Waefeso 4
1 Basi, mimi niliye mfungwa wa Bwana, nawasihi mwenende kama inavyostahili wito wenu mlioitiwa.
I, the prisoner of the LORD, then call on you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
2 Kwa unyenyekevu wote na upole, mkiwa wavumilivu, mkichukuliana kwa upendo.
with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 Jitahidini kudumisha umoja wa Roho katika kifungo cha amani.
being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;
4 Kuna mwili mmoja na Roho mmoja, kama vile mlivyoitwa katika tumaini moja.
one body and one Spirit, according as you were also called in one hope of your calling;
5 Tena kuna Bwana mmoja, imani moja, ubatizo mmoja,
one Lord, one faith, one immersion,
6 Mungu mmoja ambaye ni Baba wa wote, aliye juu ya yote, katika yote na ndani ya yote.
one God and Father of all, who [is] over all, and through all, and in you all,
7 Lakini kila mmoja wetu amepewa neema kwa kadiri ya kipimo cha kipawa cha Kristo.
and to each one of you was given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ,
8 Kwa hiyo husema: “Alipopaa juu zaidi, aliteka mateka, akawapa wanadamu vipawa.”
for this reason, it says, “Having gone up on high He led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men.”
9 (Asemapo “alipaa juu,” maana yake nini isipokuwa ni kusema pia kwamba Kristo alishuka pande za chini sana za dunia?
And that, He went up, what is it except that He also went down first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 Yeye aliyeshuka ndiye alipaa juu zaidi kupita mbingu zote, ili apate kuujaza ulimwengu wote.)
He who went down is the same who also went up far above all the heavens, that He may fill all things—
11 Ndiye aliweka wengine kuwa mitume, wengine kuwa manabii, wengine kuwa wainjilisti, wengine kuwa wachungaji na walimu,
and He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] proclaimers of good news, and some [as] shepherds and teachers,
12 kwa kusudi la kuwakamilisha watakatifu kwa ajili ya kazi za huduma, ili kwamba mwili wa Kristo upate kujengwa
to the perfecting of the holy ones, for a work of ministry, for a building up of the body of the Christ,
13 mpaka sote tutakapoufikia umoja katika imani na katika kumjua sana Mwana wa Mungu na kuwa watu wazima kwa kufikia kimo cha ukamilifu wa Kristo.
until we may all come to the unity of faith and of the recognition of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to a measure of stature of the fullness of the Christ,
14 Ili tusiwe tena watoto wachanga, tukitupwatupwa huku na huku na kuchukuliwa na kila upepo wa mafundisho kwa hila za watu, kwa ujanja, kwa kufuata njia zao za udanganyifu.
that we may no longer be children, being tossed by waves and being carried around by every wind of the teaching, in the cunning of men, in craftiness, to the scheming of leading astray,
15 Badala yake, tukiambiana kweli kwa upendo, katika mambo yote tukue, hata tumfikie yeye aliye kichwa, yaani, Kristo.
and [speaking] truth in love, we may increase to Him [in] all things, who is the head—the Christ;
16 Kutoka kwake, mwili wote ukiwa umeungamanishwa na kushikamanishwa pamoja kwa msaada wa kila kiungo, hukua na kujijenga wenyewe katika upendo, wakati kila kiungo kinafanya kazi yake.
from whom the whole body, being fitly joined together and united, through the supply of every joint, according to the working in the measure of each single part, the increase of the body makes for the building up of itself in love.
17 Hivyo nawaambia hivi, nami nasisitiza katika Bwana kwamba, msiishi tena kama watu wa Mataifa waishivyo, katika ubatili wa mawazo yao.
This, then, I say, and I testify in the LORD: you are no longer to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Watu hao akili zao zimetiwa giza na wametengwa mbali na uzima wa Mungu kwa sababu ya ujinga wao kutokana na ugumu wa mioyo yao.
being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,
19 Wakiisha kufa ganzi, wamejitia katika mambo ya ufisadi na kupendelea kila aina ya uchafu, wakiendelea kutamani zaidi.
who, having ceased to feel, gave themselves up to the licentiousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;
20 Lakini ninyi, hivyo sivyo mlivyojifunza Kristo.
and you did not so learn the Christ,
21 Kama hivyo ndivyo ilivyo, ninyi mmemsikia, tena mmefundishwa naye, vile kweli ilivyo katika Yesu.
if [it] so be [that] you heard Him, and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus;
22 Mlifundishwa kuuvua mwenendo wenu wa zamani, utu wenu wa kale, ulioharibiwa na tamaa zake za udanganyifu,
concerning the former behavior you are to put off the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit,
23 ili mfanywe upya roho na nia zenu,
and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 mkajivike utu mpya, ulioumbwa sawasawa na mfano wa Mungu katika haki yote na utakatifu.
and to put on the new man, which, according to God, was created in righteousness and kindness of the truth.
25 Kwa hiyo kila mmoja wenu avue uongo na kuambiana kweli mtu na jirani yake, kwa maana sisi sote tu viungo vya mwili mmoja.
For this reason, putting away the lying, each speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another;
26 Mkikasirika, msitende dhambi, wala jua lisichwe mkiwa bado mmekasirika,
be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 wala msimpe ibilisi nafasi.
neither give place to the Devil;
28 Yeye ambaye amekuwa akiiba, asiibe tena, lakini lazima ajishughulishe, afanye kitu kifaacho kwa mikono yake mwenyewe, ili awe na kitu cha kuwagawia wahitaji.
whoever is stealing let him no longer steal, but rather let him labor, working the thing that is good with the hands, that he may have to impart to him having need.
29 Maneno mabaya yasitoke vinywani mwenu, bali yale yafaayo kwa ajili ya kuwajenga wengine kulingana na mahitaji yao, ili yawafae wale wasikiao.
Let no corrupt word go forth out of your mouth, but what is good to the necessary building up, that it may give grace to the hearers;
30 Wala msimhuzunishe Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu, ambaye kwake mlitiwa muhuri kwa ajili ya siku ya ukombozi.
and do not make the Holy Spirit of God sorrowful, in which you were sealed to [the] day of redemption.
31 Ondoeni kabisa uchungu, ghadhabu, hasira, makelele na masingizio pamoja na kila aina ya uovu.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice,
32 Kuweni wafadhili na wenye kuhurumiana ninyi kwa ninyi, mkisameheana, kama vile naye Mungu katika Kristo alivyowasamehe ninyi.
and become kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as God also forgave you in Christ.
