2 Wakorintho 10
1 Mimi Paulo mwenyewe ambaye naonekana kuwa mpole nikiwa pamoja nanyi, lakini mkali wakati nikiwa mbali nanyi, nawasihini kwa huruma na wema wake Kristo.
Now I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when with you face to face, but bold toward you when absent!
2 Nawaombeni msinisababishe kuwa mkali wakati nitakapokuja, maana nina hakika naweza kuwa mkali kwa wote wale wanaotudhania kwamba tunaishi kidunia.
I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think that we walk according to the flesh.
3 Kweli tunaishi duniani, lakini hatupigani vita kidunia.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4 Maana, silaha tunazotumia katika vita vyetu si silaha za kidunia, ila ni nguvu za Mungu zenye kuharibu ngome zote. Tunaharibu hoja zote za uongo,
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful in God for tearing down strongholds.
5 na kubomoa kila kizuizi cha majivuno kilichowekwa kuipinga elimu ya Mungu; tunaziteka fikira zote na kuzifanya zimtii Kristo.
We tear down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
6 Mkisha kuwa wakamilifu katika kutii, sisi tuko tayari kuadhibu kila namna ya kutotii.
We are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
7 Ninyi hutazama mambo kwa nje tu. Je, yupo mtu yeyote anayedhani kwamba yeye ni wa Kristo? Sawa! Basi, afikirie vilevile kwamba sisi pia ni wa Kristo kama yeye alivyo wa Kristo.
Are you looking only at outward appearances? If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that just as he belongs to Christ, so we also belong to Christ.
8 Hata kama nimezidi katika kujivuna kwangu juu ya ule uwezo aliotupa—uwezo wa kuwajenga na sio wa kubomoa—hata hivyo sijutii hata kidogo.
For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority (which the Lord has given us for building you up and not for tearing you down), I will not be ashamed.
9 Sipendi mfikiri kwamba nataka kuwatisha ninyi kwa barua zangu.
For I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you by my letters.
10 Mtu anaweza kusema: “Barua za Paulo ni kali na zenye maneno mazito, lakini yeye mwenyewe anapokuwa pamoja nasi ni mtu dhaifu, na hata anapoongea maneno yake ni kama si kitu.”
For, “His letters,” they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech amounts to nothing.”
11 Mtu asemaye hivyo heri akumbuke kwamba hakuna tofauti ya yale tunayoandika katika barua wakati tuko mbali, na yale tutakayofanya wakati tutakapokuwa nanyi.
The people who say such things should realize that what we say in our letters when we are absent, we will demonstrate by our actions when we are present.
12 Kwa vyovyote hatungethubutu kujiweka au kujilinganisha na wale watu wanaojisifia wenyewe. Watu wenye kujifanya wao kuwa kipimo cha kujipimia, na watu wanaojilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, ni wapumbavu.
For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves with one another and compare themselves to one another, they do not show good sense.
13 Lakini sisi hatutajivuna kupita kiasi; kujivuna huko kutabaki katika kile kipimo cha kazi aliyotukabidhi Mungu, kazi ambayo tunaifanya pia kwenu.
We, however, will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting to the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even as far as you.
14 Na kwa vile ninyi mu katika mipaka hiyo, hatukuipita tulipokuja kwenu, tukiwaleteeni Habari Njema juu ya Kristo.
For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you; we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.
15 Basi, hatujivunii kazi waliyofanya wengine zaidi ya kipimo tulichopewa; ila tunatumaini kwamba imani yenu itazidi miongoni mwenu kufuatana na kipimo alichotuwekea Mungu.
We do not go beyond our limits by boasting in the labors of others. On the contrary, our hope is that, as your faith increases, our area of ministry among you will be greatly expanded,
16 Hapo tutaweza kuihubiri Habari Njema katika nchi nyingine, mbali nanyi; na haitakuwa shauri la kujivunia kazi waliyofanya watu wengine mahali pengine.
so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, without boasting about work already done in someone else's area of ministry.
17 Lakini kama yasemavyo Maandiko: “Mwenye kuona fahari na aone fahari juu ya alichofanya Bwana.”
But, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
18 Anayekubaliwa si yule anayejisifu mwenyewe, bali yule anayesifiwa na Bwana.
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
