2 Wakorintho 3
1 Je, tunaanza tena kujisifu wenyewe? Au tunahitaji kupata barua za utambulisho kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama watu wengine?
Must we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?
2 Ninyi wenyewe ndio barua yetu iliyoandikwa katika mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na kila mtu.
You are out letter, written on 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.
For you are plainly declared Christ's letter, ministered by us, written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart.
4 Hili ndilo tumaini tulilo nalo mbele za Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo.
Now we have such confidence through Christ, toward God;
5 Si kwamba sisi tunafikiri kuwa tunaweza kufanya jambo lolote wenyewe, lakini nguvu yetu inatoka kwa Mungu.
not that we are competent by ourselves to reckon anything as from ourselves: but our competency is from 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 has made us competent ministers of a new institution; not of letter, but of spirit: for the letter kills; but the spirit makes alive.
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,
For if the ministration of death in letters engraved on stone was with glory, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face, which was to be abolished;
8 je, huduma ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
how much rather shall not the ministration of the Spirit be with glory?
9 Ikiwa huduma ile inayowahukumu wanadamu ina utukufu, je, ile huduma iletayo haki haitakuwa ya utukufu zaidi?
For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious, much more does the ministration of justification abound in glory.
10 Kwa maana kile kilichokuwa na utukufu sasa hakina utukufu ukilinganisha na huu utukufu unaozidi wa Agano Jipya.
For, indeed, that which was glorified, was not glorified, in this respect, by reason of the transcendent glory.
11 Ikiwa kile kilichokuwa kinafifia kilikuja kwa utukufu, je, si zaidi utukufu wa kile kinachodumu?
For if that which is abolished was with glory, much more that which continues, is with glory.
12 Kwa hiyo, kwa kuwa tunalo tumaini hili, tuna ujasiri sana.
Having, therefore, such confidence, 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, who put a vail upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly 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.
Indeed, their minds were blinded: for, till this day, the same vail remains in the reading of the Old Institution; it not being discovered that it is abolished in Christ.
15 Hata leo Sheria ya Mose inaposomwa, utaji hufunika mioyo yao.
Moreover, till this day, when Moses is read, the vail lies upon their heart.
16 Lakini wakati wowote mtu anapomgeukia Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
But when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken from around it.
17 Basi Bwana ndiye Roho. Mahali alipo Roho wa Bwana hapo pana uhuru.
Now, the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
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.
And we all, with unvailed face, beholding, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord; are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
