2 Wakorintho 12
Maono na ufunuo
1 Nitajivuna basi, ingawa haifai! Lakini sasa nitasema juu ya maono na ufunuo alivyonijalia Bwana. 2 Namjua mtu mmoja Mkristo, ambaye miaka kumi na minne iliyopita alinyakuliwa mpaka katika mbingu ya tatu. (Sijui kama alikuwa huko kwa mwili au kwa roho; Mungu ajua). 3 Narudia: Najua kwamba mtu huyo alinyakuliwa mpaka peponi. (Lakini sijui kama alikuwa huko kwa mwili au kwa roho; Mungu ajua). 4 Huko akasikia mambo ya siri ambayo binadamu hastahili kuyatamka. 5 Basi, nitajivunia juu ya mtu wa namna hiyo, na si juu yangu mimi binafsi, isipokuwa tu juu ya udhaifu wangu. 6 Kama ningetaka kujivuna singekuwa mpumbavu hata kidogo, maana ningekuwa nasema ukweli tupu. Lakini sitajivuna; sipendi mtu anifikirie zaidi ya vile anavyoona na kusikia kutoka kwangu.
7 Lakini, kusudi mambo haya makuu niliyofunuliwa yasinifanye nilewe majivuno, nilipewa maumivu mwilini kama mwiba, mjumbe wa Shetani mwenye kunipiga, nisijivune kupita kiasi. 8 Nilimsihi Bwana mara tatu kuhusu jambo hili ili linitoke. 9 Lakini akaniambia: “Neema yangu inatosha kwa ajili yako; maana uwezo wangu hukamilishwa zaidi katika udhaifu.” Basi, ni radhi kabisa kujivunia udhaifu wangu ili uwezo wake Kristo ukae juu yangu. 10 Kwa hiyo nakubali kwa radhi udhaifu, dharau, taabu, udhalimu na mateso, kwa ajili ya Kristo; maana ninapokuwa dhaifu, ndipo ninapokuwa na nguvu.
Wasiwasi wa Paulo juu ya Wakorintho
11 Nimekuwa kama mpumbavu, lakini nyinyi mmenilazimisha kuwa hivyo. Nyinyi ndio mngalipaswa kunisifu. Maana, ingawa mimi si kitu, kwa vyovyote, mimi si mdogo kuliko hao “mitume wakuu.” 12 Miujiza na maajabu yaoneshayo wazi kwamba mimi ni mtume yalifanyika miongoni mwenu kwa uvumilivu wote. 13 Je, mlipungukiwa nini zaidi kuliko makanisa mengine, isipokuwa tu kwamba mimi kwa upande wangu sikuwasumbueni kupata msaada wenu? Samahani kwa kuwakoseeni haki hiyo! 14 Sasa niko tayari kabisa kuja kwenu mara ya tatu, na sitawasumbua. Maana ninachotafuta si mali zenu, bali ni nyinyi wenyewe. Ni kawaida ya wazazi kuwawekea watoto wao akiba, na si watoto kuwawekea wazazi wao. 15 Mimi ni radhi kabisa kutumia nilicho nacho, na hata kujitolea mimi mwenyewe kabisa, kwa faida ya roho zenu. Je, mtanipenda kidogo ati kwa kuwa mimi nawapenda nyinyi mno?
16 Basi, mtakubali kwamba sikuwa mzigo kwenu. Lakini labda mtu mwingine atasema: “Kwa vile Paulo ni mwerevu, amewafanyieni ulaghai.” 17 Je, mimi niliwanyonyeni kwa njia ya mjumbe yeyote niliyemtuma kwenu? 18 Mimi nilimwita Tito, nikamtuma kwenu na ndugu yetu mwingine. Je, Tito aliwanyonyeni? Je, hamjui kwamba sisi tumekuwa tukiongozwa na roho yuleyule, na mwenendo wetu ni mmoja?
19 Labda mnafikiri kwamba mpaka sasa tumekuwa tukijitetea wenyewe mbele yenu! Lakini, tunasema mambo haya mbele ya Mungu, tukiwa tumeungana na Kristo. Mambo hayo yote, wapenzi wangu, ni kwa ajili ya kuwajenga nyinyi. 20 Naogopa, huenda nitakapokuja kwenu nitawakuta katika hali nisiyopenda, nami itanilazimu kuwa katika hali msiyoipenda. Naogopa huenda kukawa na ugomvi, wivu, uhasama, ubishi, masengenyo, kunongona, majivuno na fujo kati yenu. 21 Naogopa huenda hapo nitakapokuja safari ijayo Mungu wangu atanifanya niaibike mbele yenu, nami nitaomboleza kwa ajili ya wengi wa wale waliotenda dhambi lakini hawakujuta huo uchafu, tamaa zao mbaya na uzinzi waliokuwa wamefanya.
2 Corinthians 12
1 I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven.3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),4 how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.5 On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.6 For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me.7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.8 Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.9 And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.10 Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.11 I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing.12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works.13 For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong.14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.15 And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?16 But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.17 Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you?18 I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?19 Ye think all this time that we are excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.20 For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;21 lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.