UPawulos, umpostile kaYesu Kristu ngokuthanda kukaThixo, noTimoti umzalwana,

ubhalela abaseKolose, abazalwana abangcwele abakholwayo kuKristu; uthi, Makube lubabalo kuni, noxolo oluvela kuThixo uBawo wethu, neNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.

Sihlala sibulela kuye uThixo, uYise weNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu, xa sinithandazelayo,

sivile nje ngokukholwa kwenu kuKristu Yesu, nokubathanda kwenu bonke abangcwele,

ngenxa yethemba eli nalibekelwayo emazulwini; nalivayo ngenxa engaphambili ngalo ilizwi lenyaniso leendaba ezi zilungileyo;

zikhoyo kuni, njengoko zikhoyo nakulo lonke ihlabathi, zixakatha neziqhamo, kwanjengoko zixakathayo ngaphakathi kwenu, kususela kwimini enaluvayo, nalwazi, ubabalo lukaThixo ngenya, niso.

njengoko nafundayo nokufunda kuEpafra, ongumkhonzi oyintanda kunye nathi, engumlungiseleli othembekileyo kaKristu ngenxa yenu;

owasazisayo nokusazisa uthando lwenu lwaseMoyeni.

Ngenxa yoku, kususela kwimini esevayo, nathi asiphezi ukunithandazela nokunicelela, ukuze nizaliswe kukukwazi kakuhle ukuthanda kwakhe, ninokulumka nokuqonda konke okukokomoya;

ukuze nihambe ngokuyifaneleyo iNkosi, nise kuko konke ukukholisa, nixakathe isiqhamo kuwo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo, nikhulela ekumazini uThixo;

nisomelezwa ngokomelela konke, ngokokuqina kozuko lwakhe, nide nise kuko konke ukunyamezela, nokuzeka kade umsindo, kunye novuyo;

nibulela kuye uYise, owasenza sakulingana ukwahlulelwa ilifa labangcwele ekukhanyeni;

owasihlangulayo egunyeni lobumnyama, wasifudusela ebukumkanini boNyana wothando lwakhe,

esinayo kuye inkululeko ngokuhlawulelwa ngegazi lakhe, ukuxolelwa kwezono ke oko.

Ungumfanekiselo kaThixo ongenakubonwa, owamazibulo kwindalo yonke.

Ngokuba zadalelwa kuye zonke izinto, ezisemazulwini nezisemhlabeni, ezinokubonwa nezingenakubonwa, nokuba ziitrone, nokuba zibubukhosi, nokuba zizilawuli, nokuba ngamagunya; zonke izinto zidalwe nguye, zidalelwe yena.

Yena ke ungaphambi kweento zonke, nazo zonke izinto zima zimi kuye.

Yena ke uyintloko yomzimba, yebandla; oyingqalo, owamazibulo ukuvuka kwabafileyo, ukuze yena abe ngomkhulu ezintweni zonke.

Ngokuba kwakholeka ukuthi ukuzaliseka konke kuhlale kuye,

nokuthi ngaye azixolelanise naye zonke izinto, elwenzile uxolo ngalo igazi lomnqamlezo wakhe; ewe, ngaye, nokuba zizinto ezisemhlabeni, nokuba zezisemazulwini.

Nani, enibe nifudula ningazani noThixo, niziintshaba ngengqondo yenu emisebenzini yenu engendawo, kukalokunje unixolelanisile ngako ukufa emzimbeni wenyama yakhe,

ukuze animise ningcwele, ningenakubekwa bala, ningenakumangalelwa phambi kwakhe;

ukuba kaloku nihlala nihleli elukholweni, nisekelwe niqinile, ningashukunyiswa nimke ethembeni leendaba ezilungileyo ezi nazivayo, zona zashunyayelwayo kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu; endaba ngumlungiseleli wazo, mna Pawulos.

Ngoku ndiyavuya ezintlungwini zam ngenxa yenu, ndikuzalisa kanye okusileleyo kwiimbandezelo zikaKristu, enyameni yam, ngenxa yomzimba wakhe olilo ibandla;

endaba ngumlungiseleli walo mna ngokokugosisa kukaThixo, awandigosisa ngako kuni, ukuba ndilizalise ilizwi likaThixo,

kwaimfihlelo, leyo ke ibifihliwe kwasemaphakadeni nasezizukulwaneni; kukalokunje ibonakalalisiweyo kubo abangcwele bakhe,

awathandayo uThixo ukubazisa bona into obuyiyo ubutyebi bozuko lwaloo mfihlelo phakathi kwazo iintlanga, obunguKristu phakathi kwenu, ithemba lozuko.

Sazisa yena ke thina, siluleka wonke umntu, sifundisa wonke umntu ngabo bonke ubulumko, ukuze simise wonke umntu egqibelele ekuKristu Yesu;

endibulalekela kona oko, ndizama ngokokusebenza kwakhe okusebenzayo kum ngamandla.

