2 Peter 3
1 Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
Wapenzi wangu, hii ni barua ya pili ninayowaandikia. Katika barua hizo mbili nimejaribu kufufua fikira safi akilini mwenu kwa kuwakumbusheni mambo haya.
2 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
Napenda mkumbuke maneno yaliyosemwa na manabii watakatifu, na ile amri ya Bwana na Mwokozi mliyopewa na mitume wenu.
3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
Awali ya yote jueni kwamba siku za mwisho watakuja watu ambao mienendo yao inatawaliwa na tamaa zao mbaya. Watawadhihaki ninyi
4 “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”
na kusema: “Aliahidi kwamba atakuja! Je, sasa yuko wapi? Mambo ni yaleyale tangu babu zetu walipokufa; hali ya vitu ni ileile kama ilivyokuwa mwanzo wa ulimwengu!”
5 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
Watu hao, kwa makusudi, husahau kwamba zamani Mungu alinena, nazo mbingu na nchi zikaumbwa. Dunia iliumbwa kutoka katika maji na kwa maji;
6 through which the world of that time perished in the flood.
na kwa maji hayo, yaani yale maji ya gharika kuu, dunia ya wakati ule iliangamizwa.
7 And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Lakini mbingu na nchi za sasa zahifadhiwa kwa neno la Mungu kwa ajili ya kuharibiwa kwa moto. Zimewekwa kwa ajili ya Siku ile ambapo watu wasiomcha Mungu watahukumiwa na kuangamizwa.
8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
Lakini, wapenzi wangu, msisahau kitu kimoja! Mbele ya Bwana, hakuna tofauti kati ya siku moja na miaka elfu; kwake yote ni mamoja.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
Bwana hakawii kutimiza yale aliyoahidi kama watu wengine wanavyofikiri kuwa atakawia. Yeye ana saburi kwa ajili yenu, maana hapendi hata mmoja wenu apotee, bali huwavuta wote wapate kutubu.
10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
Siku ya Bwana itakuja kama mwizi. Siku hiyo, mbingu zitatoweka kwa kishindo kikuu; vitu vyake vya asili vitateketezwa kwa moto, nayo dunia itatoweka pamoja na kila kitu kilichomo ndani yake.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
Maadamu kila kitu kitaharibiwa namna hiyo, je, ninyi mnapaswa kuwa watu wa namna gani? Mnapaswa kuishi kitakatifu na kumcha Mungu,
12 as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.
mkiingojea Siku ile ya Mungu na kuifanya ije upesi—Siku ambayo mbingu zitateketezwa kwa moto na kuharibiwa, na vitu vyake vya asili vitayeyushwa kwa joto.
13 But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Lakini sisi, kufuatana na ahadi yake, twangojea mbingu mpya na dunia mpya ambayo imejaa uadilifu.
14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.
Kwa hiyo wapenzi wangu, mkiwa mnangojea Siku ile, fanyeni bidii kuwa safi kabisa bila hatia mbele ya Mungu, na kuwa na amani naye.
15 Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.
Mnapaswa kuuona uvumilivu wa Bwana kuwa ni nafasi anayowapeni mpate kuokolewa, kama Paulo ndugu yetu mpenzi alivyowaandikia akitumia hekima aliyopewa na Mungu.
16 He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Hayo ndiyo asemayo katika barua zake zote anapozungumzia suala hilo. Yapo mambo kadhaa katika barua zake yaliyo magumu kuyaelewa, mambo ambayo watu wajinga, wasio na msimamo, huyapotosha kama wanavyopotosha sehemu nyingine za Maandiko Matakatifu. Hivyo wanasababisha maangamizi yao wenyewe.
17 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.
Lakini ninyi, wapenzi wangu, mmekwisha jua jambo hili. Basi, muwe na tahadhari msije mkapotoshwa na makosa ya waasi, mkaanguka kutoka katika msimamo wenu imara.
The Great Flood
