1
Kisha, baada ya miaka kumi na minne, nalipanda tena kwenda Yerusalemu pamoja na Barnaba, nikamchukua na Tito pamoja nami.
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.
2
Nami nalikwenda kwa kuwa nalifunuliwa, nikawaeleza injili ile niihubiriyo katika Mataifa, lakini kwa faragha kwa hao walio wenye sifa, isiwe labda napiga mbio bure, au nalipiga mbio bure.
I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.
3
Lakini Tito aliyekuwa pamoja nami, naye ni Myunani, hakulazimishwa kutahiriwa.
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
4
Bali kwa ajili ya ndugu za uongo walioingizwa kwa siri; ambao waliingia kwa siri ili kuupeleleza uhuru wetu tulio nao katika Kristo Yesu, ili watutie utumwani;
This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
5
ambao hata saa moja hatukujitia chini yao, ili kwamba kweli ya Injili ikae pamoja nanyi.
We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
6
Lakini wale wenye sifa ya kuwa wana cheo; (walivyokuwa vyo vyote ni mamoja kwangu; Mungu hapokei uso wa mwanadamu); nasema, hao wenye sifa hawakuniongezea kitu;
But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.
7
bali, kinyume cha hayo, walipoona ya kuwa nimekabidhiwa injili ya wasiotahiriwa, kama vile Petro ya waliotahiriwa;
On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
8
(maana yeye aliyemwezesha Petro kuwa mtume wa waliotahiriwa ndiye aliyeniwezesha mimi kwenda kwa Mataifa);
For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.
9
tena walipokwisha kuijua ile neema niliyopewa; Yakobo, na Kefa, na Yohana, wenye sifa kuwa ni nguzo, walinipa mimi na Barnaba mkono wa kuume wa shirika; ili sisi tuende kwa Mataifa, na wao waende kwa watu wa tohara;
And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
10
ila neno moja tu walitutakia, tuwakumbuke maskini; nami neno lilo hilo nalikuwa na bidii kulifanya.
They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
11
Lakini Kefa alipokuja Antiokia, nalishindana naye uso kwa uso, kwa sababu alistahili hukumu.
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12
Kwa maana kabla hawajaja watu kadha wa kadha waliotoka kwa Yakobo, alikuwa akila pamoja na watu wa Mataifa; lakini walipokuja wao, akarudi nyuma akajitenga, huku akiwaogopa waliotahiriwa.
For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.
13
Na hao Wayahudi wengine wakajigeuza pamoja naye, hata na Barnaba pia akachukuliwa na unafiki wao.
The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14
Walakini, nilipoona ya kuwa njia yao haiendi sawasawa na ile kweli ya Injili, nalimwambia Kefa mbele ya wote, Ikiwa wewe uliye Myahudi wafuata desturi za Mataifa, wala si za Wayahudi, kwa nini unawashurutisha Mataifa kufuata desturi za Wayahudi?
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
15
Sisi tulio Wayahudi kwa asili, wala si wakosaji wa Mataifa,
We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”
16
hali tukijua ya kuwa mwanadamu hahesabiwi haki kwa matendo ya sheria, bali kwa imani ya Kristo Yesu; sisi tulimwamini Kristo Yesu ili tuhesabiwe haki kwa imani ya Kristo, wala si kwa matendo ya sheria; maana kwa matendo ya sheria hakuna mwenye mwili atakayehesabiwa haki.
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17
Lakini ikiwa sisi wenyewe, kwa kutafuta kuhesabiwa haki katika Kristo, tulionekana kuwa wenye dhambi, je! Kristo amekuwa mtumishi wa dhambi? Hasha!
But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!
18
Maana nikiyajenga tena yale niliyoyabomoa, naonyesha ya kuwa mimi mwenyewe ni mkosaji.
If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.
19
Maana mimi kwa njia ya sheria naliifia sheria ili nimwishie Mungu.
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.
20
Nimesulibiwa pamoja na Kristo; lakini ni hai; wala si mimi tena, bali Kristo yu hai ndani yangu; na uhai nilio nao sasa katika mwili, ninao katika imani ya Mwana wa Mungu, ambaye alinipenda, akajitoa nafsi yake kwa ajili yangu.
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21
Siibatili neema ya Mungu; maana, ikiwa haki hupatikana kwa njia ya sheria, basi Kristo alikufa bure.
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.