Kuba ndithanda ukuba nikwazi ukuba kukhulu kwako ukuzama endikuzamayo ngenxa yenu, nabo baseLawodike, nabo bonke abangabubonanga ubuso bam ngokwenyama;

ukuze zithuthuzelwe iintliziyo zabo, bebandakanyiwe ngothando, kusingise kuyo yonke indyebo yokuqonda okuqinisekileyo, kusingise ekwazini imfihlelo kaThixo uYise, nekaKristu,

ekufihlwe kuye bonke ubutyebi bobulumko nobokwazi.

Nditsho ke, ukuze kungabikho bani unilukuhlayo ngentetho egudileyo.

Kuba nangona ndingekhoyo ngenyama, khona ngomoya ndinani, ndivuya, ndibona ulungelelwano lwenu, nokuzimaseka kokukholwa kwenu kuKristu.

Njengokuba ngoko namamkelayo uKristu Yesu iNkosi, hambani kuye, nendele nakhelwe kuye,

naqiniswa ngokholo, njengoko nafundiswayo nafezeka kulo, ninombulelo.

Lumkani, kungabikho bani unithimbayo ngayo intanda-bulumko, nangokulukuhla okungento yanto, ngokwesithethe sabantu, ngokweziqalelo zehlabathi, kungengokukaKristu.

Ngokuba kuhleli kuye konke ukuzaliseka kobuThixo ngokomzimba;

kanjalo nigqibelele kuye, oyintloko yabo bonke ubulawuli negunya;

enathi kuye naluswa nokwaluswa ngolwaluko olungenakwenziwa ngazandla, ngako ukuhluba umzimba wenyama, ngalo ulwaluko lukaKristu;

ningcwatywe naye elubhaptizweni; enathi nikuye, navuswa nokuvuswa naye, ngokukholwa kwenu kukusebenza kukaThixo, owamvusa kubo abafileyo.

Nani, nifile nje ziziphoso nakukungaluki kwenyama yenu, unidlise ubomi ndawonye naye, enixolele zonke iziphoso.

Ewucimile umbhalo wesandla owalana nathi, owawumelene nathi ngayo imimiselo, uwususile ke kanye, ngokuwubethelela emnqamlezweni;

ebabhunyule obalawuli nomagunya, wabenza isibonelo ekuhleni, ememelela ngabo ekuwo umnqamlezo.

Makungabikho mntu ngoko unigwebayo ngento edliwayo, nangento eselwayo, nangendawo yomthendeleko, nangenyanga ethwasileyo, nangeesabatha;

ezisisithunzi sezinto eziza kuza; ke sona isiqu sesikaKristu.

Makungabikho namnye unilahlekanisa nomvuzo wenu, ethanda ukwenjenjalo ngokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokunqula izithunywa zezulu, engena ezintweni angazibonanga, efumana wakhukhumaliswa yiyo ingqiqo yenyama yakhe,

engabambe yona iNtloko, ekuphuma kuyo ukuthi umzimba wonke ukhule ngokukhulisa kukaThixo, uncedwa, ubandakanywa ngako konke ukuxhomekelelana kwamalungu nemisipha.

Ukuba ngoko nafa noKristu, nakhululeka kuzo iziqalelo zehlabathi, yini na ukuba ninge nisadla ubomi ngokwabehlabathi, nimiselwe imimiselo

(eyokuthi, Musa ukuphatha, musa ukungcamla, musa ukuchukumisa,

kanti zonke ezi zinto zezonakaliswa kukudliwa), nenze ngokwemithetho neemfundiso zabantu?

Okunene zizinto ezo ezidunyelwe bubulumko ngokunqula okuzithandelayo, nangokuthobeka kwentliziyo, nangokubandezela umzimba, kodwa kungengambeko yanelisa inyama.

Ukuba ngoko navuswa kunye noKristu, funani izinto zaphezulu, apho akhona uKristu, ehleli ngasekunene kukaThixo.

Nyamekelani izinto zaphezulu, zingabi zezasemhlabeni.

Kuba nafayo, baye ubomi benu bufihlakele ndawonye noKristu kuye uThixo.

Xa athe wabonakalaliswa uKristu, obubomi bethu, ngelo xesha niya kubonakalaliswa nani, ninaye ebuqaqawulini.

Bhubhisani ngoko amalungu enu asemhlabeni: umbulo, ukungcola, ukuthabatheka okuhlazisayo, inkanuko embi, nokubawa, okuyinkonzo yezithixo kona oko;

eza ngenxa yezo zinto ingqumbo kaThixo phezu kwabangevayo;

enanifudula nihamba phakathi kwazo nani, okuya nibe nisidla ubomi nikuzo.

Ke ngoku, nani aba, kulahleni oku konke: ingqumbo, umsindo, ulunya, ukunyelisa; ukuthetha amanyala kungabikho emlonyeni wenu.

Musani ukuxokisana, nizihlubile nje umntu omdala, kunye nezenzo zakhe,

nambatha lowo umtsha, uhlaziyelwa ekwazini okuhle, ngokomfanekiselo walowo wamdalayo;

apho kungekho mGrike namYuda, kwaluka nokungaluki, mbharbhari namSkitiya, khoboka namkhululeki; usuke uKristu waba zizinto zonke, waba kubo bonke.

