Kwabase-Efesu
1:1 UPawulu, umphostoli kaJesu Kristu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, kubo abangcwele
abase-Efesu nakubo abakholwayo kuKristu Jesu;
1:2 Makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu
UKristu.
1:3 Makabongwe uNkulunkulu noYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, obusisile
ngezibusiso zonke zomoya ezulwini kuKristu;
1:4 njengalokho wasikhetha kuye ngaphambi kokusekelwa kwe
emhlabeni, ukuze sibe ngcwele, singasoleki phambi kwakhe othandweni;
1:5 Wasimisela ngaphambili ekuthathweni kwabantwana ngoJesu Kristu
ngokwakhe, njengokwentando yakhe,
1:6 Ukuze kudunyiswe inkazimulo yomusa wakhe, lapho asenze khona
wamukelekile kothandiweyo.
1:7 Esilokuhlengwa kuye ngegazi lakhe, ukuthethelelwa kwezono.
ngokwengcebo yomusa wakhe;
1:8 Ngalokho uye waphuphuma kithi kukho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda;
1:9 Esazisa kithi imfihlakalo yentando yakhe, ngokulunga kwakhe
intokozo azihlosileyo kuye.
1:10 Ukuze ekuhleleni ukuphelela kwezikhathi abuthe
ndawonye zonke izinto kuKristu, kokubili ezisezulwini, kanye
ezisemhlabeni; nakuye:
1:11 Kuye futhi siye sazuza ifa, njengoba simiselwe ngaphambili
ngokwenhloso yalowo osebenza zonke izinto ngokwecebo
ngentando yakhe:
1:12 Ukuze sibe yinkazimulo yenkazimulo yakhe, ngubani kuqala wathembela kuye
UKristu.
1:13 enimethembayo nani, senizwile izwi leqiniso
ivangeli lensindiso yenu, enakholwa kuye futhi
wabekwa uphawu ngalowoMoya oNgcwele wesithembiso,
1:14 eyisibambiso sefa lethu kuze kube ukukhululwa kwabangcwele
okuthengiwe, kube ludumo lwenkazimulo yakhe.
1:15 Ngakho nami, ngemva kokuzwa ukholo lwenu eNkosini uJesu, futhi
uthando kubo bonke abangcwele,
1:16 angiyeki ukubonga ngenxa yenu, nginikhumbula emikhulekweni yami;
1:17 Ukuze uNkulunkulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wenkazimulo, anikeze
kini umoya wokuhlakanipha nokwambulelwa ekumazini yena.
1:18 Amehlo okuqonda kwakho akhanyiselwe; ukuze nazi ukuthi yini
liyithemba lokubizwa kwakhe, lengcebo yenkazimulo yakhe
ifa kwabangcwele,
1:19 Futhi buyini ubukhulu obudlulele bamandla akhe kithi esikholwayo?
ngokokusebenza kwamandla akhe amakhulu.
1:20 Wasebenza kuKristu, lapho emvusa kwabafileyo, futhi ehlezi
ngakwesokunene sakhe ezindaweni zasezulwini;
1:21 Ngaphezu kwakho konke ukubusa, namandla, namandla, nokubusa, kanye
lonke igama elibizwayo, kungesikho kulomhlaba kuphela, kodwa nakulelo gama
uyeza:
1:22 Futhi ubeke zonke izinto ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe, futhi wamnika ukuba abe inhloko phezu
konke ebandleni,
1:23 Okungumzimba wakhe, ukugcwala kwakhe ogcwalisa konke kukho konke.