2 Corinthians 12
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
Ni lazima nijivune, lakini hakuna kinachoongezwa na hilo. Bali nitaendelea kwenye maono na mafunuo kutoka kwa Bwana.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.
Namjua mtu mmoja katika Kristo ambaye miaka kumi na minne iliyopita ambaye—ikiwa katika mwili, au nje ya mwili, mimi sijui, Mungu anajua—alinyakuliwa juu katika mbingu ya tatu.
3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—
Na ninajua kwamba mtu huyu—ikiwa katika mwili, au nje ya mwili, mimi sijui, Mungu anajua—
4 was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.
alichukuliwa juu hadi paradiso na kusikia mambo matakatifu sana kwa mtu yeyote kuyasema.
5 I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
Kwa niaba ya mtu kama huyo nitajivuna. lakini kwa niaba yangu mwenyewe sitajivuna. Isipokuwa kuhusu udhaifu wangu.
6 Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,
Kama nikitaka kujivuna, nisingekuwa mpumbavu, kwa kuwa ningekuwa ninazungumza ukweli. Lakini nitaacha kujivuna, ili kwamba asiwepo yeyote atakayenifikiria zaidi ya hayo kuliko kinachoonekana ndani yangu au kusikika kutoka kwangu.
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
Sitajivuna pia kwa sababu ya hayo mafunuo ya aina ya ajabu. Kwa hiyo, hivyo sitajawa na kiburi, mwiba uliwekwa ndani ya mwili wangu, mjumbe wa shetani kunishambulia mimi, ili nisigeuke kuwa mwenye majivuno.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
Mara tatu nilimsihi Bwana kuhusu hili, ili yeye kuundoa kutoka kwangu.
9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Naye akaniambia, “Neema yangu inatosha kwa ajili yako, kwa kuwa nguvu hufanywa kamili katika udhaifu. Hivyo, ningetamani zaidi kujivuna zaidi kuhusu udhaifu wangu, ili kwamba uwezo wa Kristo uweze kukaa juu yangu.
10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Kwa hiyo ninatosheka kwa ajili ya Kristo, katika udhaifu, katika matukano, katika shida, katika mateso, katika hali ya masikitiko. Kwa kuwa wakati nikiwa dhaifu, kisha nina nguvu.
11 I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
Mimi nimekuwa mpumbavu! ninyi mlinilazimisha kwa hili, kwa kuwa ningekuwa nimesifiwa na ninyi. Kwa kuwa sikuwa duni kabisa kwa hao waitwao mitume—bora, hata kama mimi si kitu.
12 The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
Ishara za kweli za mtume zilifanyika katikati yenu kwa uvumilivu, ishara na maajabu na matendo makuu.
13 In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Kwa namna gani mlikuwa wa muhimu wa chini kuliko makanisa yaliyobaki, isipokuwa kwamba sikuwa mzigo kwenu? Mnisamehe kwa kosa hili!
14 See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
Tazama! mimi niko tayari kuja kwenu kwa mara ya tatu. Sitakuwa mzigo kwenu, kwa kuwa sitaki kitu kilicho chenu. Nawataka ninyi. Kwa kuwa watoto hawapaswi kuweka akiba kwa ajili ya wazazi. Badala yake, wazazi wanapaswa kuweka akiba kwa ajili ya watoto.
15 And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
Nitafurahi zaidi kutumia na kutumiwa kwa ajili ya nafsi zenu. Kama ninawapenda zaidi, natakiwa kupendwa kidogo?
16 Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.
Lakini kama ilivyo, sikuwalemea mzigo ninyi. Lakini kwa kuwa mimi ni mwerevu sana, mimi ni yule aliyewashika ninyi kwa nimekuwa ambaye aliyewapata kwa udanganyifu.
17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?
Je, nilichukua kwa kujifanyia faida kwa yeyote niliyemtuma kwenu?
18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?
Nilimsihi Tito kuja kwenu, na nilituma ndugu mwingine pamoja naye. Je, Tito aliwafanyia faida ninyi? Je, hatukutembea katika njia ile ile? Je, hatukutembea katika nyayo zile zile?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.
Mnadhani kwa muda huu wote tumekuwa tukijitetea sisi wenyewe kwenu? Mbele za Mungu, na katika Kristo, tumekuwa tukisema kila kitu kwa ajili ya kuwaimarisha ninyi.
20 For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
Kwa kuwa nina hofu kwamba nitakapokuja naweza nisiwapate ninyi kama ninavyotamani. Nina hofu kwamba mnaweza msinipate mimi kama mnavyotamani. Nahofia kwamba kunaweza kuwa na majadiliano, wivu, milipuko ya hasira, tamaa ya ubinafsi, umbeya, kiburi, na ugomvi.
21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.
Nina hofu kwamba nitakaporudi tena, Mungu wangu anaweza kuninyenyekeza mbele yenu. Nina hofu kwamba ninaweza kuhuzunishwa na wengi ambao wamefanya dhambi kabla ya sasa, na ambao hawakutubu uchafu, na uasherati na mambo ya tamaa wanayoyatenda.
