1 Njengoko ndichazile kuni eleteni yam phambi kokuba ndishiye indawo yam, okokuba ndiya kunibhalela amaxesha ngamaxesha kwaye ndininike ulwazi ngokunxulumene nezihloko ezininzi, ngoku ndiqalisa isihloko sobhaptizelo lwabafileyo, njengokuba eso sihloko sibonakala sihleli engqondweni yam, kwaye sicinezela iimvakalelo zam ngokunamandla agqithisileyo, ukususela ndathi ndasukelwa ziintshaba zam.

2 Ndabhala amazwi ambalwa aya kuni esityhilelo ngokunxulumene nomrekhodi. Ndineengcamango ezimbalwa ezongezelelweyo ngokunxulumene nalo mba, endiwuqinisekisayo ngoku. Oko kukuthi, wawubhengezwe kwileta yam yangaphambili okokuba kumele ukubakho umrekhodi, omele ukuba lingqina elibonileyo, kwaye kanjalo ave ngeendlebe zakhe, ukuze abe nokubhala inyaniso phambi kweNkosi.

3 Ngoku, ngokunxulumene nalo mba, kuya kuba nzima kakhulu ukuba umrekhodi omnye abe khona ngawo onke amaxesha, aze enze wonke umsebenzi. Ukuphangela obu bunzima, kunokubakho omnye umrekhodi owonyulwayo kwiwadi nganye yesixeko, ofaneleke kakuhle ekuthatheni imizuzu echanekileyo; kwaye nimvumele acacise kakhulu aze achanisise ekuthatheni zonke iinkqubo, eqinisekisa ekubhaleni kwakhe ukuba wabona ngamehlo akhe, kwaye weva ngeendlebe zakhe, enika umhla, namagama, nanjalo-njalo, nembali yayo yonke intengiselwano; kanjalo exela abathile abangabanye abathathu abakhoyo, ukuba kunokubakho nabanina, onganako nangaliphina ixesha xa ebizelwe ukuqinisekisa kwa kwabo, ukuze emlonyeni wamangqina amabini okanye amathathu lonke igama libe nokumiselwa.

4 Ngoko, makubekho umrekhodi jikelele, ekunako ezi rekhodi zizezinye zibe nokunikelwa kuye, zinyamekelwa ngezatifiketi phezu kwemisayino eyiyeyabo, eqinisekisa ukuba irekhodi abayenzileyo iyinyani. Ngoko ke umrekhodi jikelele webandla unako ukungenisa irekhodi kwincwadi yebandla jikelele, kunye nezatifiketi nawo onke amangqina ebekho, kunye nengxelo eyiyeyakhe akholelwa kakhulu ngayo ukuba ingxelo engasentla neerekhodi ziyinyani, ngokolwazi lwakhe lwesimo jikelele nolonyulo lwaloo madoda libandla. Kwaye xa oku kwenziwe encwadini yebandla jikilele, irekhodi iya kuba nyulu kanye, kwaye iya kuphendula ummiselo kanye ngokufanayo njengokuba ethe wabona ngamehlo akhe waza weva ngendlebe zakhe, kwaye wenza irekhodi yokufanayo encwadini yebandla jikelele.

5 Ninokucinga olu cwangciso lwezinto lunenkcukacha kakhulu; kodwa mandinixelele okokuba kukuphendula kuphela intando kaThixo, ngokuvumelana nommiselo nolungiselelo iNkosi elumiseleyo nelilungisileyo phambi kwesiseko sehlabathi, sosindiso lwabafileyo abanokufa ngaphandle kolwazi lwevangeli.

6 Kwaye ngakumbi, ndifuna nikhumbule ukuba uYohane uMtyhileli wayeceba esi sihloko kanye ngokunxulumene nabafileyo, xa wabhengeza, njengoko niya kufumana kubhaliwe kwiSityhilelo 20:12—Ndababona abafileyo, abancinane nabakhulu, bemi phambi koThixo; zavulwa incwadi; kwavulwa nenye incwadi, eyeyobomi; bagwetywa abafileyo ngokubhaliweyo ezincwadini ezo, ngokwemisebenzi yabo.

7 Niya kufumana kwesi sicatshulwa okokuba incwadi zazivuliwe; kwaye nenye incwadi yavulwa, eyayiyincwadi yobomi; kodwa abafileyo babegwetywa kwezo zinto ezazibhalwe ezincwadini, ngokunxulumene nemisebenzi yabo; okulandelayo emisebenzini yabo, ekuthethwe ngako yayiziincwadi ezaziqulathe ukubhalwa kwemisebenzi yabo, ukuze kukhangelwe kwimibhalo eyayigcinwe emhlabeni. Kwaye incwadi eyayiyincwadi yobomi ngumbhalo owawugcinwe ezulwini; umgaqo ungqinelana ngokuchanekileyo nemfundiso eniyaleleyo kwisityhilelo eleteni endayibhalela nina ngaphambi kokushiya indawo yam—ukuze kuyo yonke imibhalo ibe nokubhalwa ezulwini.

