2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? We do not need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you, do we?
Je, tumeanza kujisifia wenyewe tena? Hatuhitaji barua ya mapendekezo kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama baadhi ya watu, je twahitaji?
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by everyone;
Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu ya mapendekezo, iliyoandikwa kwenye mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na watu wote.
3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
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 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
Na huu ndiyo ujasiri tulio nao katika Mungu kupitia Kristo.
5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
Hatujiamini wenyewe kwa kudai chochote kama kutoka kwetu. Badala yake, kujiamini kwetu kunatoka kwa Mungu.
6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives 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 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing 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 won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
Je, kazi ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
Kwa kuwa kama huduma ya hukumu ilikuwa na utukufu, ni mara ngapi zaidi huduma ya haki huzidi sana katika utukufu!
10 For truly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
Ni kweli kwamba, kile kilichofanywa utukufu kwanza hakina utukufu tena katika heshima hii, kwa sababu ya utukufu unaouzidi.
11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
Kwa kuwa kama kile ambacho kilikuwa kinapita kilikuwa na utukufu, ni kwa kiasi gani zaidi kile ambacho ni cha kudumu kitakuwa na utukufu!
12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
Kwa kuwa tunajiamini hiyo, tunaujasiri sana.
13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel would not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
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 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes 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 to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
Lakini hata leo, wakati wowote Musa asomwapo, utaji hukaa juu ya mioyo yao.
16 But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Lakini mtu anapogeuka kwa Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Sasa Bwana ni Roho. Palipo na Roho wa Bwana, kuna uhuru.
18 But we all, with unveiled face looking as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
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.
