1
Kila mtu na aitii mamlaka iliyo kuu; kwa maana hakuna mamlaka isiyotoka kwa Mungu; na ile iliyopo umeamriwa na Mungu.
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
2
Hivyo amwasiye mwenye mamlaka hushindana na agizo la Mungu; nao washindanao watajipatia hukumu.
Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3
Kwa maana watawalao hawatishi watu kwa sababu ya matendo mema, bali kwa sababu ya matendo mabaya. Basi, wataka usimwogope mwenye mamlaka? Fanya mema, nawe utapata sifa kwake;
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.
4
kwa kuwa yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu kwako kwa ajili ya mema. Lakini ufanyapo mabaya, ogopa; kwa maana hauchukui upanga bure; kwa kuwa ni mtumishi wa Mungu, amlipizaye kisasi mtenda mabaya kwa ajili ya ghadhabu.
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
5
Kwa hiyo ni lazima kutii, si kwa sababu ya ile ghadhabu tu, ila na kwa sababu ya dhamiri.
Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
6
Kwa sababu hiyo tena mwalipa kodi; kwa kuwa wao ni wahudumu wa Mungu, wakidumu katika kazi iyo hiyo.
This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
7
Wapeni wote haki zao; mtu wa kodi, kodi; mtu wa ushuru, ushuru; astahiliye hofu, hofu; astahiliye heshima, heshima.
Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
8
Msiwiwe na mtu cho chote, isipokuwa kupendana; kwa maana ampendaye mwenzake ameitimiza sheria.
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9
Maana kule kusema, Usizini, Usiue, Usiibe, Usitamani; na ikiwapo amri nyingine yo yote, inajumlishwa katika neno hili, ya kwamba, Mpende jirani yako kama nafsi yako.
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10
Pendo halimfanyii jirani neno baya; basi pendo ndilo utimilifu wa sheria.
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11
Naam, tukiujua wakati, kwamba saa ya kuamka katika usingizi imekwisha kuwadia; kwa maana sasa wokovu wetu u karibu nasi kuliko tulipoanza kuamini
And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12
Usiku umeendelea sana, mchana umekaribia, basi na tuyavue matendo ya giza, na kuzivaa silaha za nuru.
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13
Kama ilivyohusika na mchana na tuenende kwa adabu; si kwa ulafi na ulevi, si kwa ufisadi na uasherati, si kwa ugomvi na wivu.
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14
Bali mvaeni Bwana Yesu Kristo, wala msiuangalie mwili, hata kuwasha tamaa zake.
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.