8 Ngoku, ubume balo mmiselo buqulathwe emandleni obubingeleli, ngesityhilelo sikaYesu Krestu, apho kuwo kunikwe okokuba nantoni na eniyibophayo emhlabeni iya kubotshwa emazulwini, nantoni na eniyikhulula emhlabeni iya kukhululwa emazulwini. Okanye, ngamanye amazwi, kuthathwa imbono eyahlukileyo yoguqulelo, nantoni na eniyibhala emhlabeni iya kubhalwa emazulwini, kwaye nantoni na eningayibhaliyo emhlabeni ayisayi kubhalwa emazulwini; kuba kwezoo ncwadi abenu abafileyo bakugwetywa, ngokunxulumene nemisebenzi eyiyeyabo, nokukuba bona ngokwabo bathe banyamekela imimiselo ngopropria persona, okanye ngendlela yeearhente ezizezabo, ngokunxulumene nommiselo uThixo awulungiselele usindiso lwabo ukususela kwisiseko sehlabathi, ngokunxulumene neembali abathe bazigcina ngokunxulumene nabafileyo babo.

9 Kunokubonakala kwabanye iyimfundiso ecace kakhulu esithetha ngayo—amandla abhalayo okanye abophelelayo emhlabeni nabophelelayo ezulwini. Nangona kunjalo, kuyo yonke iminyaka yehlabathi, naninina iNkosi inike ixesha lokuzihlanganisela kuyo nayiphina indoda ngoqobo lwesityhilelo, okanye nawaphina amaqela afanayo amadoda, la mandla soloko enikiwe. Yiyo loo nto, nantoni loo madoda ayenzayo egunyeni, egameni leNkosi, kwaye ayenze ngokunyanisekileyo nangokuthembekileyo, kwaye agcina umbhalo ofanelekileyo nothembekileyo owokufanayo, waba ngumthetho emhlabeni nasezulwini, kwaye ungenako ukutshitshiswa, ngokunxulumene nommiselo kaYehova omkhulu. Le yintetho ethembekileyo. Ngubanina onokuyiva?

10 Kwaye kwakhona, ukwenza umzekelo, UMateyu 16:18, 19: Nam ke, ndithi kuwe, unguPetros wena, ndiya kulakhela phezu kolu lwalwa ibandla lam; namasango esihogo awayi koyisa ngoku chasene nabo. Ndiya kukunika izitshixo zobukumkani bamazulu: nantonina oya kuyibopha emhlabeni iya kubotshwa emazulwini; nantonina oya kuyikhulwa emhlabeni iya kukhululwa emazulwini.

11 Ngoku imfihlelo enkulu nebalaseleyo yalo mba wonke, kwaye isummum bonum yesihloko sonke esilele phambi kwethu, iqulathe ukufumana amandla oBubingeleli obuNgcwele. Ngenxa yalowo ezi zitshixo zinikelwe kuye akukho bunzima ekuzuzeni ulwazi lwamanqaku anxulumene nosindiso lwabantwana babantu, kunye ngokunjalo lwabafileyo nolwabaphilileyo.

12 Kuyo kukho uzuko nembeko, nokungafi nobomi obungunaphakade—Umiselo wobhaptizo ngamanzi, ukuntywiliselwa kuwo ukuze kuphenduleke ukufana nokwabafileyo, ukuze umgaqo omnye ube nokungqinelana nomnye; ukuntywiliselwa emanzini nokuphuma emanzini kukufana kovuko lwabafileyo ekuphumeni emangcwabeni abo; kungoko, lo mmiselo wasekwayo ukwakha unxibelelwano nommiselo wobhaptizelo lwabafileyo, ngokuba ibe nemfano yokufa.

13 Ngako oko, iqula lobhaptizo lamiselwa njengemfano yengcwaba, kwaye kwayalelwa ibe yindawo engaphantsi apho abaphilileyo bengayi kuhlanganela, ukubonisa ngaphambili abaphilileyo nabafileyo, nokokuba zonke izinto zinokuba nemfano yazo, nokokuba zibe nokungqinelana enye nenye—ukuze leyo iyeyasemhlabeni ivumelane naleyo iyeyasezulwini, njengoko uPawulos ebhengezile, Ⅰ KwabaseKorinte 15:46, 47, na48:

14 Nangona kunjalo okomoya kwakungekuko okokuqala, kodwa.ikokwemvelo; kwaze emva koko yakokomoya. Umntu wokuqala ngowomhlaba engumhlaba; owesibini umntu yiNkosi evela ezulwini. Njengoko enjalo owomhlaba, banjalo ke kanjalo abo bangabomhlaba; kwaye njengoko enjalo owasezulwini, banjalo ke kanjalo abasezulwini. Kwaye njengokuba imibhalo emhlabeni inxulumene nabafileyo benu, ezenziwe ngokunyanisekileyo, ikwanjalo imibhalo ezulwini. Oku, ke ngoko, lutywino namandla abophayo, kwaye, kukuqondakala okunye kwelizwi, izitshixo zobukumkani, eziqulathe izitshixo zolwazi.

