< Colossians 2 >

1 In particular, I want you to realize that I am (exerting myself very greatly/working very hard) on your behalf, on behalf of those who are in Laodicea [city], and on behalf of all those others who have not seen me personally.
Kwo kubha enenda mumenyele lwa kutyo nili na jinyako nyafu ingulu yemwe, ku bhona bhanu bhaliyo Laondikia na kubhona bhanu bhachali kubhona obhusu bhwani mu mubhili.
2 I am doing this in order that they and you [SYN] might be strengthened [spiritually] as you are united in loving [one another]. And I am doing this in order that they and you might fully and thoroughly [DOU] understand the message that God has now revealed; that is, in order that they and you might truly know the message from God our Father and about Christ,
Enikola emilimu koleleki ati emioyo jebhwe jitule okusilisibhwa kwo kuletwa amwi mu kwenda na mu bhunibhi bhwona mu bhwafu bhwe chimali mu bhukumiye bhwo bhumenyi mu kuimenya imbisike ye chimali ya Nyamuanga, unu ali Kristo.
3 who alone is able to cause them and you to understand thoroughly [DOU] [this very important message].
Mu mwene omwo nimwo bhuli obhubhikilo bhwona obhwo bhwengeso no bhumenyi bhiselekelwe.
4 I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you by persuasive arguments;
Enaika kutya koleleki ati omunu wona wona asiga kubhakondelesha obhulige-lige kwo bhusimusi bhwo kukongya-kongya.
5 because, even though I am absent from you physically, I am very concerned about you. At the same time, I am rejoicing because I know that you are united [with each other] and that you believe firmly in Christ.
Nolwo kutyo nitaliwo amwi nemwe mu mubhili, mbe nawe niliwo amwi nemwe mu Mwoyo. Enikondelwa okukolwa obhwitondi bhwemwe bhwe kisi na bhya managa ne likilisha lyemwe mu Kristo.
6 In a way that is (consistent/in harmony) with [the message that] you received about Christ Jesus, who is our Lord, conduct yourselves as you should, since you have a close relationship with him.
Lwa kutyo mwamulamiye Kristo Latabhugenyi, mulibhatilega mu mumwene.
7 Specifically, continue believing and practicing [MET, DOU] what you were first taught about Christ. Continue to do this more and more; continue to fIrmly believe all the true teaching, just like [Epaphras] taught it to you. And continue thanking [God, our Father], very much [for all that he has done for you].
Nimusimbagililega mu mwene, nimubakwega mu mwene, nimusimbagilile mu likilisha lwa kutyo mweigisibhwe, no kubhoywa mu isime nyafu.
8 Make sure that no one forces you [(pl)] to become his disciples [MET] by his teaching you a religious philosophy/doctrine that is worthless and false. Such a philosophy is false because it teaches what mere human beings think, because it teaches people elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical], and because it teaches what is contrary to [the true teaching about] Christ.
Mbe nimulole ati munu wona wona asiga kubhakoma kwo bhwenge-bhwenge na masango gatalimo chona chona gali ga bhujigi -jigi okulubhana no bhusimuka bhwa bhana-munu, okulubhana no bhitondi bhwe Chalo, na atali ati okulubhana na Kristo.
9 It is in Christ’s body that God lives completely.
Kulwo kubha mu mwene obhukumiye bhwona obhwa Nyamuanga bhunu bhulame mu mubhili.
10 And you are spiritually complete because you have a close relationship with Christ, who rules over every other ruler.
Nemwe mwijusibhwe mu mwene. Omwene ni mutwe gwa bhuli bhuinga no bhutulo.
11 Specifically, because of your close relationship with Christ, it is as though [MET] you were circumcised {Christ circumcised you} [spiritually]. This does not mean that someone circumcised you physically [MTY], but it means that Christ completely removed your self-directed nature.
Mu mwene one mwatendelwe, kwo lutendo lunu lutakolelwe na mwana-munu mu kusosibhwako omubhili na inyama, mbe nawe ni lutendo olwa Kristo.
12 And specifically, when you were baptized, [it was as though] [MET] you [had died and] were buried with Christ, and [it was as though] [MET] God caused you to live again with Christ as a result of your believing that God acted powerfully; specifically, by your believing that God caused Christ to become alive again.
Mwasikilwe amwi nage mu bhubhatijo. Na munjila ye likilisha mu mwene mwasuluywe kwo bhuinga bhwa Nyamuanga, unu amusuluye okusoka mu bhafuye.
