Waefeso 3
Jukumu la Paulo kwa mataifa mengine
1 Kutokana na hayo, mimi Paulo, mfungwa wa Kristo Yesu kwa ajili yenu, namwomba Mungu. 2 Bila shaka mmekwisha sikia kwamba Mungu, kwa neema yake, alinikabidhi kazi hii niifanye kwa faida yenu. 3 Mimi nilijulishwa kwa njia ya ufunuo mpango wake uliofichika. (Nimeandika kwa ufupi juu ya jambo hili, 4 nanyi mkiyasoma maneno yangu mtaweza kujua jinsi ninavyoielewa siri hiyo ya Kristo). 5 Zamani watu hawakujulishwa siri hiyo; lakini sasa Mungu amewajulisha mitume na manabii wake watakatifu kwa njia ya Roho. 6 Siri yenyewe ni hii: Kwa njia ya Injili watu wa mataifa mengine wanapata sehemu yao pamoja na Wayahudi katika zile baraka za Mungu; wao ni viungo vya mwili uleule, na wanashiriki ahadi ileile aliyofanya Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo Yesu.
7 Mimi nimefanywa kuwa mtumishi wa Injili kwa neema ya pekee aliyonijalia Mungu kwa uwezo wake mkuu. 8 Mimi ni mdogo kuliko watu wote wa Mungu; lakini amenijalia neema yake, ili niwahubirie watu wa mataifa utajiri wake Kristo usiopimika; 9 tena niwaangazie watu wote waone jinsi mpango wa Mungu uliofichika unavyotekelezwa. Mungu aliye Muumba wa vitu vyote alificha hiyo siri yake tangu milele, 10 kusudi sasa, kwa njia ya kanisa, wakuu na wenye enzi wa mbinguni wapate kuitambua hekima ya Mungu iliyo ya namna nyingi. 11 Mungu alifanya jambo hilo kufuatana na azimio lake la milele ambalo amelifanya kwa njia ya Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu. 12 Basi, kwa kuungana na Kristo na kwa imani kwake, sisi tunathubutu kumwendea Mungu kwa matumaini. 13 Kwa hiyo, nawaombeni msife moyo kwa sababu ya mateso ninayopata kwa ajili yenu, maana hayo ni kwa ajili ya utukufu wenu.
Upendo wa Kristo
14 Kwa sababu hiyo, nampigia magoti Baba, 15 aliye asili ya jamaa zote duniani na mbinguni. 16 Namwomba Mungu, kadiri ya utajiri wa utukufu wake, awajalieni kwa uwezo wa Roho wake, nguvu ya kuwa imara ndani yenu, 17 naye Kristo akae mioyoni mwenu kwa imani. Namwomba mpate kuwa na mzizi na msingi katika mapendo 18 kusudi muweze kufahamu pamoja na watu wote wa Mungu jinsi upendo wa Kristo ueneavyo kwa mapana na marefu, kwa kimo na kina. 19 Naam, mpate kujua upendo wa Kristo upitao elimu yote, mjazwe kabisa utimilifu wote wa Mungu.
20 Kwake yeye ambaye kwa nguvu yake ifanyayo kazi ndani yetu aweza kufanya mambo makuu zaidi ya yale tuwezayo kuomba au kufikiria; 21 kwake Mungu uwe utukufu katika kanisa na katika Kristo Yesu, nyakati zote, milele na milele! Amina.
Ephesians 3
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,--2 if so be that ye have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;3 how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,4 whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;5 which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;6 to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,7 whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.13 Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,21 unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.