2 KOR. 12

Maono na Mafunuo ya Paulo

1 Sina budi kujisifu, ijapokuwa haipendezi; lakini nitafikilia maono na mafunuo ya Bwana. 2 Namjua mtu mmoja katika Kristo, yapata sasa miaka kumi na minne, (kwamba alikuwa katika mwili sijui; kwamba alikuwa nje ya mwili sijui; Mungu ajua). Mtu huyo alinyakuliwa juu mpaka mbingu ya tatu. 3 Nami namjua mtu huyo, (kwamba alikuwa katika mwili sijui; kwamba alikuwa nje ya mwili sijui; Mungu ajua); 4 tya kuwa alinyakuliwa mpaka Peponi, akasikia maneno yasiyotamkika, ambayo haijuzu mwanadamu ayanene. 5 tKwa habari za mtu kama huyo nitajisifu; lakini kwa ajili ya nafsi yangu sitajisifu, isipokuwa katika habari ya udhaifu wangu. 6 tMaana kama ningetaka kujisifu singekuwa mpumbavu, kwa sababu nitasema kweli. Lakini najizuia, ili mtu asinihesabie zaidi ya hayo ayaonayo kwangu au kuyasikia kwangu. 7 tNa makusudi nisipate kujivuna kupita kiasi, kwa wingi wa mafunuo hayo nalipewa mwiba katika mwili, mjumbe wa Shetani ili anipige, nisije nikajivuna kupita kiasi. 8 Kwa ajili ya kitu hicho nalimsihi Bwana mara tatu kwamba kinitoke. 9 Naye akaniambia, Neema yangu yakutosha; maana uweza wangu hutimilika katika udhaifu. Basi nitajisifia udhaifu wangu kwa furaha nyingi, ili uweza wa Kristo ukae juu yangu.

10 tKwa hiyo napendezwa na udhaifu, na ufidhuli, na misiba, na adha, na shida, kwa ajili ya Kristo. Maana niwapo dhaifu ndipo nilipo na nguvu.

Shauku ya Paulo kwa Kanisa la Korintho

13 tMaana ni kitu gani mlichopungukiwa kuliko makanisa mengine, ila kwa kuwa mimi sikuwalemea? Mnisamehe udhalimu huu.
14  tTazama, hii ni mara ya tatu ya mimi kuwa tayari kuja kwenu, wala sitawalemea. Maana sivitafuti vitu vyenu, bali nawatafuta ninyi; maana haiwapasi watoto kuweka akiba kwa wazazi, bali wazazi kwa watoto. 15 tNami kwa furaha nyingi nitatapanya, tena nitatapanywa kwa ajili ya roho zenu. Je! Kadiri nizidivyo kuwapenda sana, ninapungukiwa kupendwa? 16 Lakini na iwe hivyo, mimi sikuwalemea; bali kwa kuwa mwerevu naliwapata kwa hila. 17 Je! Mtu ye yote niliyemtuma kwenu, kwa mtu huyo naliwatoza kitu?

18 tNalimwonya Tito, nikamtuma ndugu yule pamoja naye. Je! Tito aliwatoza kitu? Je! Hatukuenenda kwa Roho yeye yule na katika nyayo zile zile?
19 Mwadhani hata sasa ya kuwa najidhuru kwenu! Mbele za Mungu twanena katika Kristo. Na hayo yote, wapenzi, ni kwa ajili ya kuwajenga ninyi. 20 tMaana nachelea, nisije nikawakuta si kama vile nitakavyo kuwakuta, nikaonekana kwenu si kama vile mtakavyo; nisije nikakuta labda fitina na wivu, na ghadhabu, na ugomvi, na masingizio, na manong’onezo, na majivuno, na ghasia; 21 tnami nitakapokuja tena, Mungu wangu asije akanidhili kwenu, nami nikawasikitikia wengi waliokosa tangu hapo, wasiutubie uchafu, na uasherati, na ufisadi walioufany

2 CORINTHIANS 12

Visions from the Lord

1 I have to brag. There is nothing to be gained by it, but I must brag about the visions and other things that the Lord has shown me.

2 I know about one of Christ's followers who was taken up into the third heaven 14 years ago. I don't know if the man was still in his body when it happened, but God certainly knows.
3 As I said, only God really knows if this man was in his body at the time. 4 But he was taken up into paradise, t where he heard things too wonderful to tell.

5 I will brag about that man, but not about myself, except to say how weak I am.
6 Yet even if I did brag, I would not be foolish. I would simply be speaking the truth. But I will try not to say too much. That way, none of you will think more highly of me than you should because of what you have seen me do and say.

7 Of course, I am now referring to the wonderful things I saw. One of Satan's angels was sent to make me suffer terribly, so that I would not feel too proud.t
8 Three times I begged the Lord to make this suffering go away. 9 But he replied, “My gift of undeserved grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am.

10 Yes, I am glad to be weak or insulted or mistreated or to have troubles and sufferings, if it is for Christ. Because when I am weak, I am strong.

Paul's Concern //for the Lord's Followers //at Corinth

13 You missed out on only one blessing the other churches received. That is, you didn't have to support me. Forgive me for doing you wrong.
14 I am planning to visit you for the third time. But I still won't make a burden of myself. What I really want is you, and not what you have. Children are not supposed to save up for their parents, but parents are supposed to take care of their children. 15 So I will gladly give all I have and all I am. Will you love me less for loving you too much? 16 You agree that I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe that's because I was trying to catch you off guard and trick you. 17 Were you cheated by any of those I sent to you?

18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent another follower with him. But Titus didn't cheat you, and we felt and behaved the same way he did.

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? Actually, we have been speaking to God as followers of Christ. But, my friends, we did it all for your good.
20 I am afraid when I come, we won't be pleased with each other. I fear that some of you may be arguing or jealous or angry or selfish or gossiping or insulting each other. I even fear that you may be proud and acting like a mob. 21 I am afraid God will make me ashamed when I visit you again. I will feel like crying because many of you have never given up your old sins. You are still doing things that are immoral, indecent, and shameful.