Paul Answers His Opponents
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Basi, mimi Paulo mwenyewe nawasihi kwa upole na utaratibu wa Kristo; mimi niliye mnyenyekevu nikiwapo pamoja nanyi, bali nisipokuwapo ni mwenye ujasiri kwenu;
2 but I beseech you , that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
naam, naomba kwamba nikiwapo, nisiwe na ujasiri kwa uthabiti ambao nahesabu kuwa nao juu ya wale wanaodhania ya kuwa sisi tunaenenda kwa jinsi ya mwili.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
Maana ingawa tunaenenda katika mwili, hatufanyi vita kwa jinsi ya mwili;
4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
(maana silaha za vita vyetu si za mwili, bali zina uwezo katika Mungu hata kuangusha ngome;)
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
tukiangusha mawazo na kila kitu kilichoinuka, kijiinuacho juu ya elimu ya Mungu; na tukiteka nyara kila fikira ipate kumtii Kristo;
6 and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
tena tukiwa tayari kupatiliza maasi yote, kutii kwenu kutakapotimia.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
Yaangalieni yaliyo mbele ya macho yenu. Mtu akijitumainia mwenyewe ya kuwa ni mtu wa Kristo, na afikiri hivi pia nafsini mwake, ya kwamba kama yeye alivyo mtu wa Kristo, vivyo hivyo na sisi.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
Maana, nijapojisifu zaidi kidogo kwa ajili ya mamlaka yetu, (tuliyopewa na Bwana, tupate kuwajenga wala si kuwaangusha), sitatahayarika;
9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
nisije nikaonekana kana kwamba nataka kuwaogofya kwa nyaraka zangu.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Maana wasema, Nyaraka zake ni nzito, hodari; bali akiwapo mwenyewe mwilini ni dhaifu, na maneno yake si kitu.
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
Mtu kama huyo na afikiri hivi, ya kwamba jinsi tulivyo kwa maneno katika nyaraka tusipokuwapo, ndivyo tulivyo kwa matendo tukiwapo.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Kwa kuwa hatuthubutu kujihesabu pamoja na baadhi yao wanaojisifu wenyewe, wala kujilinganisha nao; bali wao wenyewe wakijipima nafsi zao na nafsi zao, na wakijilinganisha nafsi zao na nafsi zao, hawana akili.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
Lakini sisi hatutajisifu zaidi ya kadiri yetu; bali kwa kadiri ya kipimo tulichopimiwa na Mungu, yaani, kadiri ya kufika hata kwenu.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure , as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
Maana hatujitanui nafsi zetu kupita kadiri yetu, kana kwamba hatuwafikii ninyi; kwa sababu tulitangulia kufika mpaka kwenu katika injili ya Kristo;
15 not boasting of things without our measure, that is , of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
wala hatujisifu zaidi ya kadiri yetu, yaani, katika taabu za watu wengine; bali tukiwa na tumaini ya kwamba, imani yenu ikuapo, tutakuzwa kwenu kwa kadiri ya kipimo chetu, na kupata ziada;
16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
hata kuihubiri Injili katika nchi zilizo mbele kupita nchi zenu; tusijisifu katika kipimo cha mtu mwingine kwa mambo yaliyokwisha kutengenezwa.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Lakini, Yeye ajisifuye, na ajisifu katika Bwana.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Maana mtu mwenye kukubaliwa si yeye ajisifuye, bali yeye asifiwaye na Bwana.
