1 Peter 2
1 Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all backbiting,
Kwa hiyo, wekeni mbali nanyi uovu wote na udanganyifu wote, unafiki, wivu na masingizio ya kila namna.
2 like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow until you attain salvation –
Kama watoto wachanga, waliozaliwa sasa, yatamanini maziwa ya kiroho yasiyochanganywa na kitu kingine chochote, ili kwa hayo mpate kukua katika wokovu,
3 since ‘you have found by experience that the Lord is kind.’
ikiwa kweli mmeonja ya kwamba Bwana ni mwema.
4 Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God’s eyes choice and precious;
Mnapokuja kwake, yeye aliye Jiwe lililo hai, lililokataliwa na wanadamu bali kwa Mungu ni teule na la thamani kwake,
5 and, as living stones, form yourselves into a spiritual house, to be a consecrated priesthood, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
ninyi nanyi, kama mawe yaliyo hai, mnajengwa kuwa nyumba ya kiroho, ili mpate kuwa ukuhani mtakatifu, mkitoa dhabihu za kiroho zinazokubaliwa na Mungu kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo.
6 For there is a passage of scripture that runs – ‘See, I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone; and those who believe in him will have no cause for shame.’
Kwa maana imeandikwa katika Maandiko: “Tazama, naweka katika Sayuni, jiwe la pembeni teule lenye thamani, na yeyote atakayemwamini hataaibika kamwe.”
7 It is to you, then, who believe in him that he is precious, but to those who do not believe he is ‘a stone which, though rejected by the builders, has now itself become the corner-stone,’
Kwenu ninyi mnaoamini, jiwe hili ni la thamani. Lakini kwao wasioamini, “Jiwe walilolikataa waashi limekuwa jiwe kuu la pembeni,”
8 and ‘a stumbling-block, and a rock which will prove a hindrance.’ They stumble because they do not accept the message. This was the fate destined for them.
tena, “Jiwe lenye kuwafanya watu wajikwae, na mwamba wa kuwaangusha.” Wanajikwaa kwa sababu hawakulitii lile neno, kama walivyowekewa tangu zamani.
9 But you are ‘a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God’s own people,’ entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Lakini ninyi ni taifa teule, ukuhani wa kifalme, taifa takatifu, watu walio milki ya Mungu, mlioitwa ili kutangaza sifa zake yeye aliyewaita kutoka gizani mkaingie katika nuru yake ya ajabu.
10 Once you were ‘not a people,’ but now you are ‘God’s people’; once you ‘had not found mercy,’ but now you ‘have found mercy.’
Mwanzo ninyi mlikuwa si taifa, lakini sasa ninyi ni taifa la Mungu. Mwanzo mlikuwa hamjapata rehema, lakini sasa mmepata rehema.
11 Dear friends, I beg you, as pilgrims and strangers on earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war on the soul.
Wapenzi, ninawasihi, mkiwa kama wageni na wapitaji hapa ulimwenguni, epukeni tamaa mbaya za mwili ambazo hupigana vita na roho zenu.
12 Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evildoers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God ‘at the time when he will visit them.’
Kuweni na mwenendo mzuri mbele ya watu wasiomjua Mungu, ili kama wanawasingizia kuwa watenda mabaya, wayaone matendo yenu mema nao wamtukuze Mungu siku atakapokuja kwetu.
13 Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,
Kwa ajili ya Bwana, tiini kila mamlaka iliyowekwa na wanadamu: Kwa mfalme kwani ndiye aliye na mamlaka ya juu zaidi,
14 and to governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to commend those who do right.
au kwa maafisa aliowaweka, kwa kuwa mfalme amewatuma ili kuwaadhibu wale wanaokosa, na kuwapongeza wale watendao mema.
15 For God’s will is this – that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
Kwa maana ni mapenzi ya Mungu kwamba kwa kutenda mema mnyamazishe maneno ya kijinga ya watu wapumbavu.
16 Act as free people, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God.
Ishini kama watu huru, lakini msitumie uhuru wenu kama kisingizio cha kutenda uovu, bali ishini kama watumishi wa Mungu.
17 Show honor to everyone, love the Lord’s followers, ‘revere God, honor the emperor.’
Mheshimuni kila mtu ipasavyo: Wapendeni jamaa ya ndugu waumini, mcheni Mungu, mpeni heshima mfalme.
18 Those of you who are domestic servants should always be submissive and respectful to their masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are arbitrary.
Ninyi watumwa, watiini mabwana zenu kwa heshima yote, si wale mabwana walio wema na wapole peke yao, bali pia wale walio wakali.
19 For this wins God’s approval when, because conscious of God’s presence, a person who is suffering unjustly bears their troubles patiently.
Kwa maana ni jambo la sifa kama mtu akivumilia anapoteswa kwa uonevu kwa ajili ya Mungu.
20 What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God.
Kwani ni faida gani kwa mtu kustahimili anapopigwa kwa sababu ya makosa yake? Lakini kama mkiteswa kwa sababu ya kutenda mema, nanyi mkastahimili, hili ni jambo la kusifiwa mbele za Mungu.
21 For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered – on your behalf – and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
Ninyi mliitwa kwa ajili ya haya, kwa sababu Kristo naye aliteswa kwa ajili yenu, akiwaachia kielelezo, ili mzifuate nyayo zake.
22 He ‘never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.’
“Yeye hakutenda dhambi, wala hila haikuonekana kinywani mwake.”
23 He was abused, but he did not answer with abuse; he suffered, but he did not threaten; he entrusted himself to him whose judgments are just.
Yeye alipotukanwa, hakurudisha matukano; alipoteswa, hakutishia, bali alijikabidhi kwa yeye ahukumuye kwa haki.
24 And he ‘himself carried our sins’ in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. ‘His bruising was your healing.’
Yeye mwenyewe alizichukua dhambi zetu katika mwili wake juu ya mti, ili tufe kwa mambo ya dhambi, bali tupate kuishi katika haki. Kwa kupigwa kwake, ninyi mmeponywa.
25 Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Kwa maana mlikuwa mmepotea kama kondoo, lakini sasa mmerudi kwa Mchungaji na Mwangalizi wa roho zenu.
