Ephesians 4

1 As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

1 Basi, mimi niliye mfungwa wa Bwana, nawasihi mwenende kama inavyostahili wito wenu mlioitiwa.

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

2 Kwa unyenyekevu wote na upole, mkiwa wavumilivu, mkichukuliana kwa upendo.

3 and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

3 Jitahidini kudumisha umoja wa Roho katika kifungo cha amani.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

4 Kuna mwili mmoja na Roho mmoja, kama vile mlivyoitwa katika tumaini moja.

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

5 Tena kuna Bwana mmoja, imani moja, ubatizo mmoja,

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

6 Mungu mmoja ambaye ni Baba wa wote, aliye juu ya yote, katika yote na ndani ya yote.

7 Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

7 Lakini kila mmoja wetu amepewa neema kwa kadiri ya kipimo cha kipawa cha Kristo.

8 This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

8 Kwa hiyo husema: “Alipopaa juu zaidi, aliteka mateka, akawapa wanadamu vipawa.”

9 What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?

9 (Asemapo “alipaa juu,” maana yake nini isipokuwa ni kusema pia kwamba Kristo alishuka pande za chini sana za dunia?

10 He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

10 Yeye aliyeshuka ndiye alipaa juu zaidi kupita mbingu zote, ili apate kuujaza ulimwengu wote.)

11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

11 Ndiye aliweka wengine kuwa mitume, wengine kuwa manabii, wengine kuwa wainjilisti, wengine kuwa wachungaji na walimu,

12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

12 kwa kusudi la kuwakamilisha watakatifu kwa ajili ya kazi za huduma, ili kwamba mwili wa Kristo upate kujengwa

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

13 mpaka sote tutakapoufikia umoja katika imani na katika kumjua sana Mwana wa Mungu na kuwa watu wazima kwa kufikia kimo cha ukamilifu wa Kristo.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

14 Ili tusiwe tena watoto wachanga, tukitupwatupwa huku na huku na kuchukuliwa na kila upepo wa mafundisho kwa hila za watu, kwa ujanja, kwa kufuata njia zao za udanganyifu.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

15 Badala yake, tukiambiana kweli kwa upendo, katika mambo yote tukue, hata tumfikie yeye aliye kichwa, yaani, Kristo.

16 From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

16 Kutoka kwake, mwili wote ukiwa umeungamanishwa na kushikamanishwa pamoja kwa msaada wa kila kiungo, hukua na kujijenga wenyewe katika upendo, wakati kila kiungo kinafanya kazi yake.

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

17 Hivyo nawaambia hivi, nami nasisitiza katika Bwana kwamba, msiishi tena kama watu wa Mataifa waishivyo, katika ubatili wa mawazo yao.

18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.

18 Watu hao akili zao zimetiwa giza na wametengwa mbali na uzima wa Mungu kwa sababu ya ujinga wao kutokana na ugumu wa mioyo yao.

19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

19 Wakiisha kufa ganzi, wamejitia katika mambo ya ufisadi na kupendelea kila aina ya uchafu, wakiendelea kutamani zaidi.

20 But this is not the way you came to know Christ.

20 Lakini ninyi, hivyo sivyo mlivyojifunza Kristo.

21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—

21 Kama hivyo ndivyo ilivyo, ninyi mmemsikia, tena mmefundishwa naye, vile kweli ilivyo katika Yesu.

22 to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

22 Mlifundishwa kuuvua mwenendo wenu wa zamani, utu wenu wa kale, ulioharibiwa na tamaa zake za udanganyifu,

23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;

23 ili mfanywe upya roho na nia zenu,

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

24 mkajivike utu mpya, ulioumbwa sawasawa na mfano wa Mungu katika haki yote na utakatifu.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.

25 Kwa hiyo kila mmoja wenu avue uongo na kuambiana kweli mtu na jirani yake, kwa maana sisi sote tu viungo vya mwili mmoja.

26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,

26 Mkikasirika, msitende dhambi, wala jua lisichwe mkiwa bado mmekasirika,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

27 wala msimpe ibilisi nafasi.

28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

28 Yeye ambaye amekuwa akiiba, asiibe tena, lakini lazima ajishughulishe, afanye kitu kifaacho kwa mikono yake mwenyewe, ili awe na kitu cha kuwagawia wahitaji.

29 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

29 Maneno mabaya yasitoke vinywani mwenu, bali yale yafaayo kwa ajili ya kuwajenga wengine kulingana na mahitaji yao, ili yawafae wale wasikiao.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

30 Wala msimhuzunishe Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu, ambaye kwake mlitiwa muhuri kwa ajili ya siku ya ukombozi.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

31 Ondoeni kabisa uchungu, ghadhabu, hasira, makelele na masingizio pamoja na kila aina ya uovu.

32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

32 Kuweni wafadhili na wenye kuhurumiana ninyi kwa ninyi, mkisameheana, kama vile naye Mungu katika Kristo alivyowasamehe ninyi.