2 Corinthians 4
1 So, because God has acted so kindly [toward me], enabling [me to teach] this great [message to people], I never get [so] discouraged [that I stop teaching it].
Ya mere, ebe anyị natara ije ozi a site nʼebere Chineke, ike adịghị agwụ anyị nʼobi.
2 And I have determined that we [(exc)] will be honest [LIT] in everything that we do. We will not [do anything that would cause] us to be ashamed [if people found out about it]. We never try to deceive [you with clever arguments, as some other people do]. We never [try to deceive you] by changing God’s message, [as those same people do]. Instead, we always teach [people only] the truth [about Christ], and we teach it clearly. Knowing that God is watching what we do, we [teach his message in an honest way, with the result that] no one can [accuse] us [(exc) of being deceitful].
Anyị ahapụla omume nzuzo niile na-eweta ihere. Anyị ahapụla ụzọ aghụghọ niile, maọbụ iji okwu Chineke na-atụ asị. Kama site nʼikwupụta eziokwu ahụ ka ndị mmadụ were ezi akọnuche ha mata ụdị mmadụ anyị bụ nʼihu Chineke.
3 And if, [as some of you say, some people are] not able to understand the message [that we teach about Christ, it is not because we do not teach it clearly]. It is because those people [do not want to believe it]. They are going to perish eternally.
Ma a sịkwa na oziọma nke anyị na-ekwusa dịka ihe e zoro ezo, ọ bụ ihe e zoro ezo nye ndị ahụ na-ala nʼiyi.
4 [Satan, who is] the one [who rules] this world, controls the thoughts of those unbelievers. He prevents them from understanding the message about how wonderful Christ is. [They are not able to understand that] Jesus is like God [in every way]. (aiōn g165)
Nʼebe ha nọ, chi nke ụwa a ekpuchiela uche ndị na-ekweghị ekwe iji gbochie ha ịhụ ìhè nke oziọma ahụ na-ezipụta ebube Kraịst, onye dị nʼụdị Chineke nʼonwe ya. (aiōn g165)
5 That is why, [when we(exc) teach people], we do not boast about ourselves, [as some people say that we do]. Instead, [we teach you] that Jesus Christ is our Lord. We ourselves are [only] your servants. [We want to honor and obey] Jesus.
Nʼihi na ọ bụghị anyị onwe anyị ka anyị na-ekwusa, kama anyị na-ekwusa na Kraịst Jisọs bụ Onyenwe anyị. Ma anyị onwe anyị bụ ụmụodibo unu nʼihi Jisọs.
6 When God [created the world], he commanded the light to shine [where there was nothing but] darkness. He is the one who has [made his message about Jesus to be like] [MET] a light shining into our [(inc)] minds. [God] has done that [for all of us who believe in Jesus. He has done that so that we will understand that when people saw] Christ, they saw how awesome God himself was.
Nʼihi na ọ bụ Chineke ahụ sịrị, ka ìhè si nʼọchịchịrị chawapụta; bụkwa onye mere ka ìhè ya nwuwa nʼime obi anyị. Nke a ka o mere iji wetara anyị ìhè amamihe nke ebube Chineke nʼihu Kraịst.
7 [This work that God has given to] us [(exc)] is [MET] [like] a very valuable treasure. But we who have that treasure [are as weak as fragile] [MET] clay pots. [God has planned it like that] in order that [people] will know that the power [that changes lives] is God’s power, and not any power of our own.
Anyị onwe anyị bụ ndị natara akụ nke dị oke ọnụahịa dị nʼime ite ụrọ, iji gosi na ike kacha elu si nʼaka Chineke, ọ bụghị nʼaka anyị.
8 We are continually oppressed {[People] continually oppress us} in many ways, but [we have] not been prevented {[God has] not [allowed them to] prevent us} [from teaching the message about Jesus Christ]. We often do not know what to do [in difficult situations], but we never say, “God has abandoned us.”
A na-akpagbu anyị nʼakụkụ niile, ma adịghị emeri anyị. Mgbe ụfọdụ, anyị nọ na mgbagwoju anya ma anyị adịghị ada mba.
9 [We are frequently] persecuted {[People frequently] cause us to suffer}, but [God] never abandons us. [Sometimes we are] badly wounded {[people] badly wound us}, but [God does] not [allow] us [to] be killed {[them to] kill us}.
