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Abafuna Isibonakaliso
AbaFarisi labaSadusi beza kuJesu bamlinga ngokumcela ukuthi abatshengise isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini.
Waphendula wathi, “Nxa kufika ukuhlwa lithi, ‘Umkhathi uzakuba muhle ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu,’ ekuseni lithi, ‘Lamuhla kuzaqubuka isiphepho ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu njalo kugubuzele.’ Liyakwazi ukuchaza umumo womkhathi kodwa kalenelisi ukuchaza izibonakaliso zesikhathi. Isizukulwane esixhwalileyo lesiphingayo sifuna isibonakaliso kodwa kasisoze sisiphiwe ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona.” UJesu wasebatshiya wahamba.
Imvubelo YabaFarisi LabaSadusi
Bathi sebekhuphukele ngaphetsheya kwechibi, abafundi babekhohliwe ukuza lesinkwa. UJesu wathi kubo, “Limukani. Liqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi labaSadusi.”
Bakhulumisana ngalokhu bathi, “Kungenxa yokuba kasizanga lesinkwa.”
UJesu wakwazi abakukhulumayo wasebuza wathi, “Lina elilokholo oluncinyane, kungani likhulumisana ngokungabi lasinkwa na? Lilokhu lingaqedisisi yini? Kalikhumbuli na izinkwa ezinhlanu ezasuthisa abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu, lokuthi laqoqa izitsha ezingaki? 10  Kumbe izinkwa eziyisikhombisa ezasuthisa abantu abazinkulungwane ezine lokuthi laqoqa izitsha ezigcweleyo ezingaki? 11  Kungani lingezwisisi ukuthi bengingakhulumi lani ngesinkwa? Kodwa qaphelani imvubelo yabaFarisi labaSadusi.” 12 Basebezwisisa ukuthi wayengabatsheli ukuqaphela imvubelo esetshenziswa esinkweni kodwa ukunanzelela imfundiso yabaFarisi labaSadusi.
Ubufakazi BukaPhethro NgoKhristu
13 Kwathi uJesu esefike emangweni waseKhesariya Filiphi wabuza abafundi bakhe wathi, “Abantu bathi iNdodana yoMuntu ingubani na?”
14 Baphendula bathi, “Abanye bathi nguJohane uMbhaphathizi; abanye bathi ngu-Elija; abanye njalo bathi nguJeremiya loba omunye nje wabaphrofethi.”
15 Wabuza wathi, “Lina-ke, lithi ngingubani?”
16 USimoni Phethro waphendula wathi, “UnguKhristu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”
17 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ubusisiwe wena Simoni, ndodana kaJona ngoba lokhu kawukwambulelwanga ngumuntu wegazi lenyama kodwa nguBaba osezulwini. 18  Ngakho ngiyakutshela ukuthi unguPhethro* 16.18 Ibala lesiGrikhi elithi Phethro litsho idwala.njalo phezu kwalelidwala ngizakwakha ibandla lami, futhi amasango eHadesi akayikulehlula. 19  Ngizakupha izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu; loba yini oyibophayo emhlabeni izabotshwa lasezulwini njalo loba yini oyithukululayo emhlabeni izathukululwa lasezulwini.” 20 Waseqonqosela abafundi bakhe ukuba bangatsheli muntu ukuthi wayenguKhristu.
UJesu Ukhuluma Ngokufa Kwakhe
21 Kusukela ngalesosikhathi uJesu waqalisa ukuchazela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kumele aye eJerusalema ayehlupheka ngezinto ezinengi ezandleni zabadala bebandla, abaphristi abakhulu labafundisi bomthetho njalo lokuthi kumele abulawe, kuthi ngelanga lesithathu avuswe kwabafileyo.
22 UPhethro wamdonsela eceleni waqalisa ukumkhuza wathi, “Ngeke kwenzeke Nkosi! Lokhu kakusoze kwafa kwenzeka kuwe!”
23 UJesu waphendula wathi kuPhethro, “Suka emva kwami Sathane! Uyisikhubekiso kimi; engqondweni yakho kawulazo izinto zikaNkulunkulu kodwa ucabanga ezabantu.”
24 UJesu wasesithi kubafundi bakhe, “Nxa ekhona ofuna ukungilandela, kazidele athathe isiphambano sakhe angilandele. 25  Ngoba lowo ofuna ukusindisa impilo yakhe izamlahlekela kodwa lowo olahlekelwa yimpilo yakhe ngenxa yami uzayizuza. 26  Kuzamsiza ngani umuntu ukuzuza wonke umhlaba kodwa alahlekelwe ngumphefumulo wakhe na? Kambe umuntu angaphani esikhundleni sempilo yakhe na? 27  Phela iNdodana yoMuntu izakuza ngobukhosi bukaYise kanye lezingilosi zakhe, ibisisipha umvuzo emuntwini munye ngamunye ngalokho akwenzileyo.
28  Ngilitshela iqiniso, abanye abemiyo khonapha kabayikukuzwa ukufa bengakayiboni iNdodana yoMuntu isiza embusweni wayo.”

*16:18 16.18 Ibala lesiGrikhi elithi Phethro litsho idwala.