Colossians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

1 Paulo, mtume wa Kristo Yesu, kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, na Timotheo ndugu yetu:

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

2 Kwa ndugu watakatifu na waaminifu katika Kristo, waishio Kolosai: Neema na amani zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba yetu ziwe nanyi.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

3 Siku zote tunamshukuru Mungu, Baba wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, tunapowaombea ninyi,

4 because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—

4 kwa sababu tumesikia kuhusu imani yenu katika Kristo Yesu, na upendo wenu mlio nao kwa watakatifu wote:

5 the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel

5 imani na upendo ule utokao katika tumaini mlilowekewa akiba mbinguni, na ambalo mmesikia habari zake katika neno la kweli, yaani, ile Injili

6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.

6 iliyowafikia ninyi. Duniani kote Injili hii inazaa matunda na kuenea kama ilivyokuwa kwenu tangu siku ile mlipoisikia na kuielewa neema ya Mungu katika kweli yote.

7 You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

7 Mlijifunza habari zake kutoka kwa Epafra, mtumishi mwenzetu mpendwa, yeye aliye mhudumu mwaminifu wa Kristo kwa ajili yenu,

8 and who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

8 ambaye pia ametuambia kuhusu upendo wenu katika Roho.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

9 Kwa sababu hii, tangu siku ile tuliposikia habari zenu, hatujakoma kuomba kwa ajili yenu na kumsihi Mungu awajaze ninyi maarifa ya mapenzi yake katika hekima yote ya kiroho na ufahamu.

10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

10 Nasi tunaomba haya ili mpate kuishi maisha yanayostahili mbele za Bwana, na mpate kumpendeza kwa kila namna: mkizaa matunda kwa kila kazi njema, mkikua katika kumjua Mungu,

11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully

11 mkiwa mmetiwa nguvu kwa uwezo wote kwa kadiri ya nguvu yake yenye utukufu, ili mpate kuwa na wingi wa saburi na uvumilivu. Nanyi kwa furaha

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

12 mkimshukuru Baba, ambaye amewastahilisha kushiriki katika urithi wa watakatifu katika ufalme wa nuru.

13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

13 Kwa maana ametuokoa kutoka ufalme wa giza na kutuingiza katika ufalme wa Mwana wake mpendwa,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

14 ambaye katika yeye tunao ukombozi, yaani msamaha wa dhambi.

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

15 Yeye ni mfano wa Mungu asiyeonekana, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa viumbe vyote.

16 For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

16 Kwake yeye vitu vyote vilivyoko mbinguni na juu ya nchi viliumbwa: vitu vinavyoonekana na visivyoonekana, viwe ni viti vya enzi au falme, au wenye mamlaka au watawala; vitu vyote viliumbwa na yeye na kwa ajili yake.

17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

17 Yeye alikuwepo kabla ya vitu vyote, na katika yeye vitu vyote vinashikamana pamoja.

18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

18 Yeye ndiye kichwa cha mwili, yaani kanisa, naye ndiye mwanzo na mzaliwa wa kwanza kutoka kwa wafu, ili yeye awe mkuu katika vitu vyote.

19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,

19 Kwa kuwa ilimpendeza Mungu kwamba utimilifu wake wote ukae ndani yake,

20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

20 na kwa njia yake aweze kuvipatanisha vitu vyote na yeye mwenyewe, viwe ni vitu vilivyo duniani au vilivyo mbinguni, kwa kufanya amani kwa damu yake, iliyomwagika msalabani.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.

21 Hapo kwanza mlikuwa mmetengana na Mungu, na mlikuwa adui zake katika nia zenu kwa sababu ya mienendo yenu mibaya.

22 But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—

22 Lakini sasa Mungu amewapatanisha ninyi kwa njia ya mwili wa Kristo kupitia mauti, ili awalete mbele zake mkiwa watakatifu, bila dosari wala lawama,

23 if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

23 ikiwa mnaendelea katika imani yenu mkiwa imara na thabiti, pasipo kuliacha tumaini lililoahidiwa katika Injili. Hii ndiyo ile Injili mliyoisikia, ambayo imehubiriwa kwa kila kiumbe chini ya mbingu, na ambayo mimi Paulo nimekuwa mtumwa wake.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.

24 Sasa nafurahia kule kuteseka kwangu kwa ajili yenu, na katika mwili wangu ninatimiliza yale yaliyopungua katika mateso ya Kristo kwa ajili ya mwili wake, ambao ni kanisa.

25 I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,

25 Mimi nimekuwa mtumishi wa kanisa kwa wajibu alionipa Mungu ili kuwaletea ninyi Neno la Mungu kwa ukamilifu:

26 the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.

26 Hii ni siri iliyokuwa imefichika tangu zamani na kwa vizazi vingi, lakini sasa imefunuliwa kwa watakatifu.

27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

27 Kwao, Mungu amechagua kujulisha miongoni mwa watu wa Mataifa utukufu wa utajiri wa siri hii, ambayo ni Kristo ndani yenu, tumaini la utukufu.

28 We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

28 Yeye ndiye tunayemtangaza, tukimwonya kila mtu na kumfundisha kila mtu kwa hekima yote ili tuweze kumleta kila mmoja akiwa amekamilika katika Kristo.

29 To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.

29 Kwa ajili ya jambo hili, ninajitaabisha, nikijitahidi kwa kadiri ya nguvu zake ambazo hutenda kazi ndani yangu kwa uweza mwingi.