< Colossians 1 >
1 I, Paul, [am writing this letter to you], and our fellow believer Timothy [is with me]. I am an apostle who represents Christ Jesus, because that is what God wanted.
Nĩ niĩ Paũlũ, mũtũmwo wa Kristũ Jesũ nĩ ũndũ wa wendo wa Ngai, tũrĩ hamwe na Timotheo mũrũ wa Ithe witũ,
2 [I am sending this letter] to you who are in Colossae [city], and who are God’s people, and our faithful fellow believers who have a close relationship with Christ. We pray that God our Father will be acting kindly towards you, and that he will cause you to have [inner] peace.
Tũramũtũmĩra marũa maya inyuĩ andũ arĩa aamũre, o inyuĩ ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ mũtũire mũrĩ ehokeku thĩinĩ wa Kristũ kũu Kolosai: Mũrogĩa na wega na thayũ ciumĩte kũrĩ Ngai Ithe witũ.
3 Very often [HYP] we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, while we are praying for you,
Hĩndĩ ciothe rĩrĩa tũkũmũhoera, nĩtũcookagĩria Ngai ngaatho, o we Ithe wa Mwathani witũ Jesũ Kristũ,
4 because we have heard that you believe in Christ Jesus, and that you love all God’s people.
tondũ nĩtũiguĩte ũhoro wa ũrĩa mwĩtĩkĩtie Kristũ Jesũ, o na ũrĩa mwendete andũ arĩa othe aamũre,
5 You do that because you confidently expect to receive that which God is (reserving/keeping safe) for you in heaven, which you heard about previously when you heard the true message, that is, the message [about Christ].
naguo nĩ wĩtĩkio na wendani iria ciumanaga na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro kĩrĩa mũigĩirwo kũu igũrũ na kĩrĩa mũrĩkĩtie kũigua ũhoro wakĩo thĩinĩ wa ũhoro ũrĩa wa ma, na nĩguo Ũhoro-ũrĩa-Mwega
6 [People] proclaimed it [PRS] to you, just like [people] have proclaimed it in many different countries [HYP, IDM]. The true message is changing more and more people’s lives, just like it changed your lives because you heard it and you truly experienced that God acts kindly towards us in ways we do not deserve.
ũrĩa ũmũkinyĩire. Kũndũ guothe gũkũ thĩ Ũhoro-ũyũ-Mwega nĩũraciara maciaro na nĩũratheerema, o ta ũrĩa ũkoretwo ũgĩĩka gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu kuuma mũthenya ũrĩa mwaũiguire na mũkĩmenya wega wa Ngai na ma.
7 That is just what Epaphras taught you [would happen]. We love Epaphras. He serves Christ together with us and works for Christ faithfully for your benefit.
Mwamenyire ũhoro ũcio kuuma kũrĩ Epafara, ũrĩa twendete, na mũruti wĩra hamwe na ithuĩ o we mũtungatĩri wa Kristũ wa kwĩhokeka ithenya riitũ,
8 He told us that you love [all God’s people], just like God’s Spirit [has enabled you to] (OR, spiritually).
na nowe ũtũheete ũhoro wa ũrĩa mwendaine mũrĩ thĩinĩ wa Roho.
9 Because of what we heard about you, we have also been praying [LIT] very often to God for you [HYP], ever since we heard this report about you. We pray that you will truly know all that God wants you to do; that is, that you will become very wise, and that you will understand spiritual matters well.
Nĩ ũndũ wa ũguo-rĩ, kuuma mũthenya ũrĩa twaiguire ũhoro ũcio wanyu, tũtirĩ twatigithĩria kũmũhoera, tũgĩthaithaga Ngai amũiyũrie ũmenyo wa wendi wake, na amũheage ũũgĩ na ũtaũku wothe maũndũ-inĩ mothe ma kĩĩroho.
10 We have been praying like that in order that you will conduct yourselves as the Lord’s people should conduct themselves, in order that you will please the Lord in every way. Specifically, we have been praying like that in order that you will be doing every sort of good deed [IDM] and in order that you will be getting to know God truly, more and more.
Na tũhooyaga ũguo nĩguo mũhote gũtũũra mũtũũrĩre ũringaine na ũrĩa Mwathani endaga na mũmũkenagie maũndũ-inĩ mothe: mũciarage maciaro mawĩra-inĩ mothe mega marĩa mũrutaga, na mũkũrage thĩinĩ wa ũmenyi wa kũmenyana na Ngai,
11 And we pray that [God] will greatly strengthen you [spiritually] with the mighty power that he has shown [to people], in order that you will always be steadfast and patient [when you experience difficulties], while [at the same time] you will be rejoicing.
mũgĩĩkagĩrwo hinya na ũhoti wothe kũringana na hinya wake ũrĩ na riiri nĩgeetha mũhote gũkiragĩrĩria mũno mũtegũthethũka na mũrĩ na gĩkeno,
12 And we pray that you will be thanking God our Father, because he has enabled you/us to receive the things that he will give to his people in heaven [SYN].
na mũgĩcookagĩria Ithe witũ ngaatho, ũrĩa ũmũtuĩte aagĩrĩru a kũgaya igai rĩa arĩa aamũre ũthamaki-inĩ wa ũtheri.
