2 Corinthians 3
1 Doe we begin to praise our selues againe? or neede we as some other, epistles of recommendation vnto you, or letters of recommendation from you?
Je, tumeanza kujisifia wenyewe tena? Hatuhitaji barua ya mapendekezo kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama baadhi ya watu, je twahitaji?
2 Yee are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is vnderstand, and read of all men,
Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu ya mapendekezo, iliyoandikwa kwenye mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na watu wote.
3 In that yee are manifest, to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by vs, and written, not with yncke, but with the Spirite of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
Na mnaonesha kwamba ninyi ni barua kutoka kwa Kristo, iliyotolewa na sisi. Iliandikwa siyo kwa wino bali kwa Roho wa Mungu aliye hai. Haikuandikwa juu ya vibao vya mawe, bali juu ya vibao vya mioyo ya wanadamu.
4 And such trust haue we through Christ to God:
Na huu ndiyo ujasiri tulio nao katika Mungu kupitia Kristo.
5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie is of God,
Hatujiamini wenyewe kwa kudai chochote kama kutoka kwetu. Badala yake, kujiamini kwetu kunatoka kwa Mungu.
6 Who also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.
Ni Mungu ambaye alitufanya tuweze kuwa watumishi wa agano jipya. Hili ni agano sio la barua bali ni la Roho. Kwa kuwa barua huua, lakini roho inatoa uhai.
7 If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.)
Sasa kazi ya kifo iliyokuwa imechongwa katika herufi juu ya mawe ilikuja kwa namna ya utukufu kwamba watu wa Israeli hawakuangalia moja kwa moja kwenye uso wa Musa. Hii ni kwa sababu ya utukufu wa uso wake, utukufu ambao ulikuwa unafifia.
8 Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious?
Je, kazi ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
9 For if the ministerie of condemnation was glorious, much more doeth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie.
Kwa kuwa kama huduma ya hukumu ilikuwa na utukufu, ni mara ngapi zaidi huduma ya haki huzidi sana katika utukufu!
10 For euen that which was glorified, was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glorie.
Ni kweli kwamba, kile kilichofanywa utukufu kwanza hakina utukufu tena katika heshima hii, kwa sababu ya utukufu unaouzidi.
11 For if that which should be abolished, was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth, be glorious.
Kwa kuwa kama kile ambacho kilikuwa kinapita kilikuwa na utukufu, ni kwa kiasi gani zaidi kile ambacho ni cha kudumu kitakuwa na utukufu!
12 Seeing then that we haue such trust, we vse great boldnesse of speach.
Kwa kuwa tunajiamini hiyo, tunaujasiri sana.
13 And we are not as Moses, which put a vaile vpon his face, that the children of Israel should not looke vnto the ende of that which should be abolished.
Hatuko kama Musa, aliyeweka utaji juu ya uso wake, ili kwamba watu wa Israel wasiweze kuangalia moja kwa moja kwenye mwisho wa utukufu ambao ulikuwa unatoweka.
14 Therefore their mindes are hardened: for vntill this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the reading of the olde Testament, which vaile in Christ is put away.
Lakini fahamu zao zilikuwa zimefungwa. Hata mpaka siku hii utaji uleule bado unabaki juu ya usomaji wa agano la kale. Haijawekwa wazi, kwa sababu ni katika Kristo pekee inaondolewa mbali.
15 But euen vnto this day, whe Moses is read, the vaile is laid ouer their hearts.
Lakini hata leo, wakati wowote Musa asomwapo, utaji hukaa juu ya mioyo yao.
16 Neuertheles when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shalbe taken away.
Lakini mtu anapogeuka kwa Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
17 Nowe the Lord is the Spirite, and where the Spirite of the Lord is, there is libertie.
Sasa Bwana ni Roho. Palipo na Roho wa Bwana, kuna uhuru.
18 But we al behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Sasa sisi sote, pamoja na nyuso zisizo wekewa utaji, huona utukufu wa Bwana. Tunabadilishwa ndani ya muonekano uleule wa utukufu kutoka shahada moja ya utukufu kwenda nyingine, kama ilivyo kutoka kwa Bwana, ambaye ni Roho.
