Aefeso 4
1 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, niĩ Paũlũ njohetwo nĩ ũndũ wa Mwathani, nĩndamũthaitha mũtũũre na mũtũũrĩre ũringaine na gwĩtwo kũrĩa mwetirwo.
Therefore I, who am in prison because [I serve] the Lord [Jesus], urge you, whom God has chosen [to be his people, to do these things]: Conduct your lives as [God’s people] should.
2 Mwĩnyiihĩtie biũ na mũhooreire na mũkirĩrĩirie, na ningĩ mũkiranagĩrĩrie mũndũ na ũrĩa ũngĩ mũrĩ na wendani.
Always be humble, and do not demand your own rights. Be patient [with each other], and, because you love each other, endure each other’s ([irritating] behavior/behavior that you do not like).
3 Geriai na kĩyo nĩguo mũtũũrie ũrũmwe wa Roho, muohanĩtio na thayũ.
[God’s] Spirit has caused you to be united [with one another], so do all that you can to remain united [with one another] by acting peacefully [toward each other].
4 Nĩgũkorwo kũrĩ mwĩrĩ o ũmwe na Roho o ũmwe, o ta ũrĩa mwetĩirwo kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro o kĩmwe rĩrĩa mwetirwo,
[All we believers form just one group] [MET], and we have only one [Holy] Spirit. Similarly, you were chosen {[God] chose you} in order that you all might confidently keep expecting one [set of good] things [from God].
5 nake Mwathani no ũmwe, na wĩtĩkio ũmwe, na ũbatithio o ũmwe;
There is only one Lord, [Jesus Christ]. We all believe the same [teaching about him. It was to show that we belong to him] alone that [we had someone] baptize us.
6 nake Ngai no ũmwe na nowe Ithe wa andũ othe, ũrĩa ũrĩ igũrũ rĩa andũ othe, na arĩ kũndũ guothe, na thĩinĩ wa andũ othe.
There is one God, who is the [spiritual] Father of all [us believers]. He [rules] over all his people; he enables all his people [to do powerful things] (OR, he sustains all his people); and his [Spirit lives] in all his people.
7 No rĩrĩ, mũndũ o mũndũ witũ nĩaheetwo wega wa Ngai, kũringana na ũrĩa Kristũ aheanaga.
Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.
8 Nĩkĩo Maandĩko moigaga atĩrĩ: “Rĩrĩa aambatire igũrũ, nĩatongoririe arĩa maatahĩtwo mũtongoro-inĩ wake, na akĩhe andũ iheo.”
[When Christ gave] gifts to his people, [it was similar to what the Psalmist said about God receiving tribute money] from those whom he had conquered, When he ascended to heaven, he gave as gifts to people the things [that he had taken] from the people whom he captured:
9 (Rĩu-rĩ, ciugo icio atĩ “nĩambatire igũrũ” nĩ kuuga atĩa, angĩkorwo ti kuuga atĩ o na nĩaikũrũkire thĩ kũrĩa kũriku mũno?
The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.
10 Ũcio waikũrũkire nowe ũrĩa wambatire igũrũ o igũrũ mũno, nĩgeetha aiyũre kũndũ guothe.)
Christ, who descended [to earth], is also the one who ascended to the most exalted position in heaven, in order that he might show his power [MTY] throughout the universe.
11 Ũcio nĩwe ũrĩa wathuurire andũ amwe matuĩke atũmwo, na angĩ matuĩke anabii, na angĩ matuĩke ahunjia, na arĩa angĩ matuĩke arĩithi a ngoro cia andũ o na arutani,
He appointed some people to be apostles. He appointed some people to be (prophets/ones who reveal messages that come directly from God). He appointed some people to be (evangelists/ones whose work is to tell others the message about Christ). He appointed some people to lead and teach [the congregations].
12 nĩguo ahaarĩrie andũ a Ngai nĩ ũndũ wa wĩra wa gũtungata, nĩgeetha mwĩrĩ wa Kristũ wongererwo hinya,
[He appointed all of these] in order that they would prepare God’s people to do [God’s] work, so that all the people who belong to Christ [MET] might become [spiritually] mature.
