1 Thessalonians 3
1 And so, as we could bear it no longer, we made up our minds to remain behind alone at Athens,
Kwa hiyo, tulipo kuwa hatuwezi kuvumilia zaidi, tulifikiri kuwa ilikuwa vema kubaki kule Athene peke yetu.
2 and sent Timothy, our dear friend and God’s minister of the good news of the Christ, to strengthen you, and to encourage you in your faith,
Tulimtuma Timotheo, ndugu yetu na mtumishi wa Mungu katika injili ya Kristo, kuwaimalisha na kuwafariji kuhusiana na imani yenu.
3 so that none of you should be shaken by the troubles through which you are passing. You yourselves know that we are destined to meet with such things.
Tulifanya haya ili kusudi asiwepo yeyote wa kuteteleka kutokana na mateso haya, kwa kuwa wenyewe mnajua kwamba tumekwisha teuliwa kwa ajili ya hili.
4 For, even while we were with you, we warned you beforehand that we were certain to encounter trouble. And so it proved, as you know.
Kwa kweli, wakati tulipokuwa pamoja nanyi, tulitangulia kuwaeleza ya kuwa tulikuwa karibu kupata mateso, na hayo yalitokea kama mjuavyo.
5 Therefore, since I could no longer endure the uncertainty, I sent to make inquiries about your faith, fearing that the Tempter had tempted you, and that our toil might prove to have been in vain.
Kwa sababu hii, nilipo kuwa siwezi kuvumilia tena, nilituma ilikusudi nipate kujua juu ya imani yenu. Huenda mjaribu alikuwa angalau amewajaribu, na kazi yetu ikawa ni bure.
6 But, when Timothy recently returned to us from you with good news of your faith and love, and told us how kindly you think of us – always longing, he said, to see us, just as we are longing to see you –
Lakini Timotheo alikuja kwetu kutokea kwenu na akatuletea habari njema juu ya imani na upendo wenu. Alitwambia ya kuwa mnayo kumbukumbu nzuri juu yetu, na kuwa mnatamani kutuona kama ambavyo nasi twatamani kuwaona ninyi.
7 on hearing this, we felt encouraged about you, friends, in the midst of all our difficulties and troubles, by your faith.
Kwa sababu hii, ndugu tulifarijika sana na ninyi kwa sababu ya imani yenu, katika taabu na mateso yetu yote.
8 For it is new life to us to know that you are holding fast to the Lord.
Kwa sasa tunaishi, kama mkisimama imara kwa Bwana,
9 How can we thank God enough for all the happiness that you are giving us in the sight of our God?
Kwani ni shukurani zipi tumpe Mungu kwa ajili yenu, kwa furaha yote tuliyonayo mbele za Mungu juu yenu?
10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face, and make good any deficiency in your faith.
Tunaomba sana usiku na mchana ili tuweze kuziona nyuso zenu na kuwaongezea kinachopungua katika imani yenu.
11 May our God and Father himself, and Jesus, our Lord, make the way plain for us to come to you.
Mungu wetu na Baba mwenyewe, na Bwana wetu Yesu atuongoze njia yetu tufike kwenu.
12 And for you, may the Lord fill you to overflowing with love for one another and for everyone, just as we are filled with love for you;
Na Bwana awafanye muongezeke na kuzidi katika pendo, mkipendana na kuwapenda watu wote, kama tunavyowafanyia ninyi.
13 and so make your hearts strong, and your lives pure beyond reproach, in the sight of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus, with all his Holy Ones.
Na afanye hivi ili kuiimarisha mioyo yenu iwe bila lawama katika utakatifu mbele za Mungu wetu na Baba yetu katika ujio wa Bwana Yesu pamoja na watakatifu wake wote.
