1 Yohana 2
1 Watoto wangu wapendwa, nawaandikia mambo haya kwenu ili msitende dhambi. Lakini kama mmoja wenu akitenda dhambi, tunaye wakili aliye pamoja na Baba, Yesu Kristo- ambaye ni mwenye haki.
You who are very dear to me, I am writing this to you [to say], “Do not sin!” But if any of you [believers] sins, [God can forgive you because] we have Jesus Christ, who is the righteous one, who speaks to the Father on our behalf [and asks him to forgive us].
2 Yeye ni mpatanishi kwa dhambi zetu, na si kwa dhambi zetu pekee, lakini pia kwa ulimwengu mzima.
[Remember that Jesus Christ] voluntarily sacrificed [his own life for us, so that as a result God forgives] our sins. [Yes, God is able to forgive] our sins, but not only ours! [He is] also [able to forgive] the sins of people everywhere!
3 Kwa hili twajua kwamba twamjua yeye, kama tukizitunza amri zake.
[I will tell you] how we can be sure that we (know/have a close relationship with) [God]. [If we] obey what he commands [us to do, that shows us that we have a close relationship with him. So we must always obey what he commands us to do].
4 Yeye asemaye, “Namjua Mungu,” lakini hazishiki amri zake, ni mwongo, na kweli haimo ndani yake.
Those who say, “We (know/have a close relationship with) God,” and do not obey what [God] commands [us to do], are liars. They are not conducting their lives according to [God’s] true message.
5 Lakini yeyote ashikaye neno lake, kweli katika mtu yule upendo wa Mungu umekamilishwa. Katika hili twajua kwamba tuko ndani yake.
But those who obey what [God] commands them to do are the people who love God in the manner in which he wants us to. [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we have a close relationship with God:
6 Yeye asemaye anaishi ndani ya Mungu anapaswa mwenyewe pia kuenenda kama vile Yesu Kristo alivyoenenda.
If we say that we are living as God wants us to, we should [conduct our lives] as Christ [did].
7 Wapenzi, siwaandikii ninyi amri mpya, bali amri ya zamani ambayo mmekwisha kuwa nayo tangu mwanzo. Amri ya zamani ni neno ambalo mlilolisikia.
Dear friends, I am not writing a new [additional] command to you. Instead, I am writing to you a command which was given to you when you first [MTY] [believed in Christ]. That command is [part of] the message that you have [always] heard.
8 Hata hivyo ninawaandikia ninyi amri mpya, ambayo ni kweli katika Kristo na kwenu, kwa sababu giza linapita, na nuru ya kweli iko tayari inaangaza
Nevertheless, [I can say that] the command I am writing to you is a new command. [It is new because] what Christ [did] was new, and what you [are doing] is new, because [you have been ceasing to conduct your lives in a morally impure manner] and [are now truly conducting your lives in a pure manner. That is like] [MET] no longer [living in] darkness. Instead, [it is like] living where a brilliant light is already shining.
9 Yeye asemeye yuko kwenye nuru na amchukia ndugu yake yuko katika giza hata sasa.
Those who claim that they are [pure in every way, like people] [MET] living in the light, but hate any of their fellow believers, are still [behaving in an impure manner, like] [MET] [people who are continually living] in darkness.
10 Yeye ampendaye ndugu yake anaishi katika nuru na hakuna jambo lolote liwezalo kumkwaza.
But those who love their fellow believers [are continuing to conduct their lives like people] who are living in the light. They are people who please [God] [LIT]. [So you should love your fellow believers].
11 Lakini yeye amchukiaye ndugu yake yuko gizani na anatembea gizani; Yeye hajui wapi aendako, kwa sababu giza limeyapofusha macho yake.
But those who hate any of their fellow believers are still [conducting their lives in an impure way, like] [MET] [people who are living] in darkness. They do not know that they will eventually destroy themselves [eternally]. They have become [spiritually] blind [PRS, MET], [unaware of spiritual truth].
12 Nawaandikia ninyi, watoto wapendwa, kwa sababu mmesamehewa dhambi zenu kwa ajili ya jina lake.
I am writing [this] to you [whom I love as though] [MET] [you were my] little children, to you who are [spiritually mature people who are like] [MET] fathers, and to you [spiritually vigorous/strong people who are like] [MET] young men. Remember that your sins have been forgiven {[God] has forgiven your sins} on account of what Christ [MTY] [has done]. You now know [Christ, the one] who always existed. You have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
13 Nawaandikia ninyi, akina baba, kwa sababu mnamjua yeye aliye tangu mwanzo. Nawaandikia ninyi, vijana, kwa sababu mmemshinda yule mwovu. Nimewaandikia ninyi, watoto wadogo, kwa sababu mnamjua Baba.
14 Nimewaandikia ninyi, akina baba, kwa sababu mnamjua yeye aliye tangu mwanzo. Nimewaandikia ninyi, vijana, kwa sababu mko imara, na neno la Mungu linakaa ndani yenu, na mmemshinda yule mwovu.
[I will say it again]: I have written [this] to you because you have come to know the Father, because you now know [Christ, the one] who always existed, because you are [spiritually] strong, because you continue to [obey] God’s word, and because you have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
15 Msiipende dunia wala mambo ambayo yaliyo katika dunia. Iwapo yule ataipenda dunia, upendo wa kumpenda Baba haumo ndani yake.
Do not desire [to conduct you lives in the evil manner in which] godless [people in] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives], and do not love anything that [the evil people] in the world [MTY] [consider to be good]. Those who desire [to conduct their lives in the evil manner in which other people of] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives] do not [really] love [God], their Father, [at all].