15 Kwaye ngoku, bazalwana bam nodade abathandeka kakhulu, mandiniqinisekise ukuba le yimigaqo enxulumene nabafileyo kwaye abaphilileyo abangenako ukuyigqithisela ngokungakhathaliyo, njengokuphathelele elusindisweni lwethu. Kuba usindiso lwabo luyimfuneko kwaye lubalulekile elusindisweni lwethu, njengoko uPawulos athi ngokunxulumene noobawo—abo bangekunye nathi abanako ukwenziwa bagqibelele—nathi singenako ukwenziwa sigqibelele ngaphandle kwabafileyo bethu.

16 Kwaye ngoku, ngokunxulumene nobhaptizelo lwabafileyo, ndiya kuninika esinye isicatshulwa sikaPawulos Ⅰ KwabaseKorinte 15:29: Okanye baya kwenza ntoni na abo baphaptizelwa abafileyo, ukuba abafileyo abaze bavuke? Kutheni na ke ngoko baphaptizelwa abafileyo?

17 Kwaye kwakhona, ngokuqhagamshelana nesi sicatshulwa ndiya kuninika isicatshulwa esivela kwabanye babaprofeti, owayeneliso elizinze kubuyiselo lobubingeleli, ubuqaqawuli obuza kutyhilwa kwimihla yokugqibela, kwaye kuhlobo olukhethekileyo esi sihloko sizuke ngokugqithisileyo sisesevangeli yanaphakade, ebizwa, ubhaptizelo lwabafileyo; kuba uMalaki uthi, isahluko sokugqibela, iivesi eye-5 neye-6: Qaphelani, ndiya kuthumela kuni uEliya umprofeti ingekafiki imini enkulu eyoyikekayo yeNkosi: Kwaye wobuyisela iintliziyo zooyise kubantwana neentliziyo zabantwana kooyise, hleze ndize ndilichithe ilizwe ngokuliphanzisa.

18 Ngendithe ndaninika uguqulelo olucacileyo koku, kodwa lucace ngokwaneleyo ukufanela injongo yam njengoko injalo. Kwanele ukwazi, kule meko, okokuba umhlaba uya kubethwa ngesiqalekiso ngaphandle kokuba unxibelelwano oludibanisayo lohlobo oluthile okanye phakathi kooyise nabantwana, phezu kwesihloko esithile okanye esinye—kwaye qaphelani yintoni eso sihloko? Lubhaptizelo lwabafileyo. Kuba ngaphandle kwabo asinako ukwenziwa sigqibelele; bengenako nabo ukwenziwa bagqibelele ngaphandle kwethu. Bengenako nakwenziwa bagqibelele ngaphandle kwabo bafele evangelini kanjalo; kuba kuyimfuneko ekungenisweni kwixesha lokuzihlanganisela likaThixo lenzaliseko yamaxesha, xesha lokuzihlanganisela likaThixo ngoku eliqalisayo, ukuze umanyano olupheleleyo noluzeleyo nolugqibeleleyo, kwaye ludibanise kunye okwamaxesha okuzihlanganisela kaThixo, nezitshixo, namandla, nozuko zimele ukwenzeka, kwaye zityhilwe ukusuka kwimihla ka-Adam nkqu ukuya kwixesha elikhoyo. Kwaye ingekuko ukuphela koku, kodwa ezo zinto zingazange zityhilwe ukususela kwisiseko sehlabathi, kodwa bekugcine kufihlwe kwabalumkileyo neengqondi, oku kuya kutyhilelwa ezintsaneni nakwezincancayo, ixesha lokuzihlanganisela likaThixo lenzaliseko yamaxesha.

19 Ngoku, yintoni esiyivayo kwivangeli ebe siyifumene? Ilizwi lovuyo! Ilizwi lenceba evela ezulwini; nelizwi lenyaniso eliphuma emhlabeni; iindaba zovuyelo lwabafileyo; ilizwi lovuyelo lwabaphilileyo nabafileyo; iindaba zovuyo zokukhulu ukugcoba. Hayi ukuba zintle phezu kweentaba iinyawo zabo bazisa iindaba zovuyo zezinto ezilungileyo, nabo bathi kwiZiyon: Qaphelani, uThixo wenu uyalawula! Njengombethe weKarmele, njalo ulwazi lukaThixo luya kuhla phezu kwabo!