13 God our Father rescued us [spiritually] so that the evil one no longer rules us [MET, MTY], and he caused us now to be ruled by his Son, whom he loves.
Nĩgũkorwo Ngai nĩatũhonoketie, agatũruta ũthamaki-inĩ wa nduma, na agatũthaamĩria ũthamaki-inĩ wa Mũriũ ũrĩa endete mũno,
14 That is, because of our relationship with his Son (OR, because of what the one who is also God did), God has redeemed/bought us; in particular, he has forgiven our sins.
thĩinĩ wake-rĩ, nĩtũkũũrĩtwo na tũkarekerwo mehia maitũ.
15 God’s Son reveals perfectly what God, his Father, is like, whom no one can see. God’s Son existed before and ranks above everything that God has created.
Ũcio nĩwe mũhianĩre wa Ngai ũrĩa ũtonekaga, na nĩwe irigithathi harĩ indo ciothe iria ciombirwo.
16 When God created everything that is on the earth, he did it by having his Son do it. He created everything that [people] can see, and also everything which is in heaven that [people] cannot see. In particular, his Son created all ranks of important spirit beings. [And his Son ranks above everything], because God by the work of had his Son, and because by his Son all things were created {because [God] had his Son create everything} in order that everything might praise his Son,
Nĩgũkorwo nĩwe wombire indo ciothe: indo iria irĩ igũrũ na iria irĩ thĩ, iria cionekaga na iria itonekaga, o na angĩkorwo nĩ itĩ cia ũnene kana maahinya, kana aathani o na kana arĩa marĩ ũhoti; indo ciothe ciombirwo nĩwe na nĩguo ituĩke ciake.
17 and because it is his Son who existed before anything else existed, and because God sustains everything by what his Son [does].
Kristũ nĩwe warĩ kuo mbere ya indo ciothe, nacio indo ciothe itũũraga inyiitithanĩtio nĩwe.
18 And [God’s Son ranks above everything], because it is his Son who [rules over his people] [MET] [as a person’s] head [controls his physical] body, because his Son causes his people to live [spiritually]. [God’s Son] is the first one who became alive again, in order that he should become more important than anything and everyone.
Ningĩ nĩwe mũtwe wa mwĩrĩ, arĩ guo kanitha; na nĩwe kĩambĩrĩria na irigithathi harĩ andũ arĩa manariũka, nĩgeetha thĩinĩ wa maũndũ mothe atuĩke nĩwe mũtũũgĩrie kũrĩ indo ciothe.
19 [God’s Son reveals perfectly what God his Father is like], because his Father chose to live completely in him.
Nĩgũkorwo Ngai nĩoonire arĩ wega atĩ ũiyũru wa Ngai wothe ũikare thĩinĩ wake,
20 [God our Father caused his Son to rule us], because he decided to reconcile with himself everything that is on earth and that is in heaven by what his Son did, in order that everything might honor his Son; that is, God our Father decided to reconcile everything to himself as a result of his [Son’s] blood [flowing when he died] on the cross. [The chiastic material is rearranged below so that the directly related propositional clusters are joined together.] 13 God our Father rescued us [spiritually] so that we are no longer ruled by the evil one, and God our Father caused us now to be ruled by his Son (OR, the man who is also God) whom he loves. 14a That is, by means of what his Son did, we have been redeemed by God, our Father. 14b In particular, our sins have been forgiven by God, our Father. 20 God, our Father, has done this because he decided to reconcile to himself, by means of his Son, everything that is on earth and that is in heaven, in order that his Son might be honored; that is, God, our Father decided to reconcile everything to himself by means of God’s Son’s blood [flowing out when he died] on the cross. 15b God cannot be seen by anyone, 15a but his Son reveals perfectly what God—his Father—is like, 19a because it is in his Son that the Father chose 19b that he himself would dwell completely. 15c God’s Son ranks above everything 15d that has been created, 16 because it was by means of God’s Son that God created everything that is on the earth and that can be seen by people, and also everything that is in heaven and that cannot be seen by people. In particular, all types of important spirit beings were created by means of him, since everything has been created by God by means of God’s Son. And his Son ranks above everything, because everything has been created by God, in order that God’s Son might be honored by everything, 17 and because it is he who existed before anything else existed, and since everything is sustained by God by means of God’s Son. 18 And God’s Son ranks above everything because it is he who [rules over all believers, just like a person’s] head [controls his physical body, because he causes all believers to live spiritually]. His Son is the first one who rose from among those who have died, in order that he should become more important than everything and everyone.
na nĩ ũndũ wa Kristũ indo ciothe ituĩke cia kũiguithanio na Ngai, iria irĩ thĩ o na kana iria irĩ igũrũ, nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa aarehire thayũ na ũndũ wa thakame yake, ĩrĩa yaitirwo mũtharaba-inĩ.