13 o nginya rĩrĩa ithuothe tũkaagĩa na ũrũmwe ũhoro-inĩ wa gwĩtĩkia o na wa kũmenya Mũrũ wa Ngai, na tũtuĩke agima o nginya tũgĩe na ũgima mũkinyanĩru kũna o ta ũrĩa Kristũ ahaana.
He wants all of us [believers] to be united [because] we all believe in the Son of God (OR, the man who was also God) and [because] we all know [him]. He wants us to become spiritually mature; that is, he wants us to be (perfect/all that God wants us to be), [just like] Christ was ([perfect/all that God wanted him to be]).
14 Hĩndĩ ĩyo tũgĩtige gũtuĩka tũkenge, tũrĩa tũikanagio mwena na mwena, o na tũkĩhurutagwo haha na harĩa nĩ rũhuho o ruothe rwa ũrutani, na tũgĩtwaragĩrĩrio nĩ wara na ũhinga wa andũ ũrĩa maheenagĩrĩria andũ naguo makamahĩtithia.
Then we will no longer be [spiritually immature], like [MET] little children [are immature]. We will no longer be constantly [changing what we believe, like] [MET] waves of the sea are [constantly changing as the wind blows and] tosses them back and forth. We will not allow people who teach [what is false] and who scheme to deceive/influence us.
15 Handũ ha ũguo-rĩ, tũngĩaria ũhoro-wa-ma tũrĩ na wendani, nĩtũrĩkũraga maũndũ-inĩ mothe thĩinĩ wake ũrĩa arĩ we mũtwe, na nĩwe Kristũ.
Instead, by loving [others] as we behave as [God’s] truth requires (OR, speak in a loving manner what is true), we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He is the one [who controls/guides all his people] [MET], [just like a person’s] head [controls/guides his] body.
16 Kuuma kũrĩ we mwĩrĩ wothe ũnyiitithanagio na ũkohanio hamwe nĩ nga iria iũnyiitithanagia, naguo ũgakũraga na ũkeyakaga guo mwene thĩinĩ wa wendani, o kĩĩga gĩkĩrutaga wĩra wakĩo.
He [enables all those who belong to him to mature spiritually. A person’s body grows stronger, as] each part of the body is joined to the others by the ligaments and as each part (functions properly/works as it should). Similarly, believers will become mature [spiritually] by loving each other and by each of them doing the work [that God wants them to do] [MET].
17 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ, na ngamũringĩrĩria thĩinĩ wa Mwathani, atĩ no nginya mũtige gũtũũraga ta ũrĩa andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ matũũraga, marĩ na meciiria ma tũhũ.
The Lord [Jesus] has authorized me to strongly tell you that you must no longer conduct your lives like unbelievers do. The futile/worthless way in which they think [MET] [controls how they conduct their lives].
18 Ũmenyo wao ũiyũrĩtwo nĩ nduma, na makaamũranio na mũtũũrĩre wa wendi wa Ngai nĩ ũndũ wa ũrimũ ũrĩa ũrĩ thĩinĩ wao uumanĩte na ũmũ wa ngoro ciao.
They are unable to think clearly [MET] [about what is right and what is wrong]. Because they have decided that they do not want to know about God and because they stubbornly [IDM] refuse to [listen to his message], they do not have the [eternal] life that God [gives us].
19 Nĩ ũndũ wa kwaga thoni ciothe-rĩ, nĩmeheanĩte kũrĩ thuti cia ũũra-thoni magekaga mawaganu ma mĩthemba yothe, na magathiĩ na mbere kwĩrirĩria mangĩ maingĩ.
The result is that because they have ceased (to care/to be concerned) [about what is right and what is wrong], they have (deliberately committed themselves to doing/wholeheartedly decided to do) the shameful things that their bodies want, and they commit all kinds of immoral acts, and continually are eager to do more of those things.
20 No inyuĩ mũtiamenyire Kristũ na njĩra ĩyo.
But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.
