1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
Paulo, mtume wa Kristo Yesu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, na Timotheo, ndugu yetu,
2 to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
kwa ndugu watakatifu, waaminifu katika Kristo, walioko Kolosai. Neema na iwe kwenu, na amani, zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba yetu.
3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Twamshukuru Mungu, Baba yake Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, siku zote tukiwaombea;
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
tangu tuliposikia habari za imani yenu katika Kristo Yesu, na upendo mlio nao kwa watakatifu wote;
5 for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
kwa sababu ya tumaini mlilowekewa akiba mbinguni; ambalo habari zake mlizisikia zamani kwa neno la kweli ya Injili;
6 which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it , and knew the grace of God in truth:
iliyofika kwenu, kama ilivyo katika ulimwengu wote, na kuzaa matunda na kukua, kama inavyokua kwenu pia, tangu siku mlipoisikia mkaifahamu sana neema ya Mungu katika kweli;
7 as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
kama mlivyofundishwa na Epafra, mjoli wetu mpenzi, aliye mhudumu mwaminifu wa Kristo kwa ajili yenu;
8 who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
naye alitueleza upendo wenu katika Roho.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it , do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Kwa sababu hiyo sisi nasi, tangu siku ile tuliposikia, hatuachi kufanya maombi na dua kwa ajili yenu, ili mjazwe maarifa ya mapenzi yake katika hekima yote na ufahamu wa rohoni;
10 that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
mwenende kama ulivyo wajibu wenu kwa Bwana, mkimpendeza kabisa; mkizaa matunda kwa kila kazi njema, na kuzidi katika maarifa ya Mungu;
11 strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
mkiwezeshwa kwa uwezo wote, kwa kadiri ya nguvu ya utukufu wake, mpate kuwa na saburi ya kila namna na uvumilivu pamoja na furaha;
12 giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
mkimshukuru Baba, aliyewastahilisha kupokea sehemu ya urithi wa watakatifu katika nuru.
13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Naye alituokoa katika nguvu za giza, akatuhamisha na kutuingiza katika ufalme wa Mwana wa pendo lake;
14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
ambaye katika yeye tuna ukombozi, yaani, msamaha wa dhambi;
The Supremacy of Christ
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
naye ni mfano wa Mungu asiyeonekana, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa viumbe vyote.
16 for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Kwa kuwa katika yeye vitu vyote viliumbwa, vilivyo mbinguni na vilivyo juu ya nchi, vinavyoonekana na visivyoonekana; ikiwa ni vitu vya enzi, au usultani, au enzi, au mamlaka; vitu vyote viliumbwa kwa njia yake, na kwa ajili yake.
17 and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Naye amekuwako kabla ya vitu vyote, na vitu vyote hushikana katika yeye.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Naye ndiye kichwa cha mwili, yaani, cha kanisa; naye ni mwanzo, ni mzaliwa wa kwanza katika wafu, ili kwamba awe mtangulizi katika yote.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Kwa kuwa katika yeye ilipendeza utimilifu wote ukae;
20 and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say , whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
na kwa yeye kuvipatanisha vitu vyote na nafsi yake akiisha kufanya amani kwa damu ya msalaba wake; kwa yeye, ikiwa ni vitu vilivyo juu ya nchi, au vilivyo mbinguni.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Na ninyi, mliokuwa hapo kwanza mmefarikishwa, tena adui katika nia zenu, kwa matendo yenu mabaya, amewapatanisha sasa;
22 in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
katika mwili wa nyama yake, kwa kufa kwake, ili awalete ninyi mbele zake, watakatifu, wasio na mawaa wala lawama;
23 if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
mkidumu tu katika ile imani, hali mmewekwa juu ya msingi, mkawa imara; msipogeuzwa na kuliacha tumaini la Injili mliyosikia habari zake, iliyohubiriwa katika viumbe vyote vilivyo chini ya mbingu; ambayo mimi Paulo nalikuwa mhudumu wake.
24 who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Sasa nayafurahia mateso niliyo nayo kwa ajili yenu; tena nayatimiliza katika mwili wangu yale yaliyopungua ya mateso ya Kristo, kwa ajili ya mwili wake, yaani, kanisa lake;
25 whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
ambalo nimefanywa mhudumu wake, sawasawa na uwakili wa Mungu, niliopewa kwa faida yenu, nilitimize neno la Mungu;
26 even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
siri ile iliyofichwa tangu zamani zote na tangu vizazi vyote, bali sasa imefunuliwa kwa watakatifu wake;
27 to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
ambao Mungu alipenda kuwajulisha jinsi ulivyo utajiri wa utukufu wa siri hii katika Mataifa, nao ni Kristo ndani yenu, tumaini la utukufu
28 whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
ambaye sisi tunamhubiri habari zake tukimwonya kila mtu, na kumfundisha kila mtu katika hekima yote, tupate kumleta kila mtu mtimilifu katika Kristo.
29 whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Nami najitaabisha kwa neno lilo hilo, nikijitahidi kwa kadiri ya kutenda kazi kwake atendaye kazi ndani yangu kwa nguvu.