21 As for you, [although] formerly God [considered you his] enemies (OR, [God considered you] as alienated [from him]) and [although] you were formerly hostile [to God] because you thought evil thoughts and because you did evil deeds,
Hĩndĩ ĩmwe inyuĩ mwatũire mwamũranĩtio na Ngai na mwarĩ thũ ciake meciiria-inĩ manyu nĩ ũndũ wa mĩtugo yanyu mĩũru.
22 nevertheless, God our Father has now reconciled you [with himself. He did that] as a result of his Son dying physically. He did it in order that you should be completely holy when he brings you into his presence.
No rĩu nĩamũiguithanĩtie na Kristũ na ũndũ wa ũrĩa aakuire arĩ na mwĩrĩ nĩgeetha amũrũgamie mbere yake mũrĩ atheru, na mũtarĩ na ũũgũ, o na mũtarĩ na ũcuuke,
23 He wants you to continue [DOU] to believe the message about Christ; specifically, he wants you to continue to be stable/steadfast and to continue to confidently expect to receive that which you heard about when you heard that message. That message has been proclaimed {They have proclaimed that message} to people in very many places [HYP]; and I, Paul, also become someone who tells it to people.
mũngĩthiĩ na mbere na gwĩtĩkia mwĩhaandĩte na mũrĩ arũmu, na mũtekwenyenyeka kuuma kũrĩ kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro kĩrĩa kĩnyiitĩrĩirwo nĩ Ũhoro-ũrĩa-Mwega. Ũhoro ũcio nĩguo Ũhoro-ũrĩa-Mwega ũrĩa mwaiguire, na ũrĩa ũhunjĩtio kũrĩ ciũmbe ciothe cia gũkũ thĩ, na nĩguo niĩ Paũlũ nduĩkĩte ndungata yaguo.
24 At the present time I am rejoicing that I am suffering for your benefit; that is, I am completing what Christ [decided] that I should suffer physically for the benefit of all believers, [who are as dear to him as] his own body.
Na rĩu nĩngenete nĩ ũndũ wa maũndũ marĩa thĩĩnĩtio namo nĩ ũndũ wanyu, na ngaiyũrĩrĩria thĩinĩ wa mwĩrĩ wakwa kĩrĩa gĩtigaire ũhoro-inĩ wa kũnyamario gwa Kristũ, ngamaiyũrĩrĩria nĩ ũndũ wa mwĩrĩ wake, na nĩguo kanitha.
25 I myself became someone who serves God’s people, because I was appointed {[God] appointed me} to be responsible to [help] you [who are non-Jews]. I became one who serves God’s people in order that I should make known to you non-Jews the whole message from/about God.
Na niĩ ndaatuirwo ndungata yaguo na ũndũ wa gũtũmwo nĩ Ngai ndĩmũrehere ũhoro wa Ngai mũũmenye kũna,
26 [We did not know this message previously; that is, God] concealed it from [the people who lived in all] the previous ages, but he has now revealed it to his people. (aiōn )
na nĩ guo hitho ĩrĩa ĩtũire ĩrĩ hithe kuuma o tene, njiarwa na njiarwa, no rĩu nĩũguũrĩirio arĩa aamũre. (aiōn )
27 That is, God decided to reveal to them this message, which declares that he will greatly bless the non-Jews. Specifically, this message declares that Christ, [by his Spirit], will live in you who are non-Jews, with the result that you confidently expect that you will experience how glorious [God is].
O acio nĩo Ngai oonire arĩ wega kũmenyithia hitho ya ũtonga ũrĩa ũrĩ riiri kũrĩ andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ, nayo hitho ĩyo nĩ atĩ Kristũ arĩ thĩinĩ wanyu, o we kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro gĩa gũkaagĩa na riiri.
28 We tell about Christ [to every class of persons]; we warn them, and specifically, we teach everyone very wisely. We do this in order that every person who (has a close relationship with/is united to) Christ may be (all that God wants them to be/perfect) when we present them to Christ.
Ũcio nĩwe tũhunjagia, tũgĩtaaranaga na tũkĩrutaga o mũndũ wothe tũrĩ na ũũgĩ wothe, nĩgeetha tũkarũgamia o mũndũ wothe aagĩrĩire kũna thĩinĩ wa Kristũ.
29 In order that I might [achieve/accomplish this], I am also working very hard, depending on Christ to empowering me very greatly.
Nĩ ũndũ wa gĩtũmi kĩu nĩndĩĩnogagia, ngĩĩgiaga kũringana na hinya wake wothe, ũrĩa ũrutaga wĩra na hinya thĩinĩ wakwa.