2 Wakorintho 3
1 Je, tunaanza tena kujipendekeza? Je, tunahitaji barua ya utambulisho kwenu, au kutoka kwenu, kama watu wengine?
Are we to begin again, ourselves, to commend? or have we need, like some, of commendatory letters unto you, or from you?
2 Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu; barua iliyoandikwa mioyoni mwetu kila mtu aione na kuisoma.
Our letter, ye, are, inscribed in our hearts, noted and read by all men:
3 Ni dhahiri kwamba ninyi ni barua ya Kristo aliyoipeleka kwa mikono yetu. Barua yenyewe imeandikwa si kwa wino, bali kwa Roho wa Mungu hai; imeandikwa si juu ya kipande cha jiwe, bali juu ya mioyo ya watu.
Manifesting yourselves that ye are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, —inscribed—not with ink, but with [the] Spirit of a Living God, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets [which are] hearts of flesh.
4 Tunaweza kusema hayo kwa sababu ya tumaini letu tulilo nalo kwa Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo.
But, such confidence as this, have we, through the Christ, towards God.
5 Si kwamba sisi tunaweza kufanya chochote kwa nguvu zetu wenyewe, ila uwezo wetu wote hutoka kwa Mungu:
Not that, of our own selves, sufficient, are we, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but, our sufficiency, is of God; —
6 maana yeye ndiye aliyetuwezesha kulihudumia Agano Jipya ambalo si agano la sheria iliyoandikwa, bali Agano la Roho. Maana sheria iliyoandikwa huleta kifo, lakini Roho huleta uzima.
Who also hath made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant—not of letter, but of spirit, for, the letter, killeth, whereas, the Spirit, maketh alive.
7 Sheria iliwekwa kwa kuandikwa juu ya vipande vya mawe. Ingawaje mwisho wake umekuwa kifo, utukufu wake ulikuwa mkuu mno hata wana wa Israeli wasiweze kuutazama uso wa Mose kwa sababu ya mng'ao wake. Tena mng'ao huo ulikuwa wa muda tu. Basi, ikiwa huduma ya kile ambacho kimesababisha kifo imefanyika kwa utukufu mwingi kiasi hicho,
But, if, the ministry of death, in letters engraven in stones, was brought into existence with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly into the face of Moses, by reason of the glory of his face—which [glory] was to be done away,
8 basi, huduma ya Roho ina utukufu mkuu zaidi.
How shall not, rather, the ministry of the Spirit, be with glory?
9 Ikiwa basi, kulikuwa na utukufu katika huduma ile iliyoleta hukumu, ni wazi kwamba huduma ile iletayo kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu itakuwa na utukufu mkuu zaidi.
For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,
10 Sasa utukufu mkuu zaidi umechukua nafasi ya ule utukufu uliokuja hapo awali, ambao fahari yake imekwisha toweka.
For that which hath been made glorious, hath not even been made glorious, in this respect, —by reason of the surpassing glory.
11 Maana ikiwa kile kilichokuwa cha muda tu kilikuwa na utukufu wake, bila shaka kile chenye kudumu milele kitakuwa na utukufu mkuu zaidi.
For, if that which was to be done away [was brought in] with glory, much more, that which is to abide, is in glory.
12 Kwa vile hili ndilo tumaini letu, sisi twasema kwa uhodari mkuu.
Having, then, such hope as this, great openness of speech, do we use; —
13 Sisi hatufanyi kama Mose ambaye alilazimika kuufunika uso wake kwa kitambaa ili watu wa Israeli wasiuone ule mwisho wa mng'ao uliokuwa unafifia.
And are not just like Moses, [who] kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.
14 Lakini akili zao zilipumbazwa. Mpaka leo hii lisomwapo Agano la Kale, kifuniko hicho bado kipo. Kifuniko hicho kitaondolewa tu mtu anapoungana na Kristo.
But their thoughts were turned into stone: for, until this very day, the same veil, upon the reading of the old covenant, abideth, not to be removed, because, in Christ, it is to be done away;
15 Naam, mpaka hivi leo kila isomwapo Sheria ya Mose akili zao huwa zimefunikwa.
But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
16 Lakini, wakati mtu amgeukiapo Bwana, kifuniko hicho huondolewa.
Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto [the] Lord, he taketh off the veil:
17 Hapa “Bwana” ni Roho; na pale alipo Roho wa Bwana ndipo ulipo uhuru.
And, the Lord, is, the Spirit: now, where the Spirit of one who is Lord [is, there is] freedom!
18 Basi, sisi sote ambao nyuso zetu hazikufunikwa, twaonyesha kama katika kioo, utukufu wa Bwana; tunabadilishwa tufanane zaidi na huo mfano wake kwa utukufu mwingi zaidi. Hiyo ni kazi yake Roho wa Bwana.
And, we all, with unveiled face, receiving and reflecting, the glory of [the] Lord, into the same image, are being transformed, from glory into glory, —even as from a Spirit that is Lord.
