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 recommend ourselves? or do we need, as some do, recommendatory epistles to you, or letters of recommendation from you?
2 Ninyi wenyewe ndio barua yetu iliyoandikwa katika mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na kila mtu.
Ye are our epistle, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by 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.
being manifest that ye are the epistle of Christ, through our ministration, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on tables of the heart of flesh.
4 Hili ndilo tumaini tulilo nalo mbele za Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo.
And such confidence have we through Christ towards God:
5 Si kwamba sisi tunafikiri kuwa tunaweza kufanya jambo lolote wenyewe, lakini nguvu yetu inatoka kwa Mungu.
not that we can of ourselves reckon upon any thing as from ourselves, but our sufficiency 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 hath also fitted us to be ministers of the new covenant, 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,
Now if the ministration of death which was in writing, and engraven on stones, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly on the face of Moses, because of the lustre of his countenance, which was to be taken away:
8 je, huduma ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?
9 Ikiwa huduma ile inayowahukumu wanadamu ina utukufu, je, ile huduma iletayo haki haitakuwa ya utukufu zaidi?
For if the ministration of condemnation was so glorious, 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.
since what was then made glorious was not in comparison glorious, because of the glory that surpasseth it.
11 Ikiwa kile kilichokuwa kinafifia kilikuja kwa utukufu, je, si zaidi utukufu wa kile kinachodumu?
For if that, which was to be taken away, came with glory, much more that which abideth is glorious.
12 Kwa hiyo, kwa kuwa tunalo tumaini hili, tuna ujasiri sana.
Having therefore such hope, we use much freedom 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 do not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, intimating that the children of Israel could not look to the end of that which was to be abolished; but their minds were blinded:
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.
for unto this day the same veil remaineth unremoved in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.
15 Hata leo Sheria ya Mose inaposomwa, utaji hufunika mioyo yao.
But to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16 Lakini wakati wowote mtu anapomgeukia Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
Though when it turneth unto the Lord, the veil is taken off:
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 unveiled face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, as proceeding from the Spirit of the Lord.