A na-esogbu anyị, ma adịghị ahapụ naanị anyị; mgbe ụfọdụ, a na-akụtu anyị nʼala ma adịghị ala anyị nʼiyi.
10 [Wherever we(exc) go], we continually [realize that because people killed] Jesus, [people may] kill us [for teaching his message. But we are willing to go on living this way] in order that [people] will know that Jesus is alive and [that he is directing] us [SYN].
Ọtụtụ mgbe, anyị na-ebugharị nʼahụ anyị ọnwụ Jisọs, ka ndụ nke Jisọs nwekwa ike pụta ìhè nʼahụ anyị.
11 [So, although] we are [still] alive, we always realize that we may be killed {that [people some day] may kill us} because [we teach about] Jesus. [God allows us to suffer] in order that [people] will see that Jesus is alive and that he is [strengthening] our bodies that are some day going to die.
Mgbe ọbụla anyị dị ndụ, anyị nọ nʼọnwụ nʼihi Jisọs, ka ndụ Jisọs nwee ike pụta ìhè nʼahụ anyị pụrụ ịnwụ anwụ.
12 So [I conclude that although] we [apostles] are constantly [suffering and may soon] die, [the result of that is that all of] you [have now received eternal] life.
Nke a pụtara na ọnwụ na-arụsị ọrụ ike nʼime anyị, ma na ndụ na-arụ ọrụ nʼime unu.
13 We are not discouraged. We are like [the person who] wrote [in the Scriptures], “[God], I trusted [in you] and so I continue speaking [your message].” We [(exc)] also trust [in God], so we continue speaking [his message].
Ebe ọ bụ na anyị nwere otu mmụọ nke okwukwe ahụ, dịka e si dee nʼakwụkwọ nsọ, “Ekweere m, ya mere m ji kwuo.” Anyị onwe anyị kwekwara, nʼihi nke a mere anyị ji na-ekwu,
14 [We do this] because we [(exc)] know that [although people might kill us, God], who caused the Lord Jesus to live again after he died, will also cause us [(exc)] to live again [after we die. God will do this because we belong to] Jesus. [And then God] will bring us [(exc)], together with you, to be with him.
ma anyị maara na onye mere ka Onyenwe anyị Jisọs si nʼọnwụ bilie, ga-emekwa ka anyị soro Jisọs si nʼọnwụ bilie, ma kpọbatakwa anyị na unu nʼihu ya.
15 [So I say that] all these things [that we(exc) suffer] happen in order to help you. [We have suffered all this] in order that more and more people, [as a result of hearing that God will] kindly/freely [forgive their sins], will thank [him and praise him. Then] they will greatly honor him [and worship him].
Ihe ndị a niile bụ maka nʼihi unu, ka ọ ga-abụ amara na-abawanye irute ọtụtụ mmadụ aka, ka o nwee ike na-abawanye inye ekele maka otuto nke Chineke.
16 So, [because we know that as a result of our suffering many people will honor God], we [(exc)] never get so discouraged [that we stop teaching his message]. Although our bodies are getting weaker, [God] encourages us every day and strengthens us spiritually.
Ọ bụ nke a mere ike adịghị agwụ anyị nʼobi. Ọ bụ ezie na anụ ahụ anyị na-anwụ anwụ, ma a na-agba mmụọ anyị ume kwa ụbọchị.
17 [I know that] all these troubles that [happen to us in this life are] not significant and will not last forever. [When we think of] the glorious things [that God is preparing] for us [to enjoy] forever [in heaven], all [our suffering now] is not important. (aiōnios g166)
Nwantịntị ahụhụ nke anyị na-ata ugbu a, nke na-adị nwa oge, na-akwadoro anyị otuto ebighị ebi dị ukwuu. (aiōnios g166)
18 That is why we say, “We will not continue thinking about [all the suffering that we] are experiencing now. Even though [we] cannot see [all the things that God has prepared for us in heaven], those are what we should be thinking about.” [That is how we should think], because [all these troubles] that [we(exc)] have [now] will last only a short time. But what [we will have in heaven], what [we] cannot see [now], will last forever. (aiōnios g166)
Nʼihi na anyị adịghị ele ihe anya nwere ike ịhụ, kama anyị na-ele anya nʼihe ahụ anya na-adịghị ahụ. Nʼihi na ihe ahụ anya na-ahụ na-adị naanị nwa oge, ma ihe ahụ anya na-adịghị ahụ na-adị ruo mgbe ebighị ebi. (aiōnios g166)
