Warumi 15
1 Sasa sisi tulio na nguvu tunapaswa kuuchukua udhaifu wa walio dhaifu, na hatupaswi kujipendeza wenyewe.
We, the strong, ought to take on our own shoulders the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not merely to please ourselves.
2 Kila mmoja wetu ampendeze jirani yake kwani ni jambo jema, kwa lengo la kumjenga.
Let each of us please our neighbour for our neighbour’s good, to help in the building up of their character.
3 Kwani hata Kristo hakujipendeza mwenyewe. Badala yake, ilikuwa kama ilivyoandikwa, “Matusi ya wale waliokutukana yamenipata mimi.”
Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as scripture says of him – “The reproaches of those who were reproaching you fell upon me.”
4 Kwa chochote kilichotangulia kuandikwa, kiliandikwa kwa kutuelekeza, kwa kusudi kwamba kupitia uvumilivu na kupitia kutiwa moyo na maandiko tungekuwa na ujasiri.
Whatever was written in the scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.
5 Sasa Mungu wa uvumilivu na wa kutia moyo awape kuwa na nia sawa kwa kila mmoja kulingana na Yesu Kristo.
And may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ,
6 Aweze kufanya hivi kwa nia moja muweze kumsifu kwa kinywa kimoja Mungu na Baba wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo.
so that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
7 Kwa hiyo mpokeeni kila mmoja, kama vile Kristo alivyowapokea, kwa utukufu wa Mungu.
Therefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God.
8 Kwani nasema kwamba Kristo amefanywa mtumishi wa tohara kwa niaba ya ukweli wa Mungu. Alifanya hivi ili kwamba aweze kuthibitisha ahadi zilizotolewa kwa mababa,
For I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God’s truthfulness, has become a minister of the covenant of circumcision, so that he may fulfil the promises made to our ancestors,
9 na kwa mataifa kumtukuza Mungu kwa neema yake. Kama ambavyo imeandikwa, “Kwa hiyo nitatoa sifa kwako miongoni mwa mataifa na kuimba sifa katika jina lako.”
and that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As scripture says – “Therefore will I make acknowledgment to you among the Gentiles and sing in honour of your name.”
10 Tena inasema, “Furahini, ninyi watu wa mataifa, pamoja na watu wake.”
And again it says – “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with God’s people.”
11 Na tena, “Msifuni Bwana, ninyi mataifa yote; acha watu wa mataifa yote wamsifu yeye.”
And yet again – “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.”
12 Tena Isaya asema, “Kutakuwa na shina la Yese, na mmoja atakayeinuka kutawala juu ya mataifa. Mataifa watakuwa na tumaini katika yeye.”
Again, Isaiah says – “There will be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
13 Sasa Mungu wa tumaini awajaze na furaha yote na amani kwa kuamini, ili kwamba muweze kuzidi katika tumaini, kwa nguvu ya Roho Mtakatifu.
May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, until you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Mimi mwenyewe pia nimeshawishiwa nanyi, ndugu zangu. Nimeshawishiwa kwamba pia ninyi wenyewe mmejazwa na wema, mmejazwa na maarifa yote. Ninashawishiwa kwamba, ninyi mwaweza pia kuhimizana kila mmoja na mwenzake.
I am persuaded, my friends – yes, I Paul, with regard to you – that you are yourselves full of kindness, furnished with all Christian learning, and well able to give advice to one another.
15 Lakini ninaandika kwa ujasiri zaidi kwenu juu ya mambo fulani ili kuwakumbusha tena, sababu ya kipawa nilichopewa na Mungu.
But in parts of this letter I have expressed myself somewhat boldly – by way of refreshing your memories –
16 Kipawa hiki kilikuwa kwamba niweze kuwa mtumishi wa Yesu Kristo aliyetumwa kwa mataifa, kujitoa kama kuhani wa injili ya Mungu. Ningeweza kufanya hivi ili kujitoa kwangu kwa mataifa kuwe kumekubaliwa, kumetengwa na Mungu kwa njia ya Roho Mtakatifu.
because of the charge with which God has entrusted me, that I should be an assistant of Christ Jesus to go to the Gentiles – that I should act as a priest of God’s good news, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.
