1Ngaleso sikhathi abafundi basondela kuJesu, bathi: “Ngubani omkhulu embusweni wezulu na?”
2UJesu wayesebiza umntwana, wammisa phakathi kwabo,
3wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: uma ningaphenduki nibe njengabantwana, anisoze nangena embusweni wezulu.
4Ngakho-ke yilowo nalowo oyakuzithoba njengalo mntwana, nguyena omkhulu embusweni wezulu.
5Nalowo oyakwemukela umntwana onje abe munye ngegama lami, uyangamukela Mina.
6“Kepha okhubekisa abe munye kulaba abancinyane abakholwa yimi, kungcono kuye ukuba itshe elikhulu lokusila ligaxwe entanyeni yakhe, azikiswe ekujuleni kolwandle.
7“Maye, kulo izwe ngenxa yezikhubekiso! Ngokuba izikhubekiso zimelwe ukufika, kodwa maye kulowo muntu esiza ngaye isikhubekiso!
8Kepha uma isandla sakho sikukhubekisa noma ngabe wunyawo lwakho, kunqume, ukulahle. Kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uyingini noma ulunyonga, kunokuba uphonswe emlilweni ongunaphakade unezandla zombili nezinyawo zombili.
9Uma iso lakho likukhubekisa, likhiphe, ulilahle. Ngokuba kungcono kuwe ukuba ungene ekuphileni uneso elilodwa, kunokuba uphonswe esihongweni somlilo unamehlo omabili.
10Qaphelani ukuba ningadeleli namunye kulaba abancinyane, ngokuba ngithi kini: izingelosi zabo ezulwini zibubona njalo ubuso bukaBaba osezulwini.
11Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu ize ukuzosindisa okulahlekileyo.”
12“Nicabangani ngalokhu na? Uma umuntu enezimvu eziyikhulu, bese kuduka eyodwa kuzo, akayukuzishiya yini ezingama-99 ezintabeni, ahambe ayofuna edukileyo na?
13Kuthi lapho eyithola, ngiqinisile ngithi kini, uthokoza kakhulu ngayo kunangalezi ezingama-99 ebezingadukile.
14Kanjalo-ke, akusiyo intando kaYihlo osezulwini ukuba kubhubhe noyedwa kulaba abancinyane.
15“Kepha uma umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole ninodwa. Uma ekulalele, uyobe umzuzile.
16Kepha uma engakulaleli, thatha abe munye noma babe babili, ukuze konke okuzodingidwa kuqiniswe ngomlomo wofakazi ababili noma abathathu.
17Uma enqaba ukubezwa, tshela ibandla; uma engafuni ukulalela ngisho nalo ibandla, makabe njengowezizwe nomthelisi kuwe.
18“Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: noma yikuphi eniyakukubopha emhlabeni, kuyobe kuboshiwe ezulwini; nanoma yikuphi eniyakukukhulula emhlabeni, kuyobe kukhululiwe ezulwini.
19“Ngiqinisile futhi ngithi kini: uma ababili kini emhlabeni bevumelana noma ngaluphi udaba abalucelayo, bayakwenzelwa nguBaba osezulwini.
20“Ngokuba lapho kuhlangene khona ababili noma abathathu egameni lami, ngikhona lapho phakathi kwabo.”
21Kwase kusondela uPhethro, wathi kuye: “Nkosi, umfowethu uyakungona kuze kube kangaki ngilokhu ngimthethelela na? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?”
22UJesu wathi kuye: “Angisho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa kuze kube kama-70 aphindwe kasikhombisa.
23“Ngakho-ke umbuso wezulu ufaniswa nomuntu oyinkosi, obethanda ukubala akukweletwa yizinceku zakhe.
24Kwathi eseqalile ukubala, kwalethwa kuye omunye owayekweleta amathalenta ayizi-10 000.
25Kepha engenalutho lokukhokha, inkosi yayala ukuba kuthengiswe ngaye, ngomkakhe, nabantwana bakhe nangakho konke ayenakho, ukuze kukhokhwe isikweletu.
26Ngakho-ke inceku yawa phansi, yakhuleka kuyo, yathi: ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakukukhokhela konke.’
27Inkosi yaleyo nceku inesihe, yayikhulula, yayithethelela icala.
28“Kepha kwathi iphuma nje leyo nceku, yahlangana nenye yezinceku ezikanye nayo eyayiyikweleta odenariyu abayikhulu, yayibamba, yayiklinya, ithi: ‘Khokha lokho ongikweleta khona.’
29“Nokho inceku ekanye nayo yawa phansi, yayincenga yathi: ‘Ake ungibekezelele, ngizakukukhokhela.’
30Kepha ayivumanga, kunalokho yahamba yayifaka ejele, ize isikhokhe sonke isikweletu sayo.
31“Izinceku ezikanye nayo zathi ukuba zikubone okwenzekileyo, zadabuka kakhulu, zahamba zayobika enkosini yazo konke okwenzekileyo.
32Inkosi yayo yayibiza, yathi kuyo: ‘Nceku embi, ngikuthethelele isikweletu sakho ngokuba ungincengile.
33Pho kungani wena ungayihawukelanga inceku efana nawe, njengalokhu nami ngikuhawukele na?’
34Inkosi yayo yathukuthela, yayinikela kubaphathi bejele, ize isikhokhe isikweletu sayo.
35“Kanjalo-ke noBaba osezulwini uyakwenza lokho kini, uma ningathetheleli ngezinhliziyo zenu kube yilowo nalowo umfowabo.”