20 Kwaye kwakhona, yintoni esiyivayo? Iindaba zovuyo ezivela eKhumora! UMoronayi, ingelosi evela ezulwini, ibhengeza ukuzaliseka kwabaprofeti—incwadi eza kutyhilwa. Ilizwi leNkosi entlango yaseFayette, kwikhawunti yeSeneca, ibhengeza ekubeni amangqina amathathu anike ubungqina bencwadi! Ilizwi likaMikayeli weendonga zeSusquehanna, lifumana umtyholi xa wabonakalayo njengengelosi yokukhanya! Ilizwi likaPetros, Yakobi, noYohane entlango liphakathi kweHarmony, Susquehanna khawunti, neColesville, Broome khawunti, kumlambo iSusquehanna, bezibhengeza njengabanezitshixo zobukumkani, nezexesha lokuzihlanganisela likaThixo lenzaliseko yamaxesha!

21 Kwaye kwakhona, ilizwi likaThixo egumbini lokulala likaBawo omkhulu uWhitmer, eFayette, eSeneca khawunti, nasemaxesheni ngamaxesha, nakwiindawo ezizezinye kuzo zonke iihambo neenkxwaleko zeli Bandla likaYesu Krestu labaNgcwele beMihla yokuGqibela! Nelizwi likaMikayeli, ingelosi enkulu; ilizwi likaGabriyeli, nelikaRafayeli, neleengelosi ezizezinye, ukususela kuMikayeli okanye kuAdam kuhlele kwixesha elikhoyo, zonke zibhengeze ixesha lazo lokuzihlanganisela, amalungelo azo, izitshixo zazo, iimbeko zazo, ubukhosi bazo nozuko, namandla obubingeleli bazo; zinika umgca phezu komgca, umthetho phezu komthetho; intwana apha, intwana phaya; zisinika intuthuzelo zivakalisa oko kuya kuza, ziqinisekisa ithemba lethu!

22 Bazalwana, asisayi kuqhubekeka nakwinjongo enje ukuba nkulu? Hambelani phambili kwaye ningabuyi mva. Inkalipho, bazalwana; nakulo, kulo uloyiso! Iintliziyo zenu mazigcobe, kwaye zivuye ngokugqithisileyo. Umhlaba mawufikele ekuculeni. Abafileyo mabathethele ngaphambili imibongo yokudumisa kwanaphakade kuKumkani uImanuweli, owamiselayo, ngaphambili kokuba ihlabathi libekho, oko kwakuya kusenza sibenako ukubakhulula entolongweni yabo; kuba amabanjwa aya kukhululeka.

23 Mazikhwaze uvuyo iintaba, nani nonke ziintanda khwazani kakhulu; nani nonke ziilwandle namazwe awomileyo xelani imimangaliso kaKumkani wenu waNaphakade! Nani milambo, nemifula, nemilanjana, qukuqelani ezantsi ngovuyo. Amahlathi nayo yonke imithi yesendle mazidumise iNkosi; nani matye aqinileyo lilani ngovuyo! Kwaye ilanga, nenyanga, neenkwenkwezi zakusasa mazicule kunye, kwaye bonke oonyana bakaThixo babakhwaze ngovuyo! Kwaye indalo yanaphakade mayibhengeze igama lakhe ngonaphakade kanaphakade! Kwaye kwakhona ndithi, lizuke kanjani ilizwi esilivayo livela ezulwini, libhengeza ezindlebeni zethu, uzuko, nosindiso, nembeko, nokungafi, nobomi obungunaphakade; izikumkani, ubukhosi, namandla!

24 Qaphelani, umhla omkhulu weNkosi ukufuphi; kwaye ngubani onako ukumelana nomhla wokuza kwayo, kwaye ngubani onako ukuma xa ibonakala? Kuba injengomlilo womcokisi, nanjengesepha yomxovuli; kwaye iya kuhlala njengomcokisi nomcoci wesilivere, kwaye iya kuhlambulula oonyana bakaLevi, aze abahlambulule njengegolide nesilivere, ukuze babe nokunikela eNkosini umnikelo wobulungisa. Ke ngoko, njengebandla nabantu, nanjengabaNgcwele beMihla yokuGqibela, masinikele eNkosini umnikelo ebulungiseni; kwaye masizise etempileni yayo engcwele, xa igqityiwe, incwadi equlathe iirekhodi zabafileyo bethu, eziya kufanela okwalo lonke ulwamkelo.

25 Bazalwana, ndinezinto ezininzi emandizithethe kuni kwesi sihloko; kodwa ngoku ndiya kusivala okwa ngoku, kwaye ndiqhubekekise isihloko ngelinye ixesha. Ndinguye, njengangaphambili, isicaka senu esithobekileyo nomhlobo ongasayi kuphambuka,