1
Tena ndugu zetu, twawaarifu habari ya neema ya Mungu, waliyopewa makanisa ya Makedonia;
Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
2
maana walipokuwa wakijaribiwa kwa dhiki nyingi, wingi wa furaha yao na umaskini wao uliokuwa mwingi uliwaongezea utajiri wa ukarimu wao.
In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
3
Maana nawashuhudia kwamba, kwa uwezo wao, na zaidi ya uwezo wao, kwa hiari yao wenyewe walitoa vitu vyao;
For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
4
wakituomba sana pamoja na kutusihi kwa habari ya neema hii, na shirika hili la kuwahudumia watakatifu.
they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5
Tena walitenda hivi si kama tulivyotumaini tu, bali kwanza walijitoa nafsi zao kwa Bwana; na kwetu pia, kwa mapenzi ya Mungu.
And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, through the will of God.
6
Hata tukamwonya Tito kuwatimilizia neema hii kwenu kama vile yeye alivyotangulia kuianzisha.
So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
7
Lakini kama mlivyo na wingi wa mambo yote; imani, na usemi, na elimu, na bidii yote, na upendo wenu kwetu sisi; basi vivyo hivyo mpate wingi wa neema hii pia.
But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8
Sineni ili kuwaamuru, bali kwa bidii ya watu wengine nijaribu unyofu wa upendo wenu.
I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.
9
Maana mmejua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, jinsi alivyokuwa maskini kwa ajili yenu, ingawa alikuwa tajiri, ili kwamba ninyi mpate kuwa matajiri kwa umaskini wake.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
10
Nami katika neno hili natoa shauri langu; maana neno hili lawafaa ninyi mliotangulia, yapata mwaka, licha ya kutenda hata na kutaka pia.
And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.
11
Lakini sasa timizeni kule kutenda nako, ili kama vile mlivyokuwa tayari kutaka, vivyo hivyo mkawe tayari na kutimiza, kwa kadiri ya mlivyo navyo.
Now finish the work, so that you may complete it with the same eager desire, according to your means.
12
Maana, kama nia ipo, hukubaliwa kwa kadiri ya alivyo navyo mtu, si kwa kadiri ya asivyo navyo.
For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13
Maana sisemi hayo, ili wengine wapate raha nanyi mpate dhiki;
It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.
14
bali mambo yawe sawasawa; wakati huu wa sasa wingi wenu uwafae upungufu wao, ili na wingi wao uwafae ninyi mtakapopungukiwa; ili mambo yawe sawasawa.
At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality.
15
Kama ilivyoandikwa, Aliyekusanya vingi, hakuzidi, wala yeye aliyekusanya vichache hakupungukiwa.
As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”
16
Lakini ahimidiwe Mungu atiaye bidii ile ile kwa ajili yenu katika moyo wa Tito.
But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
17
Maana aliyapokea kweli yale maonyo; tena, huku akizidi kuwa na bidii, alisafiri kwenda kwenu kwa hiari yake mwenyewe.
For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
18
Na pamoja naye tukamtuma ndugu yule ambaye sifa zake katika Injili zimeenea makanisani mwote.
Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.
19
Wala si hivyo tu, bali alichaguliwa na makanisa asafiri pamoja nasi katika jambo la neema hii, tunayoitumikia, ili Bwana atukuzwe, ukadhihirike utayari wetu.
More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.
20
Tukijiepusha na neno hili, mtu asije akatulaumu kwa habari ya karama hii tunayoitumikia;
We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.
21
tukitangulia kufikiri yaliyo mema, si mbele za Bwana tu, ila na mbele ya wanadamu.
For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
22
Nasi pamoja nao tumemtuma ndugu yetu tuliyemwona mara nyingi katika mambo mengi kuwa ana bidii, na sasa ana bidii zaidi sana kwa sababu ya tumaini kuu alilo nalo kwenu.
And we are sending along with them our brother who has proven his earnestness to us many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.
23
Basi mtu akitaka habari za Tito, yeye ni mshirika wangu, na mtenda kazi pamoja nami kwa ajili yenu; tena akitaka habari za ndugu zetu, wao ni mitume wa makanisa, na utukufu wa Kristo.
As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24
Basi waonyesheni mbele ya makanisa hakika ya upendo wenu, na ya kujisifu kwetu kwa ajili yenu.
In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.