1 Bhakolinto 4
1 Bhandunji bhatubhonanje uwe kuti bhatumishi bha a Kilishitu tukamwiywe injubhi ya a Nnungu.
Let people look on us as Christ’s servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.
2 Shipingwa penepo ntumishi akamwiywe jula akulupalilwe.
Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.
3 Kwangu nne kumaliya kwa malobhe gangu na mmwe eu na bhandu bhana nngabha shindu. Kwangu nne nngabha shindu kuukumulwa na mmanganya eu na maakama jojowe ja bhandunji, na wala namwene ngakwiukumula.
But it weighs very little with me that I am judged by you or by any human tribunal. No, I do not even judge myself;
4 Nntima gwangu ukakushibhona shindu shoshowe sha jangula, ikabheje shenesho shikandenda nne ngunakole sha gambwa, ikabhe bhamaliya malobhe gangu nne Bhakulungwa.
for, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.
5 Bhai, nnamaliyanje malobhe malanga gakwe gakanabhe ika, nnekanje mpaka pushibhaishe Bhakulungwa. Bhenebho bhapinga unukula indu yowe itendwa kwa shinjubhi, na languya ili mmitima ja bhandunji. Penepo kila mundu shalumbililwe na a Nnungu.
Therefore do not pass judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes. He will throw light on what is now dark and obscure, and will reveal the motives in people’s minds; and then everyone will receive due praise from God.
6 Bhakilishitu ajangunji, gene gundashiyego njilandanya ga a Apolo na nne kwenu mmanganyanji, nkupinga mwiijiganyanje kugamanya malombolelo ga shibheleketo sha kuti, “Nnapundanje gajandikwego.” Anapagwe mundu akwiipunila mundu jumo na kunnyegaya juna.
All this, friends, I have, for your sakes, applied to Apollos and myself, so that, from our example, you may learn to observe the precept – ‘Keep to what is written,’ that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher to the disparagement of another.
7 Gani ampele mmwe ukulungwa kupunda bhananji? Shindu shashi shinkwete, gwangali kupegwa na a Nnungu? Monaga nshipegwa shinkwiipuna nndi mbuti mwaangapegwa?
For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?
8 Ayaga! Nkwetenje indu ya togolela! Igala nkwetenje shipato shikulungwa! Mpatilenje upalume gwangali uwe! Elo, mbaya nkalinginji bhapalume, nkupinga na uwe tutagwale pamo na mmanganyanji.
Are you all so soon satisfied? Are you so soon rich? Have you begun to reign without us? Would indeed that you had, so that we also might reign with you!
9 Pungubhona a Nnungu bhashikutubhika uwe mitume tubhe tubhanndu bha kumpelo, pabha tushibhikwa tubhe mbuti bhandu bha bhulagwa pa lugwinjili, tulolwe na bhandu bha shilambolyo na ashimalaika.
For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the apostles, last of all, as people doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to people!
10 Uwe tubhangumba kwa ligongo lya a Kilishitu, ikabheje mmanganya nshikolanga lunda nkulundana na a Kilishitu! Uwe twangali mashili, mmanganya nshikolanga. Mmanganya nnaishimiwanga, ikabheje uwe tukaishimiwa.
We, for Christ’s sake, are fools, but you, by your union with Christ, are people of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are despised.
11 Mpaka agano malanga gano, uwe tushikola nnjota na shibhanga twangali nngubho, tunapotekwa na twangali ndamo.
To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;
12 Tunaabhuka mmaengo twaashayene. Pututukanwa, tunakwajujilanga mboka, tupotekwaga tunakwiipililila,
we work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,
13 tulambililwaga, tunajangula kwa ishima. Mpaka nnaino putuli mbuti indu ya nunga na ya nyata pashilambolyo.
we meet slander with gentle appeals. We have been treated as the scum of the earth, the vilest of the vile, to this very hour.
14 Ngaajandika gegano nkupinga nintokomayanje, ikabhe kwa ligongo lya kunneyanga mbuti ashibhanangu bhungumpinganga.
It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.
15 Pabha nkali nkwetenje bhaajiganya bhabhagwinji nndamo ja Shikilishitu, ikabheje ainabhenunji bhamope, pabha nne ninkwetenje nkulundana na a Kilishitu kwa lunguya Ngani ja Mmbone.
Though you may have thousands of instructors in the faith of Christ, yet you have not many fathers. It was I who, through union with Christ Jesus, became your father by means of the good news.
16 Kwa nneyo, ngunakunshondelesheyanga nngagulanje nne shinguti tenda.
Therefore I entreat you – Follow my example.
17 Kwa nneyo njikwaatuma a Timoteo kunngwenunji, bhanangu bhungwaapinga, bhaakulupalika nkulundana na Bhakulungwa. Shibhankumbushiyanje shingutama nne nkulundana na a Kilishitu, na majiganyo gangu mmakanisha gowe.
This is my reason for sending Timothy to you. He is my own dear faithful child in the Master’s service, and he will remind you of my methods of teaching the faith of Christ Jesus – methods which I follow everywhere in every church.
18 Bhananji munkumbi gwenunji bhatandwibhenje kwiipunanga bhaliganishiyanga kuti ngaika kabhili kweneko.
Some, I hear, are puffed up with pride, thinking that I am not coming to you.
19 Ikabheje, Bhakulungwa bhapingaga shing'ishe kunngwenunji, penepo shinole namwene, nngabha kwa pilikanape malobhe gabhonji, ikabhe na kugamanya mashili gabhonji.
But come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord; and then I will find out, not what words these people use who are so puffed up, but what power they possess;
20 Pabha upalume gwa a Nnungu nngabha ga malobhepe, ikabhe mashili.
for the kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.
21 Nkupinganga nndi? Ng'ishe na imbo eu ng'ishe na ntima gwa pingana na kwiitimalika?
What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?
