena.
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Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nidla izindlu zabafelokazi, nangokuzenzisa nenza imikhuleko emide! Ngalokho-ke niyakwamukeliswa ukulahlwa okukhulu.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nihamba ulwandle nomhlaba ukuba nithole nokuba iproselite lilinye, lithi selaba njalo nilenze indodana yesihogo ngokuphindiwe kunani!
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“Maye kinina baholi abayizimpumputhe enithi: ‘Ofunga ithempeli akulutho, kodwa ofunga igolide lethempeli uzibophile!’
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Ziwula, zimpumputhe, ngokuba yikuphi okukhulu kunegolide nethempeli elingcwelisa igolide na?
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Futhi: ‘Yilowo ofunga i-altare akulutho, kodwa ofunga umnikelo ophezu kwalo uzibophile.’
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Zimpumputhe, yikuphi okukhulu kunomnikelo ne-altare elingcwelisa umnikelo na?
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Ngakho-ke ofunga i-altare ufunga lona nakho konke okuphezu kwalo.
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Nofunga ithempeli ufunga lona nohlezi kulo.
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Nofunga izulu ufunga isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu nohlezi phezu kwaso.
23:22 Math. 5:34.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nithela okweshumi kwesinkuntshane, nokwentshungu, nokodonqa, niyeke okunzima komthetho: ukwahlulela nesihawu nokukholwa! Benimelwe ukwenza lokhu, ningakuyeki nalokho.
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Baholi abayizimpumputhe, nihluza insensane, niginge ikamela.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazensizi, ngokuba nihlambulula ingaphandle lenkezo nesitsha, kepha ngaphakathi kugcwele impango nokuhuheka!
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Mfarisi oyimpumputhe, hlanza kuqala ingaphakathi lenkezo, ukuze kuhlanzeke nengaphandle layo.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nifana namaliba acakiweyo abonakala emahle ngaphandle, kanti ngaphakathi agcwele amathambo abafileyo nokungcola konke!
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Kanjalo nani ngaphandle nibonakala kubantu nilungile, kanti ngaphakathi nigcwele ukuzenzisa nobubi.
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“Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nakha amaliba abaprofethi, nihlobisa amathuna abalungileyo!
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Nithi: ‘Uma sasikhona emihleni yawobaba, sasingayikuhlanganyela nabo egazini labaprofethi.’
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Kanjalo niyazifakazela nina ukuthi ningamadodana ababulala abaprofethi.
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Nani gcwalisani isilinganiso sawoyihlo.
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“Zinyoka, nzalo yamabululu, niyakukubalekela kanjani ukulahlwa kwasesihogweni na?
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Ngakho-ke, bhekani, mina ngithuma kini abaprofethi, nabahlakaniphileyo, nababhali; abanye kubo niyakubabulala, nibabethele; abanye niyakubashaya emasinagogeni enu, nibaxoshe imizi ngemizi
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ukuba kufike phezu kwenu igazi lonke elilungileyo elachithwa emhlabeni, kusukela egazini lika-Abela olungileyo kuze kube segazini likaZakariya indodana kaBarakiya enambulala phakathi kwethempeli ne-altare.
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Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke lokhu kuyakufika phezu kwalesi sizukulwane.
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“Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaprofethi nokhanda ngamatshe abathunyelwe kuwe, kukangaki ngithanda ukubuthela ndawonye abantwana bakho njengesikhukukazi sibuthela amazinyane aso phansi kwamaphiko aso, kepha anivumanga.
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Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani.
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Ngokuba ngithi kini: Anisayikungibona nize nithi: ‘Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.’ ”