Isahluko 9
1 Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKristu, angiqambi amanga, unembeza wami ufakazelana nami eMoyeni oNgcwele
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ukuthi nginokudabuka okukhulu nobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami.
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Ngokuba ngingafisa ukuba mina uqobo ngibe ngoqalekisiweyo kuKristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami abangabakithi ngokwenyama;
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bona bangabakwa-Israyeli, okungesabo isimo sobuntwana nenkazimulo, nezivumelwano, nokumiswa komthetho, nenkonzo, nezithembiso,
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abangababo okhokho avela kubo uKristu ngokwenyama, yena onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, obongekayo kuze kube phakade. Amen.
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Akusikho okungathi izwi likaNkulunkulu liphuthile. Ngokuba asibo bonke abavela ku-Israyeli abangabakwa-Israyeli;
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nakuba beyinzalo ka-Abrahama, bonke abasibo abantwana, kodwa kuthiwa: “Ngo-Isaka iyakubizwa inzalo yakho.”
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Lokhu kungukuthi akusibo abantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu labo, kodwa abantwana besithembiso bathiwa inzalo.
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Ngokuba lingelesithembiso leli zwi lokuthi: “Ngalesi sikhathi ngizakufika; khona uSara uzakuba nendodana.”
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Akuyilokhu kuphela, kodwa kwaba njalo nakuRebeka ekhulelisiwe ngoyedwa, u-Isaka, ukhokho wethu;
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ngokuba bengakazalwa, bengakenzi okuhle nokubi, ukuze icebo likaNkulunkulu eliya ngokukhetha lime,
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kungabi ngemisebenzi, kodwa kube ngaye obizayo, kwashiwo kuye ukuthi: “Omkhulu uyakukhonza omncane,”
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njengalokho kulotshiwe ukuthi: “UJakobe ngamthanda, kepha u-Esawu ngamzonda.”
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Ngakho siyakuthini na? Kukhona yini ukungalungi kuNkulunkulu na? Qha nakanye.
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Ngokuba kuMose uthi: “Ngizakumhawukela engimhawukelayo, ngimzwele engimzwelayo.”
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Ngakho-ke akuyi ngentando nangokuzikhathaza komuntu, kodwa kuya ngokuhawukela kukaNkulunkulu.
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Ngokuba umbhalo uthi kuFaro: “Ngakuphakhamisela khona lokhu ukuba ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe nokuba igama lami lishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”
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Ngakho uhawukela lowo athanda ukumhawukela, umenza lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza lukhuni.
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Usuzakuthi kimi: “Usasolelani yena na? Ngokuba ngubani ongamelana nentando yakhe na?”
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O, wena muntu! Ungubani-ke wena ophikisana noNkulunkulu na? Okubunjiweyo kungasho yini kowakubumbayo ukuthi: “Wangenzelani ngaba njena na?”
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Nokuba akanamandla yini umbumbi ebumbeni ukwenza ngesigaxa sisinye isitsha esinye esihloniphekayo nesinye esingahloniphekiyo na?
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Uma, pho, uNkulunkulu, ethanda ukubonakalisa ulaka nokuveza amandla akhe, wathwala ngokubekezela okukhulu izitsha zolaka ezilungiselwe ukubhujiswa
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ukuba abonakalise ingcebo yenkazimulo yakhe ezitsheni zomusa ayezilungisele inkazimulo ngaphambili,
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thina asibizayo nathi, kungesikho kubaJuda kuphela kodwa nakwabezizwe?
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Njengalokhu esho nakuHoseya ukuthi: “Ngiyakubiza abangesiso isizwe sami ngokuthi isizwe sami, nongathandiwe ngokuthi uthandiwe;
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nasendaweni lapha kwathiwa kubo: ‘Anisibo abantu bami,’ lapho bayakubizwa ngokuthi: ‘Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’ ”
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U-Isaya umemeza ngo-Israyeli, uthi: “Nokuba umumo wabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ungangesihlabathi solwandle, yinsali eyakusindiswa,
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ngokuba iNkosi iyakufeza izwi layo emhlabeni, iliphelelise, ikhawuleze,”
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njengalokho washo u-Isaya ngaphambili ukuthi: “Uma iNkosi Sebawoti ibingasishiyelanga inzalo besiyakuba njengeSodoma, sifane neGomora.”
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Ngakho siyakuthini na? Ukuthi abezizwe abangafunisisanga ukulunga batholile ukulunga, ukulunga kambe okungokukholwa;
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kepha u-Israyeli, elandela umthetho wokulunga, kafinyelelanga emthethweni.
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Ngani na? Ngokuba akubanga ngokukholwa kodwa kungathi ngemisebenzi; baqhuzuka etsheni lokuqhuzula,
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njengalokho kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Bheka, ngibeka eSiyoni itshe lokukhubekisa, nedwala lokuwisa, nokholwa yilo akayikujabha.”