2 VaKorinde 4
1 Naizvozvo zvatine shumiro iyi, sezvatakagamuchira tsitsi, hatineti;
So, because God has acted so kindly [toward me], enabling [me to teach] this great [message to people], I never get [so] discouraged [that I stop teaching it].
2 asi takarasa zvinhu zvakavanzika zvechinyadzo, tisingafambi neunyengeri, kana kuminamisa shoko raMwari; asi nekuratidza chokwadi, tichizvipupurira kuhana yese yevanhu pamberi paMwari.
And I have determined that we [(exc)] will be honest [LIT] in everything that we do. We will not [do anything that would cause] us to be ashamed [if people found out about it]. We never try to deceive [you with clever arguments, as some other people do]. We never [try to deceive you] by changing God’s message, [as those same people do]. Instead, we always teach [people only] the truth [about Christ], and we teach it clearly. Knowing that God is watching what we do, we [teach his message in an honest way, with the result that] no one can [accuse] us [(exc) of being deceitful].
3 Zvinowo kana evhangeri yedu yakafukidzwa, yakafukidzwa kune avo vanoparara;
And if, [as some of you say, some people are] not able to understand the message [that we teach about Christ, it is not because we do not teach it clearly]. It is because those people [do not want to believe it]. They are going to perish eternally.
4 kwavari mwari wenyika ino wakapofumadza fungwa dzevasingatendi, kuti chiedza cheevhangeri yekubwinya yaKristu ari mufananidzo waMwari chisavhenekera kwavari. (aiōn g165)
[Satan, who is] the one [who rules] this world, controls the thoughts of those unbelievers. He prevents them from understanding the message about how wonderful Christ is. [They are not able to understand that] Jesus is like God [in every way]. (aiōn g165)
5 Nokuti hatizviparidzi, asi Kristu Jesu Ishe; uye isu tiri varanda venyu nekuda kwaJesu.
That is why, [when we(exc) teach people], we do not boast about ourselves, [as some people say that we do]. Instead, [we teach you] that Jesus Christ is our Lord. We ourselves are [only] your servants. [We want to honor and obey] Jesus.
6 Nokuti Mwari wakati chiedza chivhenekere kubva parima ndiye wakavhenekera mumoyo yedu, kuti atipe chiedza cheruzivo rwekubwinya kwaMwari pachiso chaJesu Kristu.
When God [created the world], he commanded the light to shine [where there was nothing but] darkness. He is the one who has [made his message about Jesus to be like] [MET] a light shining into our [(inc)] minds. [God] has done that [for all of us who believe in Jesus. He has done that so that we will understand that when people saw] Christ, they saw how awesome God himself was.
7 Asi tine fuma iyi mumidziyo yevhu, kuti ukuru-ukuru hwesimba huve hwaMwari, uye husabva kwatiri;
[This work that God has given to] us [(exc)] is [MET] [like] a very valuable treasure. But we who have that treasure [are as weak as fragile] [MET] clay pots. [God has planned it like that] in order that [people] will know that the power [that changes lives] is God’s power, and not any power of our own.
8 tinodzvanyidzirwa pamativi ese, asi hatimanikidzwi; tinovhiringidzika, asi hatipererwi;
We are continually oppressed {[People] continually oppress us} in many ways, but [we have] not been prevented {[God has] not [allowed them to] prevent us} [from teaching the message about Jesus Christ]. We often do not know what to do [in difficult situations], but we never say, “God has abandoned us.”
9 tinoshushwa, asi kwete kusiiwa; tinowisirwa pasi, asi kwete kuparadzwa;
[We are frequently] persecuted {[People frequently] cause us to suffer}, but [God] never abandons us. [Sometimes we are] badly wounded {[people] badly wound us}, but [God does] not [allow] us [to] be killed {[them to] kill us}.
10 tichipota takatakura nguva dzese kufa kwaIshe Jesu mumuviri, kuti upenyuwo hwaJesu huratidzwe mumuviri wedu.
[Wherever we(exc) go], we continually [realize that because people killed] Jesus, [people may] kill us [for teaching his message. But we are willing to go on living this way] in order that [people] will know that Jesus is alive and [that he is directing] us [SYN].
11 Nokuti isu tinorarama tinogara tichipiwa kurufu nekuda kwaJesu, kuti upenyuwo hwaJesu huratidzwe munyama yedu inofa.
[So, although] we are [still] alive, we always realize that we may be killed {that [people some day] may kill us} because [we teach about] Jesus. [God allows us to suffer] in order that [people] will see that Jesus is alive and that he is [strengthening] our bodies that are some day going to die.
12 Saizvozvo rufu rwunobata matiri, asi upenyu mamuri.
So [I conclude that although] we [apostles] are constantly [suffering and may soon] die, [the result of that is that all of] you [have now received eternal] life.
13 Zvino tine mweya iwoyu werutendo, sezvazvakanyorwa zvichinzi: Ndakatenda, naizvozvo ndakataura; isuwo tinotenda, naizvozvowo tinotaura;
We are not discouraged. We are like [the person who] wrote [in the Scriptures], “[God], I trusted [in you] and so I continue speaking [your message].” We [(exc)] also trust [in God], so we continue speaking [his message].
14 tichiziva kuti iye wakamutsa Ishe Jesu, achatimutsawo isu naJesu, agotikumikidza pamwe nemwi.
[We do this] because we [(exc)] know that [although people might kill us, God], who caused the Lord Jesus to live again after he died, will also cause us [(exc)] to live again [after we die. God will do this because we belong to] Jesus. [And then God] will bring us [(exc)], together with you, to be with him.
15 Nokuti zvinhu zvese zvinoitwa nekuda kwenyu, kuti nyasha dzakapamhidzirwa nekuda kwekuvonga kwevazhinji, dziwedzerwe dzive rukudzo rwaMwari.
[So I say that] all these things [that we(exc) suffer] happen in order to help you. [We have suffered all this] in order that more and more people, [as a result of hearing that God will] kindly/freely [forgive their sins], will thank [him and praise him. Then] they will greatly honor him [and worship him].
16 Naizvozvo hatineti, asi kana munhu wedu wekunze achiparadzwa, zvakadaro wemukati anovandudzwa zuva nezuva.
So, [because we know that as a result of our suffering many people will honor God], we [(exc)] never get so discouraged [that we stop teaching his message]. Although our bodies are getting weaker, [God] encourages us every day and strengthens us spiritually.
17 Nokuti dambudziko redu rakareruka riripo kwechinguva chidiki, rinotiitira uremu hwekubwinya kukurusa kusingaperi; (aiōnios g166)
[I know that] all these troubles that [happen to us in this life are] not significant and will not last forever. [When we think of] the glorious things [that God is preparing] for us [to enjoy] forever [in heaven], all [our suffering now] is not important. (aiōnios g166)
18 tisingatariri zvinoonekwa, asi zvisingaonekwi; nokuti zvinoonekwa ndezvenguva, asi zvisingaonekwi ndezvekusingaperi. (aiōnios g166)
That is why we say, “We will not continue thinking about [all the suffering that we] are experiencing now. Even though [we] cannot see [all the things that God has prepared for us in heaven], those are what we should be thinking about.” [That is how we should think], because [all these troubles] that [we(exc)] have [now] will last only a short time. But what [we will have in heaven], what [we] cannot see [now], will last forever. (aiōnios g166)
