Waefeso 2
1 Kwa habari zenu, mlikuwa wafu katika makosa na dhambi zenu,
To you Gentiles also, who were dead through your offences and sins,
2 ambazo mlizitenda mlipofuatisha namna ya ulimwengu huu na za yule mtawala wa ufalme wa anga, yule roho atendaye kazi sasa ndani ya wale wasiotii. (aiōn g165)
which were once habitual to you while you walked in the ways of this world and obeyed the Prince of the powers of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience--to you God has given Life. (aiōn g165)
3 Sisi sote pia tuliishi katikati yao hapo zamani, tukitimiza tamaa za asili yetu ya dhambi na kufuata tamaa zake na mawazo yake. Nasi kwa asili tulikuwa wana wa ghadhabu, kama mtu mwingine yeyote.
Among them all of us also formerly passed our lives, governed by the inclinations of our lower natures, indulging the cravings of those natures and of our own thoughts, and were in our original state deserving of anger like all others.
4 Lakini Mungu kwa upendo wake mwingi kwetu sisi, ambaye ni mwingi wa rehema,
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the intense love which He bestowed on us,
5 hata tulipokuwa wafu kwa ajili ya makosa yetu, alitufanya tuwe hai pamoja na Kristo Yesu, yaani, mmeokolewa kwa neema.
caused us, dead though we were through our offences, to live with Christ--it is by grace that you have been saved--
6 Mungu alitufufua pamoja na Kristo na kutuketisha pamoja naye katika ulimwengu wa roho katika Kristo Yesu,
raised us with Him from the dead, and enthroned us with Him in the heavenly realms as being in Christ Jesus,
7 ili katika ule ulimwengu ujao apate kuonyesha wingi wa neema yake isiyopimika, iliyodhihirishwa kwetu kwa wema wake ndani ya Kristo Yesu. (aiōn g165)
in order that, by His goodness to us in Christ Jesus, He might display in the Ages to come the transcendent riches of His grace. (aiōn g165)
8 Kwa maana mmeokolewa kwa neema, kwa njia ya imani, wala si kwa matendo yenu mema. Hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu,
For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit--
9 si kwa matendo, ili mtu yeyote asije akajisifu.
so that it may be impossible for any one to boast.
10 Kwa maana sisi ni kazi ya mikono ya Mungu, tulioumbwa katika Kristo Yesu, ili tupate kutenda matendo mema, ambayo Mungu alitangulia kuyaandaa tupate kuishi katika hayo.
For we are God's own handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He has pre-destined us to practise.
11 Kwa hiyo kumbukeni kwamba ninyi ambao hapo awali mlikuwa watu wa Mataifa kwa kuzaliwa na kuitwa “wasiotahiriwa” na wale wanaojiita “waliotahiriwa” (yaani tohara ifanyikayo katika mwili kwa mikono ya wanadamu),
Therefore, do not forget that formerly you were Gentiles as to your bodily condition. You were called the Uncircumcision by those who style themselves the Circumcised--their circumcision being one which the knife has effected.
12 kumbukeni kwamba wakati ule mlikuwa mbali na Kristo, mkiwa mmetengwa kutoka jumuiya ya Israeli, na mkiwa wageni katika yale maagano ya ahadi, nanyi mkiwa hamna tumaini wala Mungu duniani.
At that time you were living apart from Christ, estranged from the Commonwealth of Israel, with no share by birth in the Covenants which are based on the Promises, and you had no hope and no God, in all the world.
13 Lakini sasa katika Kristo Yesu, ninyi ambao hapo kwanza mlikuwa mbali na Mungu, sasa mmeletwa karibu kwa njia ya damu ya Kristo.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were so far away have been brought near through the death of Christ.
14 Kwa maana yeye mwenyewe ndiye amani yetu, aliyetufanya sisi tuliokuwa wawili, yaani, Wayahudi na watu wa Mataifa, tuwe wamoja kwa kuvunja kizuizi na kubomoa ule ukuta wa uadui uliokuwa kati yetu,
For He is our peace--He who has made Jews and Gentiles one, and in His own human nature has broken down the hostile dividing wall,
15 kwa kuibatilisha ile sheria pamoja na amri zake na maagizo yake alipoutoa mwili wake, ili apate kufanya ndani yake mtu mmoja mpya badala ya hao wawili, hivyo akifanya amani,
by setting aside the Law with its commandments, expressed, as they were, in definite decrees. His design was to unite the two sections of humanity in Himself so as to form one new man,
16 naye katika mwili huu mmoja awapatanishe wote wawili na Mungu kupitia msalaba, ili kwa huo msalaba akaangamiza uadui wao.
thus effecting peace, and to reconcile Jews and Gentiles in one body to God, by means of His cross--slaying by it their mutual enmity.
17 Alikuja na kuhubiri amani kwenu ninyi mliokuwa mbali na pia akahubiri amani kwao waliokuwa karibu.
So He came and proclaimed good news of peace to you who were so far away, and peace to those who were near;
18 Kwa maana kwa kupitia kwake, sisi sote tunaweza kumkaribia Baba katika Roho mmoja.
because it is through Him that Jews and Gentiles alike have access through one Spirit to the Father.
19 Hivyo basi, ninyi sasa si wageni tena wala wapitaji, bali mmekuwa wenyeji pamoja na watakatifu na pia jamaa wa nyumbani mwake Mungu.
You are therefore no longer mere foreigners or persons excluded from civil rights. On the contrary you share citizenship with God's people and are members of His family.
20 Mmejengwa juu ya msingi wa mitume na manabii, naye Kristo Yesu mwenyewe ndiye jiwe kuu la pembeni.
You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself,
21 Ndani yake jengo lote limeshikamanishwa pamoja na kusimamishwa ili kuwa Hekalu takatifu katika Bwana.
in union with whom the whole fabric, fitted and closely joined together, is growing so as to form a holy sanctuary in the Lord;
22 Katika yeye ninyi nanyi mnajengwa pamoja ili mpate kuwa makao ambayo Mungu anaishi ndani yake kwa njia ya Roho wake.
in whom you also are being built up together to become a fixed abode for God through the Spirit.
