Matthew 18

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

1 Wakati huo, wanafunzi wakamjia Yesu na kumuuliza, “Je, nani aliye mkuu kuliko wote katika Ufalme wa Mbinguni?”

2 Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

2 Yesu akamwita mtoto mdogo na kumsimamisha katikati yao.

3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

3 Naye akasema: “Amin, nawaambia, msipookoka na kuwa kama watoto wadogo, kamwe hamtaingia katika Ufalme wa Mbinguni.

4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

4 Kwa hiyo mtu yeyote anyenyekeaye kama huyu mtoto, ndiye aliye mkuu kuliko wote katika Ufalme wa Mbinguni.

5 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

5 “Yeyote amkaribishaye mtoto mdogo kama huyu kwa Jina langu, anikaribisha mimi.

6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

6 Lakini kama mtu yeyote akimsababisha mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo wanaoniamini kutenda dhambi, ingekuwa bora kwake afungiwe jiwe kubwa la kusagia shingoni mwake, na kutoswa katika kilindi cha bahari.

7 Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

7 “Ole kwa ulimwengu kwa sababu ya yale mambo yanayosababisha watu kutenda dhambi! Mambo hayo lazima yawepo, lakini ole wake mtu yule ambaye huyasababisha.

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

8 Ikiwa mkono wako au mguu wako unakusababisha utende dhambi, ukate na uutupe mbali. Ni afadhali kwako kuingia katika uzima ukiwa huna mkono mmoja au mguu mmoja, kuliko kuwa na mikono miwili au miguu miwili, na kutupwa katika moto wa milele.

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

9 Nalo jicho lako likikusababisha kutenda dhambi, lingʼoe, ulitupe mbali. Ni afadhali kwako kuingia katika uzima ukiwa na jicho moja, kuliko kuwa na macho mawili lakini ukatupwa katika moto wa jehanamu.

10 See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

10 “Angalia ili usimdharau mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo, kwa maana nawaambia, malaika wao mbinguni daima wanauona uso wa Baba yangu aliye mbinguni. [

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11 Kwa maana Mwana wa Adamu alikuja kuokoa kile kilichopotea.]

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

12 “Mwaonaje? Ikiwa mtu ana kondoo mia moja, na mmoja wao akapotea, je, hatawaacha wale tisini na tisa vilimani na kwenda kumtafuta huyo mmoja aliyepotea?

13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

13 Naye akishampata, amin, nawaambia, hufurahi zaidi kwa ajili ya huyo kondoo mmoja kuliko wale tisini na tisa ambao hawakupotea.

14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

14 Vivyo hivyo, Baba yenu wa mbinguni hapendi hata mmojawapo wa hawa wadogo apotee.

15 If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

15 “Kama ndugu yako akikukosea, nenda ukamwonyeshe kosa lake, kati yenu ninyi wawili peke yenu. Kama akikusikiliza, utakuwa umempata tena ndugu yako.

16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

16 Lakini kama hatakusikiliza, nenda na mtu mwingine mmoja au wawili ili kila neno lithibitishwe kwa ushahidi wa mashahidi wawili au watatu.

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

17 Kama akikataa kuwasikiliza hao, liambie kanisa. Naye kama akikataa hata kulisikiliza kanisa, basi awe kwenu kama mtu asiyeamini au mtoza ushuru.

18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

18 “Amin, nawaambia, lolote mtakalolifunga duniani litakuwa limefungwa mbinguni, na lolote mtakalolifungua duniani litakuwa limefunguliwa mbinguni.

19 Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

19 “Tena nawaambia, ikiwa wawili wenu watakubaliana duniani kuhusu jambo lolote watakaloomba, watafanyiwa na Baba yangu aliye mbinguni.

20 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

20 Kwa kuwa wanapokusanyika pamoja watu wawili au watatu kwa Jina langu, mimi niko papo hapo pamoja nao.”

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

21 Ndipo Petro akamjia Yesu na kumuuliza, “Bwana, ndugu yangu anikosee mara ngapi nami nimsamehe? Je, hata mara saba?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

22 Yesu akamjibu, “Sikuambii hata mara saba, bali hata saba mara sabini.

23 Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

23 “Kwa hiyo Ufalme wa Mbinguni unaweza kufananishwa na mfalme aliyetaka kufanya hesabu zake za fedha na watumishi wake.

24 As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him.

24 Alipoanza kufanya hesabu zake, mtu mmoja aliyekuwa anadaiwa talanta 10,000, aliletwa kwake.

25 Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

25 Kwa kuwa alikuwa hawezi kulipa deni hilo, bwana wake akaamuru kwamba auzwe, yeye, mkewe, watoto wake na vyote alivyokuwa navyo, ili lile deni lipate kulipwa.

26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

26 “Yule mtumishi akampigia magoti, akamsihi yule bwana akisema, ‘Naomba univumilie, nami nitakulipa deni lako lote.’

27 His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

27 Yule bwana wa huyo mtumishi akamwonea huruma, akafuta deni lake lote, akamwacha aende zake.

28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

28 “Lakini yule mtumishi alipokuwa anatoka nje, akakutana na mtumishi mwenzake aliyekuwa amemkopesha dinari mia moja. Akamkamata, akamkaba koo akimwambia, ‘Nilipe kile ninachokudai!’

29 So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

29 “Yule mtumishi mwenzake akapiga magoti akamsihi akisema, ‘Naomba univumilie, nami nitakulipa deni lako lote.’

30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

30 “Lakini akakataa. Badala yake, alienda akamtupa gerezani hata atakapolipa hilo deni.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

31 Watumishi wenzake walipoona haya yaliyotukia wakaudhika sana, nao wakaenda na kumwambia bwana wao kila kitu kilichokuwa kimetukia.

32 Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.

32 “Yule bwana akamwita yule mtumishi akamwambia, ‘Wewe mtumishi mwovu! Mimi nilikusamehe deni lako lote uliponisihi.

33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’

33 Je, haikukupasa kumhurumia mtumishi mwenzako kama mimi nilivyokuhurumia wewe?’

34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

34 Kwa hasira, yule bwana wake akamtia yule mtumishi mikononi mwa askari wa gereza ili ateswe mpaka atakapolipa yote aliyokuwa anadaiwa.

35 That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

35 “Hivi ndivyo Baba yangu wa mbinguni atakavyomfanyia kila mmoja wenu ikiwa hatamsamehe ndugu yake kutoka moyoni mwake.”