1 Bazalwane, isifiso senhliziyo yami lomkhuleko wami kuNkulunkulu ngabako-Israyeli yikuba basindiswe. 2 Ngoba ngingafakaza ngabo ukuthi batshisekela uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukutshiseka kwabo akugxilanga ekwazini. 3 Njengoba ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu bengakwazanga bafuna ukumisa okwabo, kabavumanga ukuzibeka ngaphansi kokulunga kukaNkulunkulu. 4 UKhristu uyisiphetho somthetho ukuze kube lokulunga kubo bonke abakholwayo.

5 UMosi ukuchaza ngale indlela ukulunga okungomthetho: “Umuntu owenza izinto lezi uzaphila ngazo.”* 6 Kodwa ukulunga okungokukholwa kuthi: “Ungabokutsho enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi, ‘Ngubani ozakwenyukela ezulwini na?’†” (okuyikuthi, ukwehlisa uKhristu) 7 “loba, ‘Ngubani ozakwehlela ekuzikeni kolwandle na?’‡” (okuyikuthi, ukuvusa uKhristu kwabafileyo). 8 Kodwa kuthini na? “Ilizwi liseduze lawe, lisemlonyeni wakho lasenhliziyweni yakho,”§ lokho yikuthi, ilizwi lokukholwa esilitshumayelayo: 9 nxa uvuma ngomlomo wakho usithi, “UJesu uyiNkosi,” njalo ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uzasindiswa. 10 Ngoba ukholwa ngenhliziyo yakho njalo ulungiswa ngayo, njalo kungomlomo wakho ovuma ngawo usindiswe. 11 Njengoba uMbhalo usithi, “Loba ngubani okholwa kuye akayikuyangiswa.”* 12 Ngoba kawukho umahluko phakathi komJuda loweZizwe, iNkosi yinye iyiNkosi yabo bonke njalo iyababusisa kakhulu bonke abakhuleka kuyo, 13 ngoba, “Wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa.”†

14 Pho, bangakhuleka kanjani kulowo abangakholwa kuye? Njalo bangakholwa njani kulowo abangakaze bezwe ngaye na? Njalo bangezwa njani kungekho otshumayela kubo na? 15 Njalo bangatshumayela njani ngaphandle kokuba bethunyiwe na? Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “Yeka ubuhle bezinyawo zalabo abaletha izindaba ezinhle!”‡

16 Kodwa akusibo bonke abako-Israyeli abazamukelayo izindaba ezinhle. Ngoba u-Isaya uthi, “Nkosi, ngubani olikholiweyo ilizwi lethu na?”§ 17 Ngakho-ke, ukukholwa kuvela ekuzweni ilizwi, lelizwi lizwakala ngelizwi likaKhristu. 18 Kodwa ngiyabuza ngithi: Kabezwanga na? Impela bezwa ukuthi: