1 John 3
1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God l For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Oneni basi, jinsi Baba alivyotupenda mno hata tunaitwa watoto wa Mungu! Na kweli, ndivyo tulivyo. Ndiyo maana ulimwengu haututambui sisi, kwani haumjui Mungu.
2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be. We know that, when it shall be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is.
Wapenzi wangu, sisi ni watoto wa Mungu sasa, lakini bado haijaonekana wazi jinsi tutakavyokuwa. Lakini tunajua kwamba wakati Kristo atakapotokea, tutafanana naye kwani tutamwona vile alivyo.
3 And every one that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
Basi, kila mtu aliye na tumaini hili katika Kristo, hujiweka safi kama vile Kristo alivyo safi kabisa.
4 Whoever committeth sin transgresseth thereby the law; for sin is a transgression of the law.
Kila mtu atendaye dhambi anavunja sheria ya Mungu, maana dhambi ni uvunjaji wa sheria.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.
Mnajua kwamba Kristo alikuja kuziondoa dhambi zetu, na kwamba kwake hamna dhambi yoyote.
6 Whoever abideth in him sinneth not; whoever sinneth hath not seen him, nor known him.
Basi, kila aishiye katika muungano na Kristo hatendi dhambi; lakini kila mtu atendaye dhambi hakupata kamwe kumwona, wala kumjua Kristo.
7 My children, let no one deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Basi, watoto wangu, msikubali kupotoshwa na mtu yeyote. Mtu atendaye matendo maadilifu ni mwadilifu kama vile Kristo alivyo mwadilifu kabisa.
8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil.
Lakini atendaye dhambi ni wa Ibilisi, maana Ibilisi ametenda dhambi tangu mwanzo. Lakini Mwana wa Mungu alikuja duniani kuiharibu kazi ya Ibilisi.
9 Whoever hath been born of God doth not commit sin, because his seed abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he hath been born of God.
Kila aliye mtoto wa Mungu hatendi dhambi, maana anayo hali ya kimungu ndani yake; hawezi kutenda dhambi kwa sababu yeye ni mtoto wa Mungu.
10 In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the Devil. Whoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, and he that loveth not his brother.
Lakini yeyote asiyetenda mambo maadilifu, au asiyempenda ndugu yake, huyo si mtoto wa Mungu. Hiyo ndiyo tofauti iliyoko kati ya watoto wa Mungu na watoto wa Ibilisi.
11 For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
Na, ujumbe mliousikia tangu mwanzo ndio huu: Tunapaswa kupendana!
12 not as Cain was of the Evil One, and slew his brother. And wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Tusiwe kama Kaini ambaye, kwa kuongozwa na yule Mwovu, alimuua ndugu yake. Na, kwa nini alimuua? Kwa sababu matendo yake yalikuwa maovu, lakini yale ya ndugu yake yalikuwa mema!
13 Wonder not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
Basi, ndugu zangu, msishangae kama ulimwengu unawachukia ninyi.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren; he that loveth not abideth in death.
Sisi tunajua kwamba tumekwisha pita kutoka katika kifo na kuingia katika uzima kwa sababu tunawapenda ndugu zetu. Mtu asiye na upendo hubaki katika kifo.
15 Whoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath everlasting life abiding in him. (aiōnios g166)
Kila anayemchukia ndugu yake ni muuaji; nanyi mnajua kwamba muuaji yeyote yule hana uzima wa milele ndani yake. (aiōnios g166)
16 Herein we know love, in that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Sisi tumepata kujua upendo ni nini, kwani Kristo aliyatoa maisha yake kwa ajili yetu. Nasi vilevile tunapaswa kuyatoa maisha yetu kwa ajili ya ndugu zetu.
17 But whoever hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother having need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Basi, mtu akiwa na mali za hapa duniani, halafu akamwona ndugu yake ana shida, lakini akawa na moyo mgumu bila kumwonea huruma, anawezaje kusema kwamba anampenda Mungu?
18 My children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Watoto wangu, upendo wetu usiwe maneno matupu, bali uwe upendo wa kweli na wa vitendo.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him;
Hivyo ndivyo tuwezavyo kuwa na hakika kwamba sisi ni watu wa ukweli; na hatutakuwa na wasiwasi mbele ya Mungu.
20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Kwa maana, hata kama dhamiri yetu yatuhukumu, twajua kwamba Mungu ni mkuu zaidi kuliko dhamiri, na kwamba yeye ajua kila kitu.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have confidence toward God;
Wapenzi wangu, kama dhamiri yetu haina lawama juu yetu, basi, twaweza kuwa na uthabiti mbele ya Mungu,
22 and whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
na twaweza kupokea kwake chochote tunachoomba, maana tunazitii amri zake na kufanya yale yanayompendeza.
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and should love one another, as he gave commandment.
Na, amri yake ndiyo hii: Kumwamini Mwanae Kristo, na kupendana kama alivyotuamuru.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him; and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit, which he gave us.
Anayezitii amri za Mungu anaishi katika muungano na Mungu na Mungu anaishi katika muungano naye. Kwa njia ya Roho ambaye Mungu ametujalia, sisi twajua kwamba Mungu anaishi katika muungano nasi.
