Waefeso 4
1 Kwa hiyo, kama mfungwa kwa ajili ya Bwana, nawasihi mtembee sawasawa na wito ambao Mungu aliwaita.
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
2 Muishi kwa unyenyekevu mkuu na upole na uvumilivu. Mkichukuliana katika upendo.
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 Fanyeni bidii kuutunza umoja wa Roho katika kifungo cha amani.
and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 Kuna mwili mmoja na Roho moja, kama ambavyo pia mlikuwa mmeitwa katika uhakika wa taraja moja la wito wenu.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
5 Na kuna Bwana mmoja, imani moja, ubatizo mmoja,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 na Mungu mmoja na Baba wa wote. Yeye yuko juu ya yote, na katika yote na ndani ya yote.
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 Kwa kila mmoja wetu amepewa kipawa kulingana na kipimo cha kipawa cha Kristo.
Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Ni kama maandiko yasemavyo: “Alipopaa juu sana, aliongoza mateka katika utumwa. Akatoa vipawa kwa watu.”
This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
9 Ni nini maana ya, “Alipaa,” isipokuwa kwamba alishuka pia pande za chini za dunia?
What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?
10 Yeye ambaye alishuka ni mtu yuleyule ambae pia alipaa mbali juu ya mbingu zote. Alifanya hivi ili uwepo wake uwe katika vitu vyote.
He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
11 Kristo alitoa vipawa kama hivi: mitume, manabii, wainjilisti, wachungaji, na waalimu.
And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 Alifanya hivi kuwawezesha waumini kwa ajili ya kazi ya huduma, kwa ajili ya kuujenga mwili wa Kristo.
to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
13 Anafanya hivi hadi sisi sote tufikie umoja wa imani na maarifa ya mwana wa Mungu. Anafanya hivi hadi tuweze kukomaa kama wale waliofikia kimo kamili cha Kristo.
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
14 Hii ni ili kwamba tusiwe tena kama watoto, tusirushwerushwe huku na huko. Ili kwamba tusichukuliwe na kila aina ya upepo wa fundisho, kwa hila za watu katika ujanja wa udanganyifu uliopotoka.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Badala yake, tutaongea ukweli katika upendo na kukua zaidi katika njia zote ndani yake ambaye ndiye kichwa, Kristo.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
16 Kristo ameunganisha, kwa pamoja, mwili wote wa waumini. Umeungamanishwa pamoja na kila kiungo ili kwamba mwili wote ukue na kujijenga wenyewe katika upendo.
From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
17 Kwa hiyo, nasema hili, na nawasihi katika Bwana: Msitembee tena kama watu wa mataifa wanavyotembea katika ubatili wa akili zao.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 Wametiwa giza katika mawazo yao. Wamefukuzwa kutoka katika uzima wa Mungu kwa ujinga ulio ndani yao kwa sababu ya ugumu wa mioyo yao.
They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
19 Hawajisikii aibu. Wamejikabidhi wenyewe kwa ufisadi katika matendo machafu, katika kila aina ya uchoyo.
Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
20 Lakini, hivi sivyo mlivyojifunza kuhusu Kristo.
But this is not the way you came to know Christ.
21 Nadhani kwamba mmesikia kuhusu yeye. Nadhani kwamba mmekuwa mkifundishwa katika yeye, kama tu ukweli ulivyo ndani ya Yesu.
Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—
22 Lazima mvue mambo yote yanayoendana na mwenendo wenu wa zamani, utu wa zamani. Ni utu wa zamani unaooza kwa sababu ya tamaa za udanganyifu.
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 Vueni utu wenu wa zamani ili kwamba mfanywe upya katika roho ya akili zenu.
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
24 Fanyeni hivi ili muweze kuvaa utu mpya, unaoendana na Mungu. Umeumbwa katika haki na utakatifu wa kweli.
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Kwa hiyo, weka mbali udanganyifu. “Ongeeni ukweli, kila mmoja na jirani yake,” kwa sababu tu washirika kwa kila mmoja kwa mwenzake.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
26 Mwe na hasira, lakini msitende dhambi.” Jua lisizame mkiwa katika hasira zenu.
“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
27 Msimpe Ibilisi nafasi.
and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 Yeyote aibaye lazima asiibe tena. Badala yake ni lazima afanye kazi. Afanye kazi yenye manufaa kwa mikono yake, ili kwamba aweze kumhudumia mtu aliye na hitaji.
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
29 Kauli mbaya isitoke kinywani mwenu. Badala yake, maneno lazima yatoke katika vinywa vyenu yafaayo kwa mahitaji, kuwapa faida wale wanaosikiliza.
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
30 Na msimhuzunishe Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu. Ni kwa Yeye kwamba mmewekewa muhuri kwa ajili ya siku ya ukombozi.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Lazima muweke mbali uchungu wote, ghadhabu, hasira, ugomvi, na matusi, pamoja na kila aina ya uovu. Iweni wema ninyi kwa ninyi.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Mwe na huruma. Msameheane ninyi kwa ninyi, kama vile Mungu katika Kristo alivyowasamehe ninyi.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
