1 Yohane 3

Watoto wa Mungu

1 Oneni, basi, jinsi Baba alivyotupenda mno hata tunaitwa watoto wa Mungu! Na kweli, ndivyo tulivyo. Ndiyo maana ulimwengu haututambui sisi, kwani haumjui Mungu. 2 Wapenzi wangu, sisi ni watoto wa Mungu sasa, lakini bado haijaonekana wazi jinsi tutakavyokuwa. Lakini tunajua kwamba, wakati Kristo atakapotokea, tutafanana naye kwani tutamwona vile alivyo. 3 Basi, kila mtu aliye na tumaini hili katika Kristo, hujiweka safi kama vile Kristo alivyo safi kabisa.

4 Kila mtu atendaye dhambi anavunja sheria ya Mungu, maana dhambi ni uvunjaji wa sheria. 5 Mnajua kwamba Kristo alikuja kuziondoa dhambi zetu, na kwamba kwake hamna dhambi yoyote. 6 Basi, kila aishiye katika muungano na Kristo hatendi dhambi; lakini kila mtu atendaye dhambi hakupata kamwe kumwona wala kumjua Kristo. 7 Basi, watoto wangu, msikubali kupotoshwa na mtu yeyote. Mtu atendaye matendo maadilifu ni mwadilifu kama vile Kristo alivyo mwadilifu kabisa. 8 Lakini atendaye dhambi ni wa Ibilisi, maana Ibilisi ametenda dhambi tangu mwanzo. Lakini Mwana wa Mungu alikuja duniani kuiharibu kazi ya Ibilisi.

9 Kila aliye mtoto wa Mungu hatendi dhambi, maana anayo hali ya kimungu ndani yake; hawezi kutenda dhambi kwa sababu yeye ni mtoto wa Mungu. 10 Lakini yeyote asiyetenda mambo maadilifu, au asiyempenda ndugu yake, huyo si mtoto wa Mungu. Hiyo ndiyo tofauti iliyoko kati ya watoto wa Mungu na watoto wa Ibilisi.

Pendaneni

11 Na, ujumbe mliousikia tangu mwanzo ndio huu: Tunapaswa kupendana! 12 Tusiwe kama Kaini ambaye, kwa kuongozwa na yule Mwovu, alimuua ndugu yake. Na, kwa nini alimuua? Kwa sababu matendo yake yalikuwa maovu, lakini yale ya ndugu yake yalikuwa mema!

13 Basi, ndugu zangu, msishangae kama ulimwengu unawachukia nyinyi. 14 Sisi tunajua kwamba tumekwisha pita kutoka katika kifo na kuingia katika uhai kwa sababu tunawapenda ndugu zetu. Mtu asiye na upendo hubaki katika kifo. 15 Kila anayemchukia ndugu yake ni muuaji; nanyi mnajua kwamba muuaji yeyote yule hana uhai wa milele ndani yake. 16 Sisi tumepata kujua upendo ni nini, kwani Kristo aliyatoa maisha yake kwa ajili yetu. Nasi vilevile tunapaswa kuyatoa maisha yetu kwa ajili ya ndugu zetu. 17 Basi, mtu akiwa na mali za hapa duniani, halafu akamwona ndugu yake ana shida, lakini akawa na moyo mgumu bila kumwonea huruma, anawezaje kusema kwamba anampenda Mungu? 18 Watoto wangu, upendo wetu usiwe maneno matupu, bali uwe upendo wa kweli na wa vitendo.

Uthabiti wetu mbele ya Mungu

19 Hivyo ndivyo tuwezavyo kuwa na hakika kwamba sisi ni watu wa ukweli; na hatutakuwa na wasiwasi mbele ya Mungu. 20 Kwa maana, hata kama dhamiri zetu zatuhukumu, twajua kwamba Mungu ni mkuu kuliko dhamiri, na kwamba yeye ajua kila kitu. 21 Wapenzi wangu, kama dhamiri zetu hazina lawama juu yetu, basi, twaweza kuwa na uthabiti mbele ya Mungu, 22 na kupokea kwake chochote tunachoomba, maana tunazitii amri zake na kufanya yale yanayompendeza. 23 Na, amri yake ndiyo hii: Kumwamini Mwanae Yesu Kristo, na kupendana kama alivyotuamuru. 24 Anayezitii amri za Mungu anaishi katika muungano na Mungu na Mungu anaishi katika muungano naye. Kwa njia ya Roho ambaye Mungu ametujalia, sisi twajua kwamba Mungu anaishi katika muungano nasi.

1 John 3

1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.3 And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:8 he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17 But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?18 My Little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.