16 Kwani kila kitu kilichomo katika dunia- tamaa ya mwili, tamaa ya macho, na kiburi cha uzima- havitokani na Baba lakini vinatokana na dunia.
Keep in mind that all [the evil human desires] in the world [are actions/things such as these]: [People] desire to do [what] their self-directed nature [strongly desires]. [People] desire [to possess] whatever (appeals to their senses/they see or hear about). [People] boast about the material things that they possess. [Such evil ways of living] do not originate/come from the Father! Instead they originate/come from [the (godless people in] the world/people in the world who conduct their lives in a manner that displeases God) [MTY]!
The [godless people in] the world [MTY], along with what they desire, will disappear, but those who do what God wants [them to do] will live forever! You know that it is now the final period of this age when there are liars who deny that Jesus is God’s Chosen One. But you have the power of God’s Spirit and you know what is true and what is false. So continue to live according to the true message that you heard when you began to believe in Christ, in order that you may continue to live united both to God’s Son and to the Father. (aiōn g165)
18 Watoto wadogo, ni wakati wa mwisho. Kama ambavyo mmesikia kwamba mpinga kristo anakuja, hata sasa wapinga kristo wamekuja, kwa hali hii tunajua kwamba ni wakati wa mwisho.
[You who are very dear to me], it is [now] (the final part [MTY] [of this age/] final [period of time before Jesus returns]). Just like you heard [from us apostles] that a person who opposes Christ will come/appear, even now there are many people who oppose Christ. That is why we know that it is the final part [of this age] (OR, [before Jesus returns]) [MTY].
19 Walikwenda zao kutoka kwetu, kwani hawakuwa wa kwetu. Kama vile wangekuwa wa kwetu wangeendelea kuwa pamoja nasi. Lakini wakati walipo kwenda zao, hicho kilionyesha hawakuwa wa kwetu.
The [people who oppose Christ] refused to remain in our congregations, but they never [really] (belonged with us/were fellow believers). If they had (belonged with us/been fellow believers), they would have remained with us. But because [they left, everyone] can clearly know that none of them (belongs with us/is a fellow believer).
20 Lakini mumetiwa mafuta na yule Mtakatifu, nanyi nyote mnaijua kweli.
But as for you, you have been given the power of [God’s Spirit, which comes from Christ] (OR, [God]), the Holy One. [As a result], you all know [how to] ([distinguish false teaching from/recognize what is false teaching and what is]) [the true message].
21 Sikuwaandikia ninyi kwa sababu hamuijui kweli, bali kwa sababu mnaijua na kwa sababu hakuna uongo wa ile kweli
I am writing [this letter] to you, not because you do not know [what is God’s] true message, but because you do know [what it is]. You also know that no false message originates/comes from [God, who is the source of all] truth.
22 Nani ni mwongo bali ni yeye anayepinga kwamba Yesu ni Kristo? Huyu mtu ni mpinga kristo, pale anapo mpinga Baba na Mwana.
The [worst] liars are the ones who deny that Jesus is (the Messiah/the one whom God chose to rescue us). They are [the ones that we told you about], the ones who oppose Christ. They refuse to acknowledge/admit that [God is] the Father and that [Jesus is his] Son (OR, the one who is also God).
23 Hakuna anaye mpinga Mwana akawa na Baba. Yeyote anaye mkiri Mwana anaye Baba pia.
Those who refuse to acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son do not have a relationship with the Father. But those who acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son [not only have a relationship with God’s Son, but they] have a relationship with the Father also.
24 Kama kwa ajili yenu, kile mlichosikia toka mwanzo acha kiendelee kuwa ndani yenu. Kama kile mlichosikia toka mwanzo kitakaa ndani yenu, pia, mtakaa ndani ya Mwana na Baba.
[So], as for you, you must continue to conduct your lives according to [the true message] that you heard when you began [MTY] [to believe in Christ]. If you continue to [do that], you will continue to have a close relationship with both [God’s] Son and the Father.
And what God told us is that [he will cause us] to live forever! (aiōnios g166)
26 Nimewaandikia haya ninyi kuhusu wale ambao wangewaongoza ninyi katika upotevu.
I have written this to you [to] ([warn you] about/tell you to beware of) those [who want to] deceive you [concerning the truth about Christ].
27 Na kwa ajili yenu, yale mafuta mliyoyapokea kutoka kwake yanakaa ndani yenu, na hamtahitaji mtu yeyote kuwafundisha. bali kama mafuta yake yanawafundisha kuhusu mambo yote na ni kweli na siyo uongo, na hata kama yameshawafundisha, kaeni ndani yake.
As for you, God’s Spirit, whom you received from Christ, remains in you. So you do not need anyone to teach you [anything else that they claim/say is the truth]. God’s Spirit is teaching you all [of God’s truth that you need to know]. God’s Spirit is truthful and never says anything that is false. So continue to conduct your lives in the way that [he has] taught you.
28 Na sasa, watoto wapendwa, kaeni ndani yake, ili wakati atakapotokea, tuweze kuwa na ujasiri na siyo kujisikia aibu mbele yake katika kuja kwake.
Now, [while some people are trying to persuade you to accept their false teaching, I urge] you, who are all very dear to me, to continue to [have a close relationship with] Christ. [We need to do that] in order that we may be confident [that he will accept us] when he comes back again. If we do that, we will not be ashamed [when we stand] before [him] when he comes.
29 Kama mnajua kuwa yeye ni mwenye haki, mnajua kwamba kila mmoja atendaye haki amezaliwa na yeye.
Since you know that [Christ] always does what is right, you know that all those who continue doing what is right are the ones who have become children of God.