17 Hivyo furaha yangu iko katika Kristo Yesu na katika mambo ya Mungu.
It is, then, through my union with Christ Jesus that I have a proud confidence in my work for God.
18 Kwani sitaweza kuthubutu kunena lolote isipokuwa kwamba Kristo amekamilisha kupitia kwangu utii wa mataifa. Haya mambo yametimizwa kwa neno na tendo,
For I will not dare to speak of anything but what Christ has done through me to win the obedience of the Gentiles –
19 kwa nguvu za ishara na maajabu, na kwa nguvu za Roho Mtakatifu. Hii ilikuwa ili kwamba kutoka Yerusalem, na kuzungukia mbali kama Iliriko, niweze kuichukua nje kwa ukamilifu injili ya Kristo.
by my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the good news of the Christ;
20 Kwa njia hii, nia yangu imekuwa kuitangaza injili, lakini si mahali Kristo anajulikana kwa jina, ili kwamba nisiweze kujenga juu ya msingi wa mtu mwingine.
yet always with the ambition to tell the good news where Christ’s name had not previously been heard, so as to avoid building on another’s foundations.
21 Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Ambao kwa yeye hawana habari zake alikuja watamwona, na wale ambao hawakumsikia watamfahamu.”
But as scripture says – “They to whom he had never been proclaimed will see; and they who have never heard will understand!”
22 Kwahiyo nilikuwa pia nimezuiliwa mara nyingi kuja kwenu.
That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you.
23 Lakini sasa, sina tena sehemu yoyote katika mikoa hii, na nimekuwa nikitamani kwa miaka mingi kuja kwenu.
But now there are no further openings for me in these parts, and I have for several years been longing to come to you whenever I may be going to Spain.
24 Hivyo mara zote nikienda Hispania, ninatumaini kuwaona nikipita, na kuweza kupelekwa njia yangu na ninyi, baada ya kuwa nimefurahia ushirika na ninyi kwa muda.
For my hope is to visit you on my journey, and then to be sent on my way by you, after I have first partly satisfied myself by seeing something of you.
25 Lakini sasa ninakwenda Yerusalemu kuwahudumia waumini.
Just now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem, to take help to Christ’s people there.
26 Maana iliwapendeza watu wa Makedonia na Akaya kufanya changizo maalumu kwa masikini miongoni mwa waumini huko Yerusalemu.
For Macedonia and Greece have been glad to make a collection for the poor among Christ’s people at Jerusalem.
27 Ndiyo, ilikuwa kwa upendo wao, na hakika, wamekuwa wadeni wao. Maana ikiwa mataifa wameshiriki katika mambo yao ya kiroho, wanadaiwa na wao pia kuwahudumia katika mahitaji ya vitu.
Yes, they were glad to do so; and indeed it is a duty which they owe to them. For the Gentile converts who have shared their spiritual blessings are in duty bound to minister to them in the things of this world.
28 Kwahiyo, wakati nimekamilisha hivi na kuwa na utoshelevu wa tunda hili kwao, mimi nitakwenda njiani pamoja nanyi huko Hispania.
When I have settled this matter, and have secured for the poor at Jerusalem the enjoyment of these benefits, I will go, by way of you, to Spain.
29 Najua kwamba, wakati nikija kwenu, nitakuja katika utimilifu wa baraka za Kristo.
And I know that, when I come to you, it will be with a full measure of blessing from Christ.
30 Sasa ninawasihi, ndugu, kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, na kwa upendo wa Roho, kwamba mshiriki pamoja nami katika maombi yenu kwa Mungu kwa ajili yangu.
I beg you, then, friends, by Jesus Christ, our Lord, and by the love inspired by the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf.
31 Ombeni kwamba niweze kuokolewa kutoka kwao wasio na utii katika Yudea, na kwamba huduma yangu huko Yerusalemu iweze kupokelewa na waumini.
Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who reject the faith, and that the help which I am taking to Jerusalem may prove acceptable to Christ’s people;
32 Ombeni kwamba ninaweza kuja kwenu kwa furaha kupitia mapenzi ya Mungu, na kwamba niweze kuwa pamoja nanyi, kupata kupumzika.
so that, God willing, I may be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and enjoy some rest among you.
33 Na Mungu wa amani awe pamoja nanyi nyote. Amina
May God, the giver of peace, be with you all. Amen.
