2 Wakorintho 8
1 Tunawataka ninyi mjue, kaka na dada, kuhusu neema ya Mungu ambayo imetolewa kwa makanisa ya Makedonia.
Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God shown to the Macedonian churches.
2 Wakati wa jaribu kubwa la mateso, wingi wa furaha yao na ongezeko la umaskini wao umezaa utjiri mkubwa wa ukarimu.
Even though they have suffered terrible trouble, they are overflowing with happiness; and even though they are very poor, they are also overflowing in their generosity.
3 Kwa maana nashuhudia kwamba walitoa kwa kadiri ya walivyoweza, na hata zaidi ya walivyoweza.
I can confirm that they gave what they could, in fact even more than that! By their own choice
4 Na kwa hiari yao wenyewe kwa kutusihi kwingi, walituomba kwa ajili ya kushiriki katika huduma hii kwa waumini.
they kept on pleading with us to have a part in this privilege of sharing in this ministry to God's people.
5 Hii haikutokea kama tulivyokuwa tunatarajia. Badala yake, kwanza walijitoa wao wenyewe kwa Bwana. Kisha wakajitoa wao wenyewe kwetu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu.
They didn't just do what we hoped they would do, but they gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us, as God wanted them to do.
6 Hivyo tulimsihi Tito, aliyekuwa tayari ameanzisha kazi hii, kuleta katika utimilifu tendo hili la ukarimu juu yenu.
So we have encouraged Titus—since it was he who started this work with you—to return and complete this gracious ministry of yours.
7 Lakini ninyi mna wingi katika kila kitu- katika imani, katika usemi, katika maarifa, katika bidii, na katika upendo wenu kwa ajili yetu. Hivyo hakikisheni kwamba ninyi mnakuwa na wingi pia katika tendo hili la ukarimu.
Since you have an abundance of everything—your trust in God, your eloquence, your spiritual knowledge, your complete dedication, and in your love for us—make sure that your abundance also extends to this gracious ministry of giving.
8 Nasema hili si kama amri. Badala yake, nasema hili ili kupima uhalisi wa upendo wenu kwa kuulinganisha na shauku ya watu wengine.
I'm not ordering you to do this, but to prove how sincere your love is in comparison with the dedication of others.
9 Kwa maana mnajua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo. Hata kama alikuwa tajiri, kwa ajili yenu alikuwa maskini. Ili kwamba kupitia umaskini wake mweze kuwa tajiri.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became poor for you, so that through his poverty you could become rich.
10 Katika jambo hili nitawapa ushauri ambao utawasaidia. Mwaka mmoja uliopita, hamkuanza tuu kufanya jambo. Lakini mlitamani kulifanya.
This is my advice: it would be good if you finished what you started. Last year you were not only the first to give but the first to want to do so.
11 Sasa likamilisheni. Kama tu kulivyokuwa na shauku na nia ya kulifanya, kisha, je, mngeweza pia kulileta katika ukamilifu, kwa kadri ya mnavyoweza.
Now finish what you planned to do. Be as keen to finish as you were to plan, and give as you are able.
12 Kwa kuwa mnashauku ya kufanya tendo hili, ni jambo zuri na linakubalika. Lazima lisimame juu ya kile alichonacho mtu, siyo juu ya asichokuwa nacho mtu.
If the willingness is there, it's fine to give what you have, not what you don't have!
13 Kwa kuwa kazi hii siyo kwa ajili kwamba wengine waweze kupata nafuu na ninyi mweze kulemewa. Badala yake, kuwe na usawa.
This is not to make things easier for others and harder for you, but simply to be fair.
14 Wingi wenu wa wakati wa sasa utasaidia kwa kile wanachohitaji. Hii ni hivyo pia ili kwamba wingi wao uweze kusaidia mahitaji yenu, na kwamba kuwe na usawa.
At the moment you have more than enough and can meet their needs, and in turn when they have more than enough they can meet your needs. In that way everyone is treated fairly.
15 Hii ni kama ilivyoandikwa; “Yeye aliye na vingi hakuwa na kitu chochote kilichobaki na yeye aliyekuwa na kidogo hakuwa na uhitaji wowote.”
As Scripture says, “The one who had much didn't have any excess, and the one who didn't have much didn't have too little.”
16 Lakini ashukuriwe Mungu, aliyeweka ndani ya moyo wa Tito moyo uleule wa bidii ya kujali ambyo ninayo kwa ajili yenu.
Thanks be to God that he gave to Titus the same devotion for you that I have.
17 Kwa kuwa si tu alipokea maombi yetu, bali pia alikuwa na bidii kuhusiana na maombi hayo. Alikuja kwenu kwa hiari yake mwenyewe.
Though he agreed to do what we told him, he's coming to see you because he really wants to, and had already decided to do so.
18 Tumemtuma pamoja naye ndugu ambaye anasifiwa miongoni mwa makanisa kwa ajili ya kazi yake katika kutangaza injili.
We're also sending with him a brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the good news.
19 Si hivi tu, lakini pia alichaguliwa na makanisa kusafiri nasisi katika kulibeba sehemu mbalimbali tendo hili la ukarimu. Hii ni kwa utukufu wa Bwana mwenyewe na kwa shauku yetu ya kusaidia.
He was also appointed by the churches to go with us as we deliver this gracious offering we're carrying. We do this to honor the Lord and to show our eagerness to help others.
20 Tunaepuka uwezekano kwamba yeyote napaswa kulalamika kuhusiana na sisi kuhusiana na ukarimu huu ambao tunaubeba.
We want to guard against anyone criticizing us about how we use this gift.
21 Tunachukua uangalifu kufanya kilicho cha heshima, sio tu mbele za Bwana, lakini pia mbele za watu.
We're concerned to do things the right way, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of everyone.
22 Pia tunamtuma ndugu mwingine pamoja nao. Tumempima mara nyingi, na tumemwona ni mwenye shauku for ajili ya kazi nyingi. Hata sasa ana bidii zaidi kwa sababu ya ujasiri mkubwa alionao ndani yenu.
We're also sending with them another brother who has proved to be reliable on many occasions, and who is eager to help. He is now even more eager to help because of the great confidence he has in you.
23 Kwa habari ya Tito, yeye ni mshirika mwenza wangu na mtendakazi mwenzangu kwa ajili yenu. Kama kwa ndugu zetu, wanatumwa na makanisa. Ni waheshima kwa Kristo.
If anyone asks about Titus, he is my companion. He works with me on your behalf. The other brothers are representatives from the churches and an honor to Christ.
24 Hivyo, waonesheni upendo wenu, na muoneshe kwa makanisa sababu ya majivuno yetu kwa ajili yenu.
So please welcome them before all the churches and show them your love, proving how rightly proud we are of you.
