1 You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God. 2 Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share his glory!
The Old Life and the New
5 You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality, indecency, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idolatry). 6 Because of such things God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him. 7 At one time you yourselves used to live according to such desires, when your life was dominated by them.
8 But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips. 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits 10 and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself. 11 As a result, there is no longer any distinction between Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, savages, slaves, and free, but Christ is all, Christ is in all.
12 You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. 14 And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity. 15 The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. 17 Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father.
Personal Relations in the New Life
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, for that is what you should do as Christians.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents always, for that is what pleases God.
21 Parents, do not irritate your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your human masters in all things, not only when they are watching you because you want to gain their approval; but do it with a sincere heart because of your reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve. 25 And all wrongdoers will be repaid for the wrong things they do, because God judges everyone by the same standard.
1 Se makamusiwa na Kirisiti, lingisani mimoyo yenyu ku zwithu zwe kudzimu, Kirisiti kwaageleko ku luboko gwe luji gwe Ndzimu. 2 Lingisani mikumbulo yenyu ku zwithu zwe kudzimu kusi mu zwithu zwe shango. 3 Ngobe makafa, ngwenu butjilo gwenyu gwakasumbikiwa na Kirisiti mu Ndzimu. 4 Ha Kirisiti, iye butjilo gwenyu, ezha kakale mu shango, namwibo mowoboneka naye mu gudzo.
Butjilo gwa ntolo ne butshwa
5 Ngono misani tjoselele zose zwe mbumbiko yenyu ye tjinyama: kuwalilana thobo kusakalingisana, kuwalilana thobo kunobhatisa shoni, njemulo dzakabipa dze kuwalilana ne bugovu, ngobe bugovu gonga kuthigamila midzimu. 6 Ngekuti ngekwa izwezwi, bushongola gwe Ndzimu gwaswika. 7 Imwi nge kwenyu makatongobe mutjila nge zila yakajalo.
8 Ngono ngwenu lashani zwithu zwinonga ezwi: kugwadzamoyo ne bushongola ne kugwadzisa bamwe mimoyo ne kulebela bamwe manyepkhwa kene ili kushingisa masapa mu milomo yenyu. 9 Musinyepelane, ngobe makaambula mbumbiko yenyu hwulukugwe ne mipanga yayo, 10 kakale makaambala mbumbiko tshwa inothamiwa tshwa nge luzibo mu tjifano tje mbumbi wayo. 11 Ngekwa ikoku akutjina thubukano pakati kwe N'giriki ne Njuta, pakati kwe nthu wakathumbigwa ne usakathumbigwa, pakati kwe bathu basingalebe Tjigiriki ne Bapanduki bakasalila shule, nlanda kene nsununguki, koga Kirisiti ndiye nshongoshongo wakabhata mbadu kakale Kirisiti umuna bose.
12 Ndizo se bathu bakazwishaluligwa nge Ndzimu, bayengemali, kakale ukamuda kwazo, ibeni ne ngoni ne buthu ne kuzwiyisa pasi ne moyon'nyolo nenge moyonlefu. 13 Yitilanani moyonlefu muzwiibhatilane muna tjamunonenelana ngekwatjo. Muzwiibhatilane koga sa She sekwa bakamuzwiibhatigwa. 14 Pezhugwi kwa zose izwezwi zwakalulwama, ibeni ne ludo igo gunoshanganya kose ne hwanano yakapelela. 15 Kunyalala ya Kirisiti ngaibuse mu mimoyo yenyu, ngobe se mbili nng'ompela makadanigwa ku kunyalala ikoku. Ndizo ibeni ne kuboka. 16 Dama la Kirisiti ngaligale mu muli nge buzhalo. Diyanani mulayane nge butjenjedu gose. Imbani Njimbo, imbani njimbo dzinokudza Ndzimu nenge njimbo dze tjimeya ne kuboka mu mimoyo yenyu. 17 Ngono tjimwe ne tjimwe tjamunothama kene tjamunoleba, mutjithame nge zina la She Jesu muboka Ndzimu Tate ndiye.
Kuzwalana mu butjilo gutshwa
18 Bakadzi bakalobogwa, tetani balume benyu, ngobe kwakafanila muna She.
19 Balume bakalobola, idani bakadzi benyu musingabakaikanye.
20 Bana, ihwani bazwadzi benyu mu tjimwe ne tjimwe, ngobe ikoku koshathisa She.
21 Botate musitange bana benyu, ngobe bangadwa benyalamoyo.
22 Balanda, ihwani botetshi benyu be shango mu tjimwe ne tjimwe; musingabahwe ngobabona mushaka kubashathisa, koga mu bahwe nge moyo nng'ompela nenge kutja She. 23 Tjimwe ne tjimwe tjamunothama, mutjithame nge moyo yenyu yose, koga se munoshingila She kusi bathu. 24 Moziba kuti mowowana thaka muna She, uli iwo mbhayilo wenyu; moshingila She Kirisiti. 25 Iye unoyita kusi iko unowowana mbhayilo wakalingisana nge kuyita kusi iko, ngono akuna shalaulo.