Wafilipi 2

Unyenyekevu na ukuu wa Kristo

1 Je, maisha yenu katika Kristo yanawapeni nguvu? Je, upendo wake unawafarijini? Je, mnao umoja na Roho Mtakatifu na kuoneana huruma na kusikitikiana nyinyi kwa nyinyi? 2 Basi, ikamilisheni furaha yangu kwa kuwa na fikira moja, upendo mmoja, moyo mmoja na nia moja. 3 Msifanye chochote kwa moyo wa fitina au kwa majivuno ya bure; muwe na unyenyekevu nyinyi kwa nyinyi, na kila mmoja amwone mwenzake kuwa bora kuliko yeye mwenyewe. 4 Pasiwe na mtu anayetafuta faida yake mwenyewe tu bali faida ya mwenzake. 5 Muwe na msimamo uleule aliokuwa nao Kristo Yesu:

6 Yeye, kwa asili alikuwa daima Mungu; lakini hakufikiri kwamba kule kuwa sawa na Mungu ni kitu cha kungangania kwa nguvu.

7 Bali, kwa hiari yake mwenyewe, aliachilia hayo yote, akajitwalia hali ya mtumishi, akawa sawa na wanadamu, akaonekana kama wanadamu.

8 Alijinyenyekesha na kutii mpaka kufa, hata kufa msalabani.

9 Kwa sababu hiyo Mungu alimkweza juu kabisa, akampa jina lililo kuu kuliko majina yote.

10 Ili kwa heshima ya jina la Yesu, viumbe vyote mbinguni, duniani na kuzimu, vipige magoti mbele yake,

11 na kila mtu akiri kwamba Yesu Kristo ni Bwana, kwa utukufu wa Mungu Baba.

Mwanga kwa ulimwengu

12 Wapenzi wangu, nilipokuwa nanyi mlinitii daima, na hata sasa niwapo mbali nanyi endeleeni kutii. Fanyeni kazi kwa hofu na tetemeko kwa ajili ya ukombozi wenu, 13 kwani Mungu ndiye afanyaye kazi daima ndani yenu, na kuwapeni uwezo wa kutaka na kutekeleza mambo yanayopatana na mpango wake mwenyewe.

14 Fanyeni kila kitu bila kunungunika na bila ubishi, 15 ili mpate kuwa watu safi, wasio na lawama, kama watoto wanyofu wa Mungu wanaoishi katika ulimwengu mbaya na uliopotoka. Mtangara kati yao kama nyota zinavyoliangaza anga, 16 mkishika imara ujumbe wa uhai. Na hapo ndipo nami nitakapokuwa na sababu ya kujivunia katika siku ile ya Kristo, kwani itaonekana dhahiri kwamba bidii yangu na kazi yangu havikupotea bure.

17 Hata ikiwa nitatolewa mhanga pamoja na imani yenu iliyo tambiko kwa Mungu, basi, nafurahi sana na kuwashirikisha nyinyi nyote furaha hiyo. 18 Hali kadhalika nanyi mnapaswa kufurahi na kunishirikisha mimi furaha yenu.

Timotheo na Epafrodito

19 Katika kuungana na Bwana Yesu ninalo tumaini kwamba nitaweza kumtuma Timotheo kwenu hivi karibuni, ili nitiwe moyo kwa kupata habari zenu. 20 Sina mtu mwingine kama yeye ambaye anawashughulikieni kwa moyo. 21 Wengine wanashughulikia tu mambo yao wenyewe badala ya kuyashughulikia mambo ya Yesu Kristo. 22 Nyinyi wenyewe mwafahamu jinsi Timotheo alivyo thabiti; yeye na mimi, kama vile mtoto na baba yake, tumefanya kazi pamoja kwa ajili ya Injili. 23 Kwa hiyo natumaini kumtuma kwenu mara nitakapojua jinsi mambo yatakavyoniendea. 24 Na, ninatumaini katika Bwana kwamba nami pia nitaweza kuja kwenu karibuni.

25 Nimeona sina budi kumtuma kwenu ndugu yetu Epafrodito, ambaye ni mwenzangu kazini na vitani na ambaye ni mjumbe wenu aliyenisaidia katika mahitaji yangu. 26 Anayo hamu kubwa ya kuwaoneni nyinyi nyote, na amesikitika sana kwani nyinyi mmepata habari kwamba alikuwa mgonjwa. 27 Naam, alikuwa mgonjwa hata karibu ya kufa. Lakini Mungu alimwonea huruma, na si yeye peke yake, ila na mimi pia ili nisipate uchungu zaidi. 28 Basi, nataka sana kumtuma kwenu, ili mtakapomwona mpate kufurahi tena, nayo huzuni yangu itoweke. 29 Mpokeeni, basi, kwa furaha yote kama ndugu katika Bwana. Mnapaswa kuwastahi watu walio kama yeye, 30 kwani yeye alikuwa hata karibu ya kufa kwa ajili ya kazi ya Kristo, na kuhatarisha maisha yake ili aweze kunipa mimi msaada ule ambao hamkuweza kuuleta nyinyi wenyewe.

Philippians 2

1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions,2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.12 So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.14 Do all things without murmurings and questionings:15 that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,16 holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.17 Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all:18 and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.20 For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state.21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the gospel.23 Him therefore I hope to send forthwith, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me:24 but I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly.25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need;26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick:27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor:30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.