1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Paulo na Timotheo, watumwa wa Kristo Yesu, kwa watakatifu wote katika Kristo Yesu, walioko Filipi, pamoja na maaskofu na mashemasi.
2 grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Neema na iwe kwenu na amani zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na kwa Bwana Yesu Kristo.
The Heart of the Apostle
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Namshukuru Mungu wangu kila niwakumbukapo,
4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
sikuzote kila niwaombeapo ninyi nyote nikisema sala zangu kwa furaha,
5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
kwa sababu ya ushirika wenu katika kuieneza Injili, tangu siku ile ya kwanza hata leo hivi.
6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Nami niliaminilo ndilo hili, ya kwamba yeye aliyeanza kazi njema mioyoni mwenu ataimaliza hata siku ya Kristo Yesu;
7 even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
vile vile kama ilivyo wajibu wangu kufikiri haya juu yenu nyote; kwa sababu ninyi mmo moyoni mwangu; kwa kuwa katika kufungwa kwangu na katika kazi ya kutetea Injili na kuithibitisha, ninyi nyote mmeshirikiana nami neema hii.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Maana Mungu ni shahidi wangu, jinsi ninavyowaonea shauku ninyi nyote katika moyo wake Kristo Yesu.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Na hii ndiyo dua yangu, kwamba pendo lenu lizidi kuwa jingi sana, katika hekima na ufahamu wote;
10 that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
mpate kuyakubali yaliyo mema; ili mpate kuwa na mioyo safi, bila kosa, mpaka siku ya Kristo;
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
hali mmejazwa matunda ya haki, kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo, kwa utukufu na sifa ya Mungu.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Lakini, ndugu zangu, nataka mjue ya kuwa mambo yote yaliyonipata yametokea zaidi kwa kuieneza Injili;
13 so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places ;
hata vifungo vyangu vimekuwa dhahiri katika Kristo, miongoni mwa askari, na kwa wengine wote pia.
14 and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Na wengi wa hao ndugu walio katika Bwana, hali wakapata kuthibitika kwa ajili ya kufungwa kwangu, wamezidi sana kuthubutu kunena neno la Mungu pasipo hofu.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Wengine wanahubiri habari za Kristo kwa sababu ya husuda na fitina; na wengine kwa nia njema.
16 the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Hawa wanamhubiri kwa pendo, wakijua ya kuwa nimewekwa ili niitetee Injili;
17 but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
bali wengine wanamhubiri Kristo kwa fitina, wala si kwa moyo mweupe, wakidhani kuongeza dhiki za kufungwa kwangu.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Yadhuru nini? Lakini kwa njia zote, ikiwa ni kwa hila, au ikiwa ni kwa kweli, Kristo anahubiriwa; na kwa hiyo nafurahi, naam, nami nitafurahi.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Maana najua ya kuwa haya yatanigeukia kuwa wokovu wangu, kwa sababu ya kuomba kwenu, na kuruzukiwa Roho wa Yesu Kristo;
20 according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
kama vile nilivyotazamia sana, na kutumaini, kwamba sitaaibika kamwe, bali kwa uthabiti wote, kama sikuzote na sasa vivyo hivyo Kristo ataadhimishwa katika mwili wangu; ikiwa kwa maisha yangu, au ikiwa kwa mauti yangu.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Kwa maana kwangu mimi kuishi ni Kristo, na kufa ni faida.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
Ila ikiwa kuishi katika mwili, kwangu mimi ni matunda ya kazi; basi nitakalolichagua silitambui.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Ninasongwa katikati ya mambo mawili; ninatamani kwenda zangu nikae na Kristo maana ni vizuri zaidi sana;
24 nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
bali kudumu katika mwili kwahitajiwa zaidi kwa ajili yenu.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Nami nikitumaini hayo, najua ya kuwa nitakaa na kudumu pamoja nanyi, ili mpate kuendelea na kufurahi katika imani;
26 that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
hata mzidi kuona fahari katika Kristo Yesu juu yangu kwa sababu ya kuwapo kwangu pamoja nanyi tena.
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Lakini mwenendo wenu na uwe kama inavyoipasa Injili ya Kristo, ili, nikija na kuwaona ninyi, au nisipokuwapo, niyasikie mambo yenu, kama mnasimama imara katika roho moja, kwa moyo mmoja mkiishindania imani ya Injili;
28 and in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
wala hamwaogopi adui zenu, katika neno lo lote; kwao hao ni ishara mathubuti ya kupotea, bali kwenu ninyi ni ishara ya wokovu, huo utokao kwa Mungu.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Maana mmepewa kwa ajili ya Kristo, si kumwamini tu, ila na kuteswa kwa ajili yake;
30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
mkiwa na mashindano yale yale mliyoyaona kwangu, na kusikia kwamba ninayo hata sasa.
