1 John 4

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 Wapendwa, msiamini kila roho, bali zijaribuni hizo roho mwone kama zimetoka kwa Mungu, kwa sababu manabii wengi wa uongo wametokea ulimwenguni.

2 By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

2 Hivi ndivyo mnavyoweza kutambua Roho wa Mungu: Kila roho inayokubali kwamba Yesu Kristo amekuja katika mwili yatoka kwa Mungu.

3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.

3 Lakini kila roho ambayo haimkubali Yesu haitoki kwa Mungu. Hii ndiyo roho ya mpinga Kristo, ambayo mmesikia kwamba inakuja na sasa tayari iko ulimwenguni.

4 You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

4 Watoto wapendwa, ninyi mmetokana na Mungu, nanyi mmewashinda kwa sababu yeye aliye ndani yenu ni mkuu kuliko yeye aliye katika ulimwengu.

5 They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.

5 Wao wanatokana na ulimwengu na kwa hiyo hunena yaliyo ya ulimwengu, hivyo ulimwengu huwasikiliza.

6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

6 Sisi twatokana na Mungu na yeyote anayemjua Mungu hutusikiliza, lakini asiyetokana na Mungu hatusikilizi. Hivi ndivyo tunavyoweza kutambua Roho wa Kweli na roho ya upotovu.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

7 Wapendwa, tupendane, kwa kuwa pendo latoka kwa Mungu. Kila apendaye amezaliwa na Mungu, naye anamjua Mungu.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

8 Yeye asiyependa hamjui Mungu, kwa sababu Mungu ni pendo.

9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

9 Hivi ndivyo Mungu alivyoonyesha pendo lake kwetu: Mungu alimtuma Mwanawe wa pekee ulimwenguni, ili tupate uzima kupitia kwake.

10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

10 Hili ndilo pendo: si kwamba tulimpenda Mungu, bali yeye alitupenda, akamtuma Mwanawe, ili yeye awe dhabihu ya upatanisho kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

11 Marafiki wapendwa, kama Mungu alivyotupenda sisi, imetupasa na sisi kupendana.

12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

12 Hakuna mtu yeyote aliyemwona Mungu wakati wowote. Lakini tukipendana, Mungu anakaa ndani yetu, na pendo lake limekamilika ndani yetu.

13 By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.

13 Tunajua kwamba twakaa ndani yake na yeye ndani yetu, kwa sababu ametupa sisi sehemu ya Roho wake.

14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.

14 Nasi tumeona na kushuhudia kwamba Baba amemtuma Mwanawe ili awe Mwokozi wa ulimwengu.

15 If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

15 Kila akiriye kwamba Yesu ni Mwana wa Mungu, basi Mungu hukaa ndani yake, naye ndani ya Mungu.

16 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

16 Hivyo nasi twajua na kulitumainia pendo la Mungu alilo nalo kwa ajili yetu. Mungu ni Upendo. Kila akaaye katika upendo hukaa ndani ya Mungu na Mungu hukaa ndani yake.

17 In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.

17 Kwa njia hii, pendo hukamilishwa miongoni mwetu ili tupate kuwa na ujasiri katika siku ya hukumu, kwa sababu kama alivyo ndivyo tulivyo sisi katika ulimwengu huu.

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

18 Katika pendo hakuna hofu. Lakini pendo lililo kamili huitupa nje hofu, kwa sababu hofu inahusika na adhabu. Kila mwenye hofu hakukamilika katika pendo.

19 We love because He first loved us.

19 Twampenda yeye kwa sababu yeye alitupenda kwanza.

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

20 Ikiwa mtu atasema, “Nampenda Mungu,” lakini anamchukia ndugu yake, yeye ni mwongo. Kwa maana kila mtu asiyempenda ndugu yake ambaye anamwona, atampendaje Mungu asiyemuona?

21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

21 Naye ametupa amri hii: Yeyote anayempenda Mungu lazima pia ampende ndugu yake.