Yambathani ngoko, njengabanyulwa bakaThixo, abangcwele, abathandiweyo, iimfesane zeemfefe, ububele, ukuthobeka kwentliziyo, ubulali, ukuzeka kade umsindo,

ninyamezelana, nixolelana, ukuba ubani uthi abe nokusola ngakubani; njengokuba naye uKristu wanixolelayo, yenjani njalo nani.

Ke, phezu kwazo zonke ezo zinto, yalekani uthando, oluyintambo yogqibelelo.

Uxolo lukaThixo, enabizelwa kwakulo mzimbeni mnye, malulawule ezintliziyweni zenu, nibe nokubulela.

Ilizwi likaKristu malihlale ngaphakathi kwenu ngokobutyebi; nifundisana, nilulekana ngabo bonke ubulumko; nithi, ngeendumiso neengoma nezango ezizezomoya, nivume kamnandi entliziyweni yenu kuyo iNkosi.

Nako konke enisukuba nikwenza ngelizwi, nokuba kungomsebenzi, yenzani izinto zonke egameni leNkosi uYesu, nibulela ngayo kuye uThixo uYise.

Nina bafazi, walulameleni awenu amadoda, njengoko kufanele abaseNkosini.

Nina madoda, bathandeni abafazi benu, ningabi bukhali kubo.

Nina bantwana, balulameleni abazali benu ezintweni zonke; kuba oko kukholekile kuyo iNkosi.

Nina boyise, musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana benu, ukuze bangafi iintliziyo.

Nina bakhonzi, balulameleni ezintweni zonke abaziinkosi zenu ngokwenyama; kungabi ngankonzo yamehlo, ngathi ningabakholisi-bantu; makube ngokwentliziyo engenakumbi, nisoyika uThixo.

Nako konke enisukuba nikwenza, kusebenzeni ngokwasemphefumlweni, kunge kukwiNkosi, akukhona kubantu;

nisazi nje ukuba niya kuyamkela eNkosini imbuyekezo yelifa; kuba nikhonza iNkosi uKristu.

Lowo umonayo omnye uya kukuthwala oko kona one ngako; kanjalo akukho kukhetha buso bamntu.

Nina baziinkosi, baphatheni ngokufanelekileyo nangokulungeleleneyo abanikhonzayo; nisazi nje ukuba nani ngokwenu nineNkosi emazulwini.

Zingisani ukuthandaza, niphaphamile kuko, ninombulelo;

kunye noko nisithandazela, ukuze uThixo asivulele umnyango welizwi, ukuba siyithethe imfihlelo kaKristu, endikhonkxwe ngenxa yayo;

ukuze ndiyibonakalalise, njengoko ndimelwe kukuthetha ngako.

Hambani ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle, nilonga ixesha eli.

Ukuthetha kwenu makuhlale kumnandi, kuvakalisiwe ngetyuwa, ukuze nazi ukuba nimelwe kukuthini na ukuphendula bonke ngabanye.

Izinto zonke ezilunge nam wonazisa uTikiko, umzalwana oyintanda, umlungiseleli othembekileyo, ongumkhonzi kunye nam eNkosini;

endimthumele khona oku kuni, ukuze azazi iindawo ezingani, azithuthuzele iintliziyo zenu;

kunye no-Onesimo, umzalwana othembekileyo, oyintanda, ongomnye wenu. Bonazisa izinto zonke zalapha.

Uyanibulisa uAristarko, ongumbanjwa ndawonye nam, noMarko umtshana kaBharnabhas, enamkela imithetho ngaye; ukuba uthe weza kuni, mamkeleni;

noYesu, ekuthiwa nguYusto, kwabolwaluko; ngabo bodwa abasebenzisana nam ngenxa yobukumkani bukaThixo, abathe bona baba sisonwabiso kum.

Uyanibulisa uEpafra ongomnye wenu, umkhonzi kaKristu, ehlala ezama ngenxa yenu emithandazweni, ukuze nime nigqibelele, nizalisekile kuko konke ukuthanda kukaThixo.

Kuba ndiyamngqinela ukuba unenzondelelo enkulu ngenxa yenu, nabo baseLawodike, nabo baseHirapoli.

Uyanibulisa uLuka, igqirha eliyintanda, noDemas.

Bulisani kubazalwana abaseLawodike, nakuNimfa, nakulo ibandla elisendlwini yakhe.

Xa ke le ncwadi ithe yaleswa kuni, ize nenze ukuba ileswe nasebandleni eliseLawodike; nani niyilese leyo iphuma eLawodike.

Yithini kuArkipo, Lukhangele ulungiselelo owalwamkelayo lwaseNkosini, ukuze uluzalise.

Umbuliso lo ungesam isandla, mna Pawulos. Yikhumbuleni imixokelelwane yam. Ubabalo malube nani. Amen.