Waefeso 4
1 Basi, mimi niliye mfungwa wa Bwana, nawasihi mwenende kama inavyostahili wito wenu mlioitiwa.
I summon you then, I the prisoner in the Lord, to live lives worthy of the calling to which you were called.
2 Kwa unyenyekevu wote na upole, mkiwa wavumilivu, mkichukuliana kwa upendo.
With all humility and gentleness and long-suffering forbear with one another in love;
3 Jitahidini kudumisha umoja wa Roho katika kifungo cha amani.
and endeavor to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.
4 Kuna mwili mmoja na Roho mmoja, kama vile mlivyoitwa katika tumaini moja.
There is one body and one spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling.
5 Tena kuna Bwana mmoja, imani moja, ubatizo mmoja,
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
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 all.
7 Lakini kila mmoja wetu amepewa neema kwa kadiri ya kipimo cha kipawa cha Kristo.
And to each one of us was grace given according to the measure of the munificence of Christ.
8 Kwa hiyo husema: “Alipopaa juu zaidi, aliteka mateka, akawapa wanadamu vipawa.”
Thus it is said, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive 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?
Now surely this "he ascended" implies that he also descended into the lower part of the earth.
10 Yeye aliyeshuka ndiye alipaa juu zaidi kupita mbingu zote, ili apate kuujaza ulimwengu wote.)
He who descended is he who ascended above the highest heaven, that he might fill the universe.
11 Ndiye aliweka wengine kuwa mitume, wengine kuwa manabii, wengine kuwa wainjilisti, wengine kuwa wachungaji na walimu,
It is he who made some men apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 kwa kusudi la kuwakamilisha watakatifu kwa ajili ya kazi za huduma, ili kwamba mwili wa Kristo upate kujengwa
in order to equip the saints for the work of serving, for the building up of the Body of 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.
till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the maturity of manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of 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.
So we shall no longer be children, tossed up and down, and blown about by every wind of teaching, tricked by the craft of men in the snares of misleading error;
15 Badala yake, tukiambiana kweli kwa upendo, katika mambo yote tukue, hata tumfikie yeye aliye kichwa, yaani, Kristo.
but holding the truth in love we shall grow up in every part into him who is our Head, even 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 him the whole body (knit together and compacted by all its joints) makes continual growth of the body so as to build itself up in love, through the energy of his bounteous provision, according to the need of each several part.
17 Hivyo nawaambia hivi, nami nasisitiza katika Bwana kwamba, msiishi tena kama watu wa Mataifa waishivyo, katika ubatili wa mawazo yao.
This then I tell you and implore you in the Master’s name, to pass your lives no longer as the Gentiles do in the perverseness of their minds;
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.
having their understanding darkened, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts.
19 Wakiisha kufa ganzi, wamejitia katika mambo ya ufisadi na kupendelea kila aina ya uchafu, wakiendelea kutamani zaidi.
These being past feeling have given themselves over to sensuality, in order to practise every form of impurity with greedy zest.
20 Lakini ninyi, hivyo sivyo mlivyojifunza Kristo.
But you have not so learned Christ,
21 Kama hivyo ndivyo ilivyo, ninyi mmemsikia, tena mmefundishwa naye, vile kweli ilivyo katika Yesu.
if indeed you have listened to him, and in him been taught the truth as it is in Jesus.
22 Mlifundishwa kuuvua mwenendo wenu wa zamani, utu wenu wa kale, ulioharibiwa na tamaa zake za udanganyifu,
You have learned to lay aside, with your former manner of living, the old self who was on his way to ruin, as he followed the desires which deceive;
23 ili mfanywe upya roho na nia zenu,
and to be made new 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 self, created after God’s likeness, in the uprightness and holiness 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.
So then put away falseness and speak every man the truth to his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
26 Mkikasirika, msitende dhambi, wala jua lisichwe mkiwa bado mmekasirika,
"Be angry and sin not"; let not the sun go down upon your anger.
27 wala msimpe ibilisi nafasi.
Give the devil no place.
28 Yeye ambaye amekuwa akiiba, asiibe tena, lakini lazima ajishughulishe, afanye kitu kifaacho kwa mikono yake mwenyewe, ili awe na kitu cha kuwagawia wahitaji.
Let him who stole steal no more, but let him work, and in honest industry toil with his hands, so that he may have something to give to the needy.
29 Maneno mabaya yasitoke vinywani mwenu, bali yale yafaayo kwa ajili ya kuwajenga wengine kulingana na mahitaji yao, ili yawafae wale wasikiao.
From your lips let no evil words come forth, but such as occasion warrants, such as are good for upbuilding and give a blessing to the hearers.
30 Wala msimhuzunishe Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu, ambaye kwake mlitiwa muhuri kwa ajili ya siku ya ukombozi.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Ondoeni kabisa uchungu, ghadhabu, hasira, makelele na masingizio pamoja na kila aina ya uovu.
Banish from among you all bitterness and passion and anger and clamor and slander, as well as all malice;
32 Kuweni wafadhili na wenye kuhurumiana ninyi kwa ninyi, mkisameheana, kama vile naye Mungu katika Kristo alivyowasamehe ninyi.
and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you.
