Waefeso 1
1 Paulo, mtume wa Kristo Yesu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, kwa waliotengwa kwa ajili ya Mungu walioko Efeso na ambao ni waaminifu katika Kristo Yesu.
To Christ’s people at Ephesus who are faithful to him, from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.
2 Neema iwe kwenu na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na Bwana Yesu Kristo.
May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
3 Mungu na Baba wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo apewe sifa. Ni yeye aliyetubariki kwa kila baraka za kiroho, katika mahali pa mbingu ndani ya Kristo.
Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.
4 Kabla ya kuumbwa ulimwengu, Mungu alituchagua sisi ambao tunaamini katika Kristo. Alituchagua sisi ili tuweze kuwa watakatifu na tusiolaumika mbele yake.
For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, so that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love.
5 Katika pendo Mungu alituchagua mwanzo kwa kututwaa kama watoto wake kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo. Alifanya hivi kwa sababu alipendezwa kufanya kile alichotamani.
From the first he destined us, in his goodwill towards us, to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ,
6 Matokeo yake ni kwamba Mungu anatukuzwa kwa neema ya utukufu wake. Hiki ndicho alichotupatia bure kwa njia ya mpendwa wake.
and so to enhance that glorious manifestation of his loving kindness which he gave us in the one he loves;
7 Kwa kuwa katika mpendwa wake, tunaukombozi kupitia damu yake, msamaha wa dhambi. Tunalo hili kwa sababu ya utajiri wa neema yake.
for in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offenses.
8 Alifanya neema hii kuwa nyingi kwa ajili yetu katika hekima na ufahamu.
All this accords with the loving kindness which God lavished on us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,
9 Mungu alifanya ijulikane kwetu ile kweli iliyofichika ya mpango, kutokana na hamu iliyodhihirishwa ndani ya Kristo.
when he made known to us his hidden purpose. And it also accords with the goodwill which God purposed to exhibit in Christ,
10 Wakati nyakati zimetimia kwa utimilifu wa mpango wake, Mungu ataviweka pamoja kila kitu cha mbinguni na cha juu ya nchi ndani ya Kristo.
in view of that divine order which was to mark the completion of the ages, when he should make everything, both in heaven and on earth, center in him.
11 Katika Kristo tulikuwa tumechaguliwa na kukusudiwa kabla ya wakati. Hii ilikuwa ni kutokana na mpango wa anayefanya vitu vyote kwa kusudi la mapenzi yake.
In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God’s heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;
12 Mungu alifanya hivyo ili kwamba tuweze kuwapo kwa sifa ya utukufu wake. Tulikuwa wa kwanza kuwa na ujasiri ndani ya Kristo.
that we should enhance his glory – we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ.
13 Ilikuwa kwa njia ya Kristo kwamba mlisikia neno la kweli, injili ya wokovu wenu kwa njia ya Kristo. Ilikuwa katika yeye pia kwamba mmeamini na kutiwa mhuri na Roho Mtakatifu aliye ahidiwa.
And you, too, by your union with him, after you had heard the message of the truth, the good news of your salvation – you believed in him and were sealed as his by receiving the holy Spirit, which he had promised.
14 Roho ndiyo dhamana ya urithi wetu mpaka umiliki utakapopatikana. Hii ilikuwa ni kwa sifa ya utukufu wake.
And the Spirit is a pledge of our future heritage, foreshadowing the full redemption of God’s own people – to enhance his glory.
15 Kwa sababu hii, tangu wakati niliposikia kuhusu imani yenu ndani ya Bwana Yesu na kuhusu pendo lenu kwa wale wote ambao wametengwa kwa ajili yake.
And therefore I, ever since I heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which prevails among you, and of your confidence in all Christ’s people,
16 Sijaacha kumshukuru Mungu kwa ajili yenu na kuwataja katika maombi yangu.
have never omitted to thank God on your behalf, whenever I make mention of you in my prayers.
17 Ninaomba kwamba Mungu wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, baba wa utukufu, atawapeni roho ya hekima, mafunuo ya ufahamu wake.
My prayer is that the God of Jesus Christ our Lord, the all-glorious Father, may inspire you with wisdom and true insight through a fuller knowledge of himself;
18 Ninaomba kwamba macho yenu ya moyoni yatiwe nuru kwa ninyi kujua ni upi ujasiri wa kuitwa kwenu. Naomba kwamba mjue utajiri wa utukufu wa urithi wake miongoni mwa wale waliotengwa kwa ajili yake.
that your minds may be so enlightened that you may realize the hope given by God’s call, the wealth of the glory of his heritage among Christ’s people,
19 Naomba kwamba ujue ukuu uzidio wa nguvu yake ndani yetu ambao tunaamini. Huu ukuu ni kutokana na kufanya kazi katika nguvu zake.
and the transcendent greatness of the power which he is able to exercise in dealing with us who believe in him.
20 Hii ni nguvu iliyofanya kazi ndani ya Kristo wakati Mungu alipomfufua kutoka kwa wafu na kumketisha katika mkono wake wa kuume katika mahali pa mbingu.
The same mighty power was exerted on the Christ, when he raised the Christ from the dead and ‘caused him to sit at his right hand’ on high, exalting him above all angels and archangels of every rank,
21 Alimketisha Kristo juu mbali na utawala, mamlaka, nguvu, enzi, na kila jina litajwalo. Alimketisha Yesu si tu kwa wakati huu lakini kwa wakati ujao pia. (aiōn g165)
and above every name that can be named, whether in the present age, or in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
22 Mungu amevitiisha vitu vyote chini ya miguu ya Kristo. Amemfanya yeye kichwa juu ya vitu vyote katika kanisa.
And God placed all things under Christ’s feet, and gave him to the church as its supreme head;
23 Ni kanisa kwamba ndilo mwili wake, ukamilifu wake ambaye hujaza vitu vyote katika njia zote.
for the church is Christ’s body, and is filled by him who fills all things everywhere with his presence.
