2 Wakorintho 3
1 Je, tunaanza tena kujisifu wenyewe? Au tunahitaji kupata barua za utambulisho kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama watu wengine?
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some [others], epistles of commendation to you, or [letters] of commendation from you?
2 Ninyi wenyewe ndio barua yetu iliyoandikwa katika mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na kila mtu.
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Nanyi mwadhihirisha wazi kwamba ninyi ni barua itokayo kwa Kristo, matokeo ya huduma yetu, ambayo haikuandikwa kwa wino bali kwa Roho wa Mungu aliye hai, si katika vibao vya mawe, bali katika vibao ambavyo ni mioyo ya wanadamu.
[Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 Hili ndilo tumaini tulilo nalo mbele za Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Si kwamba sisi tunafikiri kuwa tunaweza kufanya jambo lolote wenyewe, lakini nguvu yetu inatoka kwa Mungu.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;
6 Ndiye alituwezesha sisi kuwa wahudumu wa Agano Jipya: si wa andiko, bali wa Roho; kwa kuwa andiko huua bali Roho hutia uzima.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7 Basi ikiwa ile huduma iliyoleta mauti, iliyoandikwa kwa herufi juu ya jiwe ilikuja kwa utukufu, hata Waisraeli wakawa hawawezi kuutazama uso wa Mose kwa sababu ya ule utukufu wake ingawa ulikuwa ni wa kufifia,
But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:
8 je, huduma ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 Ikiwa huduma ile inayowahukumu wanadamu ina utukufu, je, ile huduma iletayo haki haitakuwa ya utukufu zaidi?
For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 Kwa maana kile kilichokuwa na utukufu sasa hakina utukufu ukilinganisha na huu utukufu unaozidi wa Agano Jipya.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 Ikiwa kile kilichokuwa kinafifia kilikuja kwa utukufu, je, si zaidi utukufu wa kile kinachodumu?
For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
12 Kwa hiyo, kwa kuwa tunalo tumaini hili, tuna ujasiri sana.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 Sisi si kama Mose, ambaye ilimpasa kuweka utaji ili kufunika uso wake ili Waisraeli wasiuone ule mngʼao uliokuwa juu yake hadi ulipofifia na hatimaye kutoweka.
And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 Lakini akili zao zilipumbazwa, kwa maana mpaka leo utaji ule ule hufunika wakati Agano la Kale linasomwa. Huo utaji haujaondolewa, kwa maana ni katika Kristo peke yake unaondolewa.
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.
15 Hata leo Sheria ya Mose inaposomwa, utaji hufunika mioyo yao.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Lakini wakati wowote mtu anapomgeukia Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Basi Bwana ndiye Roho. Mahali alipo Roho wa Bwana hapo pana uhuru.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.
18 Nasi sote, tukiwa na nyuso zisizotiwa utaji tunadhihirisha utukufu wa Bwana, kama kwenye kioo. Nasi tunabadilishwa ili tufanane naye, toka utukufu hadi utukufu mkuu zaidi, utokao kwa Bwana, ambaye ndiye Roho.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.
