2 Wakorintho 3
1 Je, tumeanza kujisifia wenyewe tena? Hatuhitaji barua ya mapendekezo kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama baadhi ya watu, je twahitaji?
Am I beginning again to "recommend" myself? Or do I need, as some do, letters of commendation either to you or from you?
2 Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu ya mapendekezo, iliyoandikwa kwenye mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na watu wote.
You are my letter, written on my heart, known and read by all men.
3 Na mnaonesha kwamba ninyi ni barua kutoka kwa Kristo, iliyotolewa na sisi. Iliandikwa siyo kwa wino bali kwa Roho wa Mungu aliye hai. Haikuandikwa juu ya vibao vya mawe, bali juu ya vibao vya mioyo ya wanadamu.
Since all can see that you are a letter of Christ transcribed by men, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.
4 Na huu ndiyo ujasiri tulio nao katika Mungu kupitia Kristo.
Such confidence I have through Christ before God.
5 Hatujiamini wenyewe kwa kudai chochote kama kutoka kwetu. Badala yake, kujiamini kwetu kunatoka kwa Mungu.
Not that I am sufficient in myself to reach any conclusion in my own wisdom; but my sufficiency is from God.
6 Ni Mungu ambaye alitufanya tuweze kuwa watumishi wa agano jipya. Hili ni agano sio la barua bali ni la Roho. Kwa kuwa barua huua, lakini roho inatoa uhai.
It is he who has also made me sufficient as a minister of a new covenant; not of a letter but of a spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.
7 Sasa kazi ya kifo iliyokuwa imechongwa katika herufi juu ya mawe ilikuja kwa namna ya utukufu kwamba watu wa Israeli hawakuangalia moja kwa moja kwenye uso wa Musa. Hii ni kwa sababu ya utukufu wa uso wake, utukufu ambao ulikuwa unafifia.
If, however, the administration of death, written with letters and engraved on stones, began in glory, so that the children of Israel could not gaze steadily on the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face - a glory even then fading -
8 Je, kazi ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory?
9 Kwa kuwa kama huduma ya hukumu ilikuwa na utukufu, ni mara ngapi zaidi huduma ya haki huzidi sana katika utukufu!
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory.
10 Ni kweli kwamba, kile kilichofanywa utukufu kwanza hakina utukufu tena katika heshima hii, kwa sababu ya utukufu unaouzidi.
Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
11 Kwa kuwa kama kile ambacho kilikuwa kinapita kilikuwa na utukufu, ni kwa kiasi gani zaidi kile ambacho ni cha kudumu kitakuwa na utukufu!
For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.
12 Kwa kuwa tunajiamini hiyo, tunaujasiri sana.
Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech.
13 Hatuko kama Musa, aliyeweka utaji juu ya uso wake, ili kwamba watu wa Israel wasiweze kuangalia moja kwa moja kwenye mwisho wa utukufu ambao ulikuwa unatoweka.
I do not do as Moses did, who used to cover his face with a veil to keep the children of Israel from beholding the passing of a fading glory.
14 Lakini fahamu zao zilikuwa zimefungwa. Hata mpaka siku hii utaji uleule bado unabaki juu ya usomaji wa agano la kale. Haijawekwa wazi, kwa sababu ni katika Kristo pekee inaondolewa mbali.
Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Testament, the same veil rests thereon, because it is not revealed to them that in Christ the veil is taken away.
15 Lakini hata leo, wakati wowote Musa asomwapo, utaji hukaa juu ya mioyo yao.
Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;
16 Lakini mtu anapogeuka kwa Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away.
17 Sasa Bwana ni Roho. Palipo na Roho wa Bwana, kuna uhuru.
(The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.)
18 Sasa sisi sote, pamoja na nyuso zisizo wekewa utaji, huona utukufu wa Bwana. Tunabadilishwa ndani ya muonekano uleule wa utukufu kutoka shahada moja ya utukufu kwenda nyingine, kama ilivyo kutoka kwa Bwana, ambaye ni Roho.
And we all, with unveiled faces, reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves continually being transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