13 And specifically, you [who are non-Jews], because of your sins, you were [spiritually] dead [before you trusted in Christ]. You were uncircumcised [spiritually]; that is, your self-directed nature controlled you. Nevertheless, it was you whom God caused to become alive [spiritually because of their close relationship] [MET] with Christ. And specifically, God forgave us all our sins.
Na anu mwaliga mufuye kulwe bhikayo bhyebhwe no okulema okutendwa kwe mibhili nemwe, abhakolele kubha bhaanga amwi nage no kuchisasila ebhikayo bhyeswe bhyona.
14 [It is just] as [though] he canceled ([the charges] against us/the sins [that we had committed]) for which [God] will punish us. And [it was just] as [though] [MET] it was [the charges on] that document/paper that he canceled by nailing them to the cross [when they nailed Christ on the cross].
Asimishe obhwichukisho bhwo libhanja linu lyaliga lyandikilwe, no bhwitondi bhunu bhwaliga bhutasikene neswe. Asosisheo bhona no kubhibhambila ku musalabha.
15 And specifically, God defeated the [evil] spirit beings that rule, and he demonstrated/showed that publicly; that is, he triumphed over them as a result of what [Christ did].
Asosisheo amanaga no bhutungi. Agatee abhwelu no kugakola kubha lumula lwo bhuigi ku njila yo musalabha gwaye.
16 So disregard anyone who says that God will punish you because you eat [certain foods] and because you drink [certain drinks] or because [you do not celebrate] special [yearly] festivals or celebrate the time when the new moon [appears] or weekly (Sabbaths/Jewish days of rest).
Kulwejo, munu wona wona asiga kubhakoma emwe mu kulya amwi mu kunywa amwi okulubhana na jinsiku eja malya amwi mukubhonekana kwo kwesi, amwi mu nsiku ja isabhatho.
17 [Disregard such people] because those [regulations/rules about food and drink and festivals] are [only] like a shadow [MET] [that is cast by something that is approaching; that is, they merely represent] the real spiritual blessings that Christ [has given to you].
Linu ni lilengesi lye misango jinu ejija, mbe nawe omunyumbu ni Kristo.
18 Disregard those who say that God will punish you because [you do not worship God in the way that] they say [that you should]; that is, they insist that you should humiliate yourselves and that you should worship the angels. [Disregard such people] since they base their authority on things that they have never seen, and since they are proud without reason because their self-directed nature [controls] what they think,
Omunu wona asigakusakulwa omuyelo gwaye mu kuligila no kwikeya no kulamya bhamalaika. Omunu wejabho oyo kengila mu misango jinu alolele no kukongibhwa mu meganilisho gaye ago mubhili.
19 and since they do not teach the true teaching about Christ [MET]. [Christ is the one who causes all of his people to develop/grow spiritually as God plans that they should develop/grow, just like] [MET] a person’s head directs how his body grows, as it is held together by its joints and ligaments.
Omwene atakugugwatilila omutwe. Ni kusoka mu mutwe ati omubhili gwona okulabha mu bhyungo bhyaye na mumawa nigugwatana no kugwatanyisibhwa amwi; no kukula kwo bhukusi bhunu obhusosibhwa na Nyamuanga.
20 [It is as though] [MET] you died with Christ. So [you no longer have to obey] elementary regulations/rules [that are concerned merely with what is external/physical, just like a dead person no longer has to do anything]. So, do not submit to regulations/rules
Alabha mwafuye amwi na Kristo mu ntungwa je Chalo, kawoli kulwaki omulama lwa bhanu abhatongelwa ne Chalo:
21 such as ‘Do not handle [certain things]’, ‘Do not taste [certain things]’, ‘Do not touch [certain things]’, as if you still had to obey such regulations/rules.
“Mwasiga kugwata, nolwo kuloja, nolwo kugwata”?
22 All those things are intended to cease to exist when we use them. [And do not obey such regulations/rules], because they are what mere human teachers command and teach.
Ganu gona galagiliywe ingulu yo bhunyamuke bhunu obhuja no bhweselanya, okulubhana na melesho na meigisho ga bhana-munu.
23 [Do not obey such] regulations/rules; they only cause people to do what their self-directed nature wants to do. [Those regulations] seem to be wise because they [urge people to] worship as mere human teachers have decided. [They urge] that [people] should humiliate themselves, and that [people] should treat their bodies harshly. But those regulations/rules do not help [people] at all to not do the sinful things that their self-directed nature wants to do.
Ebhilagilo bhinu bhili no bhwengeso obhwa jidini jinu jikolelwe kwo kwilola no kwikeya na jinyako jo mubhili. Mbe nawe jitana bhugusi bhulambu bhitasikene na inamba yo mubhili.

< Colossians 2 >