21 Ti-itherũ nĩmwaiguire ũhoro wake, na mũkĩrutwo mũrĩ thĩinĩ wake kũringana na ũhoro wa ma ũrĩa ũrĩ thĩinĩ wa Jesũ.
I am sure that you heard the message about [Christ], and because you are people who have a close relationship with him, you were taught {[others] taught you} the true [way to live] that Jesus [showed us].
22 Nĩmwarutirwo, ũhoro ũkoniĩ mũtũũrĩre wanyu wa mbere, nĩgeetha mwĩaũre mũndũ wanyu ũrĩa wa tene, ũrĩa rĩu ũthũkĩtio nĩ merirĩria maguo ma maheeni;
[You were taught] {[They taught you]} that you must put aside [MET] your evil nature; [that is, that you must not behave like you formerly did]. Your evil desires deceived you, making you want to do evil things and causing you to think that [doing that was good for you]; and your thinking like that was destroying you [spiritually].
23 nĩgeetha mwerũhĩrio mwĩciirĩrie wanyu;
Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,
24 na mwĩhumbe mũndũ ũrĩa mwerũ, ũrĩa wombirwo ahaanaine na Ngai, arĩ na ũthingu na ũtheru ũrĩa wa ma.
and that you must start being [MET] the new persons that God made you to become. That is, your [behavior] must be righteous and truly/genuinely devout.
25 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, o ũmwe wanyu no nginya atigane na ũhoro wa maheeni, na mwaranagĩrie ũhoro wa ma mũndũ na ũrĩa ũngĩ, nĩgũkorwo ithuothe tũrĩ ciĩga cia mwĩrĩ ũmwe.
Therefore, quit lying to one another. Instead, because we all belong to just one group [of believers], speak truthfully to each other.
26 “Mwarakara mũtikehie”: Mũtikareke riũa rĩthũe mũrĩ o na marakara,
If you get angry, do not sin [as a result of] getting angry. Before the end of the day [MTY], stop being angry;
27 o na mũtikanahe mũcukani kamweke.
[by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.
28 Mũndũ ũrĩa ũiyaga, nĩatige gũcooka kũiya, nĩ kaba arute wĩra, akenogagia, na ekage maũndũ mega na moko make, nĩgeetha agĩe na kĩndũ angĩgayana na arĩa mabataire.
Those who have been stealing must not steal any longer. Instead, they should work hard to earn (their living/what they need) ([by] their own efforts/[by] what they do themselves) [MTY], in order that they may have [something] to give to those who are needy.
29 Mũtikanareke ndeto njũru ciume tũnua-inĩ twanyu, tiga o iria cia gwaka andũ arĩa angĩ kũringana na mabata mao, nĩguo igunage arĩa marĩciiguaga.
Do not use [MTY] foul language. Instead, say only things that are useful for helping people when they need help, things that will help [spiritually] the people that you talk to.
30 Ningĩ mũtikanaiguithie Roho Mũtheru wa Ngai ũũru, ũrĩa wamwĩkĩrire rũũri o nginya rĩrĩa mũthenya ũrĩa wa gũkũũrwo ũgaakinya.
[God has given you his] Spirit (to confirm/to assure you) that some day [God will claim all] you people [whom Christ has] redeemed [MET], [just like people confirm that something belongs to them by] putting their seal on it. So do not cause God’s Holy Spirit to be sad ([by the way you talk/by the things that you say]).
31 Eheriai gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu ũũru wa ngoro, na mangʼũrĩ na marakara, na njũgitano na njambanio, o hamwe na rũmena rwa mũthemba o na ũrĩkũ.
Do not be resentful at all towards others. Do not become angry in any way. Never shout abusively at others. Never (slander/say bad things about) others. Never act maliciously/be mean in any way.
32 Tuganagai na mũiguanagĩre tha, na mũkarekanagĩra mũndũ na ũrĩa ũngĩ, o ta ũrĩa Ngai aamũrekeire mehia manyu thĩinĩ wa Kristũ.
Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of [what] Christ [has done].
