1 Bitrus 2

1 Bara nani ceon adadu ananzan likot vat, urusuzu liti, nshina nin liru uhem.

Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all back-biting,

2 Nafo nono nipesse, idi ntok mmazin milau min ruhu, inan kunjo nan nya utucu minin,

like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow till you attain Salvation —

3 andi ina ciro ise cikilarie di nin kibinai kisheu.

since ‘you have found by experience that the Lord is kind.’

4 Dan kiti nlenge na amere litala nlai longo na anite na nari, ama Kutelle na fere linin nloli di ghe gongong.

Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God’s eyes choice and precious;

5 Anung wang masin nafo alala nlaiyari alenge na ina kye iso nilari nruhu, inan so a pristoci alau na ima nakpizu uhadaya nruhu ulenge na Kutelle ma seru unuzun Yesu Kristi.

and, as living stones, form yourselves into a spiritual House, to be a consecrated Priesthood, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 Uliru ntuce nworo nenge, “lanzang nna nonko nsihiyona litala liguda kutyi, lin cizunu, licine a licaut. Ulenge na a yinna ninghe na aina ti ncing ba”.

For there is a passage of Scripture that runs — ‘See, I am placing in Zion a choice and precious corner-stone; And he who believes in him shall have no cause for shame.’

7 Ngongonghe min fere na uyinna ama, “litala na anan kye kutiye wa nari, linnare nso litala liguea kutiye”

It is to you, then, who believe in him that he is precious, but to those who do not believe he is ‘a stone which, though rejected by the builders, has now itself become the corner-stone,’

8 a litala ntirzu a kuparang ntirizu” I tirzo, inari uyinnu nin lirue, ulenge na imung wang iwa fere nani mun.

and ‘a stumbling-block, and a rock which shall prove a hindrance.’ They stumble because they do not accept the Message. This was the fate destined for them.

9 Anung imus nferuwari, a pirist tigo, nmyin milau, annit Kutelle an litime, inan belle katwa kazikiki nlenge na ana yicila minu unuzu nan nya nsirt ucindu nan nya nkanang mi zikiki.

But you are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God’s own People,’ entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of Darkness into his wonderful Light.

10 Na iwa mandi anit ba, ana nene idi anit Kutelle. Na iwa seru nkunekune ba, ama nene ina seru nkunekune.

Once you were ‘not a people,’ but now you are ‘God’s People’; once you ‘had not found mercy,’ but now you ‘have found mercy.’

11 Yenen, nna yicila minu nafo amara nin na nan galu inan wantina atimine ntok nalapi, alenge na adin su likum nin tilai mine.

Dear friends, I urge you, as pilgrims and strangers upon earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war upon the soul.

12 Yitan nin nadu a cine nan a cine nan nya na nan salin dortu Kutelle, bara, asa isu uliru na timine nworu ina su imon inanzang, ima su seng izazin Kutelle lirin nsa me.

Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evil-doers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God ‘at the time when he shall visit them.’

13 Nonkon ati nin tigo nanit vat bara likilari, sa ugo na amere udya vat,

Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,

14 sa anan tigo na ina tu nani ida ti anan nalapi ineo inin zazin alenge na idin sa katwa kacine.

and to governors as the men sent by him to punish evil-doers and to commend those who do right.

15 Bara nanere usu Kutelle, nan nya nsu nimon icine itursu uliru tinu nanit alalang.

For God’s will is this — that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.

16 Nafo ale na idi licin ba, na iwa su katwa nin salin yitulicin mine imon tursuzu katwa ka nanzang, ana son nafo acin Kutelle.

Act as free men, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God.

17 Ghantiuan anit vat. Tan usu linuwana, tan fiue Kutelle ghantinan Ugo.

Show honour to every one, Love the Brotherhood, ‘revere God, honour the emperor.’

18 Acin, nan nibinai mine kiti nan cinilari mine nan nyan nonku nati, na kiti nan cinilari acine cas ba, umunu a nanazanghe wang.

Those of you who are domestic servants should always be submissive and respectful to their masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are arbitrary.

19 Bara imon ngongonghari asa umong ntere kibinai nan nyan konu a ayita nniu asa i waso uliru na dert ba bara uni litime kiti Kutelle.

For this wins God’s approval when, because conscious of God’s presence, a man who is suffering unjustly bears his troubles patiently.

20 Mmari mi mashinari diku uwa ti kulapi unin ti anyi akona kubi nhoro? Ama asa uta imon icine umin nneo kubin horo, ilele imon ngongonghari kiti Kutelle.

What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God.

21 Kiti nilelere iwa yicila minu, Kristi wang na sono unin bara anughe, amini na sun udursuzu nworu among dofin libo me

For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered — on your behalf — and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 Na an ti kulapi ba; a na ina se kinu nnu me ba.

He ‘never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.’

23 Na iwa zogoghe, na awa tunu izoge ba, na awa neo, na nan tunu uniwe ba, ama ana ni litime kiti nlenge na adin su ushara dert.

He was abused, but he did not answer with abuse; he suffered, but he did not threaten; he entrusted himself to him whose judgments are just.

24 Ame litime na yaun alapi bite kidowo me udu kitene kuca, bara arik wa kuru ti se ndinong kulapi, arik nan se tiso anan sali na lapi. Bara anit kidowo me ina se ushinu tikonu mine.

And he ‘himself carried our sins’ in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. ‘His bruising was your healing.’

25 Vat mine na galu nafo akam nwulu, ame nene ina kpilin kiti nnan libyawe nin nan yenju tilai mine.

Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.