2 Wakorintho 3
1 Je, tumeanza kujisifia wenyewe tena? Hatuhitaji barua ya mapendekezo kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama baadhi ya watu, je twahitaji?
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some [others], epistles of commendation to you, or [letters] of commendation from you.
2 Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu ya mapendekezo, iliyoandikwa kwenye mioyo yetu, inayojulikana na kusomwa na watu wote.
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, 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.
[Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart.
4 Na huu ndiyo ujasiri tulio nao katika Mungu kupitia Kristo.
And such trust we have through Christ toward God.
5 Hatujiamini wenyewe kwa kudai chochote kama kutoka kwetu. Badala yake, kujiamini kwetu kunatoka kwa Mungu.
Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our 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.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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.
But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away;
8 Je, kazi ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi?
How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
9 Kwa kuwa kama huduma ya hukumu ilikuwa na utukufu, ni mara ngapi zaidi huduma ya haki huzidi sana katika utukufu!
For if the ministration of condemnation [was] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 Ni kweli kwamba, kile kilichofanywa utukufu kwanza hakina utukufu tena katika heshima hii, kwa sababu ya utukufu unaouzidi.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
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 done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
12 Kwa kuwa tunajiamini hiyo, tunaujasiri sana.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness 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.
And not as Moses, [who] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
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.
But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.
15 Lakini hata leo, wakati wowote Musa asomwapo, utaji hukaa juu ya mioyo yao.
But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Lakini mtu anapogeuka kwa Bwana, utaji unaondolewa.
Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Sasa Bwana ni Roho. Palipo na Roho wa Bwana, kuna uhuru.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.
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.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.
