Mathewu Chapter 23

1. Khona uJesu wakhuluma ezixukwini nakubafundi bakhe,

2. wathi: “Ababhali nabaFarisi bahlezi esihlalweni sikaMose.

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

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

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

6. Bathanda izindawo ezingenhla ekudleni nezihlalo eziphambili emasinagogeni,

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

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

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

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

11. Kodwa omkhulu kini akabe yisikhonzi senu.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21. Nofunga ithempeli ufunga lona nohlezi kulo.

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

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

24. Baholi abayizimpumputhe, nihluza insensane, niginge ikamela.

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

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

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

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

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

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

31. Kanjalo niyazifakazela nina ukuthi ningamadodana ababulala abaprofethi.

32. Nani gcwalisani isilinganiso sawoyihlo.

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

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

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.

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

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.

38. Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani.

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