Matthew - Chapter 23

Verse 1: Khona uJesu wakhuluma ezixukwini nakubafundi bakhe,

Verse 2: wathi: “Ababhali nabaFarisi bahlezi esihlalweni sikaMose.

Verse 3: Ngakho-ke konke abanitshela khona, kwenzeni, nikugcine, kodwa ningenzi njengemisebenzi yabo; ngokuba bayakhuluma, bangenzi;

Verse 4: babopha imithwalo enzima, bayibeke emahlombe abantu; kepha bona abavumi ukuyifukula ngomunwe wabo.

Verse 5: “Kepha imisebenzi yonke yabo bayenza ukuba babonwe ngabantu; amafilakteriyu abo bawenza abe banzi, bawenze abe makhulu amachopho.

Verse 6: Bathanda izindawo ezingenhla ekudleni nezihlalo eziphambili emasinagogeni,

Verse 7: nokubingelelwa ezigcawini, nokubizwa ngabantu ngokuthi ‘Rabi’.

Verse 8: “Kepha nina maningabizwa ngokuthi ‘Rabi’; ngokuba munye umfundisi wenu, nina nonke ningabazalelwane.

Verse 9: Ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo; ngokuba munye uyihlo, osezulwini.

Verse 10: Futhi ningabizwa ngokuthi abaholi; ngokuba munye umholi wenu, uKristu.

Verse 11: Kodwa omkhulu kini akabe yisikhonzi senu.

Verse 12: Kepha yilowo nalowo oziphakamisayo uzakuthothiswa, nalowo ozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.

Verse 13: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu! Ngokuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukungena.

Verse 14: Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nidla izindlu zabafelokazi, nangokuzenzisa nenza imikhuleko emide! Ngalokho-ke niyakwamukeliswa ukulahlwa okukhulu.

Verse 15: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nihamba ulwandle nomhlaba ukuba nithole nokuba iproselite lilinye, lithi selaba njalo nilenze indodana yesihogo ngokuphindiwe kunani!

Verse 16: “Maye kinina baholi abayizimpumputhe enithi: ‘Ofunga ithempeli akulutho, kodwa ofunga igolide lethempeli uzibophile!’

Verse 17: Ziwula, zimpumputhe, ngokuba yikuphi okukhulu kunegolide nethempeli elingcwelisa igolide na?

Verse 18: Futhi: ‘Yilowo ofunga i-altare akulutho, kodwa ofunga umnikelo ophezu kwalo uzibophile.’

Verse 19: Zimpumputhe, yikuphi okukhulu kunomnikelo ne-altare elingcwelisa umnikelo na?

Verse 20: Ngakho-ke ofunga i-altare ufunga lona nakho konke okuphezu kwalo.

Verse 21: Nofunga ithempeli ufunga lona nohlezi kulo.

Verse 22: Nofunga izulu ufunga isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu nohlezi phezu kwaso. 23:22 Math. 5:34.

Verse 23: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nithela okweshumi kwesinkuntshane, nokwentshungu, nokodonqa, niyeke okunzima komthetho: ukwahlulela nesihawu nokukholwa! Benimelwe ukwenza lokhu, ningakuyeki nalokho.

Verse 24: Baholi abayizimpumputhe, nihluza insensane, niginge ikamela.

Verse 25: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazensizi, ngokuba nihlambulula ingaphandle lenkezo nesitsha, kepha ngaphakathi kugcwele impango nokuhuheka!

Verse 26: Mfarisi oyimpumputhe, hlanza kuqala ingaphakathi lenkezo, ukuze kuhlanzeke nengaphandle layo.

Verse 27: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nifana namaliba acakiweyo abonakala emahle ngaphandle, kanti ngaphakathi agcwele amathambo abafileyo nokungcola konke!

Verse 28: Kanjalo nani ngaphandle nibonakala kubantu nilungile, kanti ngaphakathi nigcwele ukuzenzisa nobubi.

Verse 29: “Maye kinina babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nakha amaliba abaprofethi, nihlobisa amathuna abalungileyo!

Verse 30: Nithi: ‘Uma sasikhona emihleni yawobaba, sasingayikuhlanganyela nabo egazini labaprofethi.’

Verse 31: Kanjalo niyazifakazela nina ukuthi ningamadodana ababulala abaprofethi.

Verse 32: Nani gcwalisani isilinganiso sawoyihlo.

Verse 33: “Zinyoka, nzalo yamabululu, niyakukubalekela kanjani ukulahlwa kwasesihogweni na?

Verse 34: Ngakho-ke, bhekani, mina ngithuma kini abaprofethi, nabahlakaniphileyo, nababhali; abanye kubo niyakubabulala, nibabethele; abanye niyakubashaya emasinagogeni enu, nibaxoshe imizi ngemizi

Verse 35: 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.

Verse 36: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Konke lokhu kuyakufika phezu kwalesi sizukulwane.

Verse 37: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaprofethi nokhanda ngamatshe abathunyelwe kuwe, kukangaki ngithanda ukubuthela ndawonye abantwana bakho njengesikhukukazi sibuthela amazinyane aso phansi kwamaphiko aso, kepha anivumanga.

Verse 38: Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani.

Verse 39: Ngokuba ngithi kini: Anisayikungibona nize nithi: ‘Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.’ ”