Wafilipi 1
1 Waraka wa Paulo na Timotheo, watumishi wa Kristo Yesu: Kwa watakatifu wote katika Kristo Yesu walioko Filipi, pamoja na waangalizi na mashemasi:
Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus: To all God's people in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the ministers of the Church and their assistants.
2 Neema na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo iwe nanyi.
May grace and peace be granted to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Ninamshukuru Mungu wangu kila niwakumbukapo ninyi.
I thank my God at my every remembrance of you--
4 Katika maombi yangu yote daima nimekuwa nikiwaombea ninyi nyote kwa furaha,
always when offering any prayer on behalf of you all, finding a joy in offering it.
5 kwa sababu ya kushiriki kwenu katika kueneza Injili, tangu siku ya kwanza hadi leo.
I thank my God, I say, for your cooperation in spreading the Good News, from the time it first came to you even until now.
6 Nina hakika kwamba yeye aliyeianza kazi njema mioyoni mwenu, ataiendeleza na kuikamilisha hata siku ya Kristo Yesu.
For of this I am confident, that He who has begun a good work within you will go on to perfect it in preparation for the day of Jesus Christ.
7 Ni haki na ni wajibu wangu kufikiri hivi juu yenu nyote, kwa sababu ninyi mko moyoni mwangu. Ikiwa nimefungwa au nikiwa ninaitetea na kuithibitisha Injili, ninyi nyote mnashiriki neema ya Mungu pamoja nami.
And I am justified in having this confidence about you all, because, both during my imprisonment and when I stand up in defence of the Good News or to confirm its truth, I have you in my heart, sharers as you all are in the same grace as myself.
8 Mungu ni shahidi wangu jinsi ninavyowaonea shauku ninyi nyote kwa huruma ya Kristo Yesu.
For God is my witness how I yearn over all of you with tender Christian affection.
9 Haya ndiyo maombi yangu: kwamba upendo wenu uongezeke zaidi na zaidi katika maarifa na ufahamu wote,
And it is my prayer that your love may be more and more accompanied by clear knowledge and keen perception, for testing things that differ,
10 ili mpate kutambua yale yaliyo mema, mkawe safi, wasio na hatia hadi siku ya Kristo,
so that you may be men of transparent character, and may be blameless, in preparation for the day of Christ,
11 mkiwa mmejawa na matunda ya haki yapatikanayo kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo, kwa utukufu na sifa za Mungu.
being filled with these fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.
12 Basi, ndugu zangu, nataka mjue kwamba mambo yale yaliyonipata kwa kweli yamesaidia sana kueneza Injili.
Now I would have you know, brethren, that what I have gone through has turned out to the furtherance of the Good News rather than otherwise.
13 Matokeo yake ni kwamba imejulikana wazi kwa walinzi wote wa jumba la kifalme na kwa wengine wote kuwa nimefungwa kwa ajili ya Kristo.
And thus it has become notorious among all the Imperial Guards, and everywhere, that it is for the sake of Christ that I am a prisoner;
14 Kwa sababu ya vifungo vyangu, ndugu wengi katika Bwana wametiwa moyo kuhubiri neno la Mungu kwa ujasiri zaidi na bila woga.
and the greater part of the brethren, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, now speak of God's Message without fear, more boldly than ever.
15 Ni kweli kwamba wengine wanamhubiri Kristo kutokana na wivu na kwa kutaka kushindana, lakini wengine wanamhubiri Kristo kwa nia njema.
Some indeed actually preach Christ out of envy and contentiousness but there are also others who do it from good will.
16 Hawa wa mwisho wanamhubiri Kristo kwa moyo wa upendo, wakifahamu kwamba nimo humu gerezani kwa ajili ya kuitetea Injili.
These latter preach Him from love to me, knowing that I am here for the defence of the Good News;
17 Hao wa kwanza wanamtangaza Kristo kutokana na tamaa zao wenyewe wala si kwa moyo mweupe, bali wanakusudia kuongeza mateso yangu katika huku kufungwa kwangu.
while the others proclaim Him from motives of rivalry, and insincerely, supposing that by this they are embittering my imprisonment.
18 Lakini inadhuru nini? Jambo la muhimu ni kwamba kwa kila njia, ikiwa ni kwa nia mbaya au njema, Kristo anahubiriwa. Nami kwa ajili ya jambo hilo ninafurahi. Naam, nami nitaendelea kufurahi,
What does it matter, however? In any case Christ is preached--either perversely or in honest truth; and in that I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
19 kwa maana ninajua kwamba kwa maombi yenu na kwa msaada unaotolewa na Roho wa Yesu Kristo, yale yaliyonipata mimi yatageuka kuwa wokovu wangu.
For I know that it will result in my salvation through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 Ninatarajia kwa shauku kubwa na kutumaini kwamba sitaaibika kwa njia yoyote, bali nitakuwa na ujasiri wa kutosha ili sasa kama wakati mwingine wowote, Kristo atukuzwe katika mwili wangu, ikiwa ni kwa kuishi au kwa kufa.
in fulfilment of my eager expectation and hope that I shall never have reason to feel ashamed, but that by my perfect freedom of speech Christ will be glorified in me, now as always, either by my life or by my death.
21 Kwa maana kwangu mimi, kuishi ni Kristo, na kufa ni faida.
For, with me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 Kama nitaendelea kuishi katika mwili, kwangu hili ni kwa ajili ya matunda ya kazi. Lakini sijui nichague lipi? Mimi sijui!
But since to live means a longer stay on earth, that implies more labour for me--and not unsuccessful labour; and which I am to choose I cannot tell.
23 Ninavutwa kati ya mambo mawili: Ninatamani kuondoka nikakae pamoja na Kristo, jambo hilo ni bora zaidi.
I am in a dilemma, my earnest desire being to depart and be with Christ, for that is far, far better.
24 Lakini kwa sababu yenu ni muhimu zaidi mimi nikiendelea kuishi katika mwili.
But for your sakes it is more important that I should still remain in the body.
25 Kwa kuwa nina matumaini haya, ninajua kwamba nitaendelea kuwepo na kuwa pamoja nanyi nyote, ili mpate kukua na kuwa na furaha katika imani.
I am convinced of this, and I know that I shall remain, and shall go on working side by side with you all, to promote your progress and joy in the faith;
26 Ili kwamba furaha yenu iwe nyingi katika Kristo Yesu kwa ajili yangu kwa kule kuja kwangu kwenu tena.
so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.
27 Lakini lolote litakalotukia, mwenende kama ipasavyo Injili ya Kristo, ili kwamba nikija na kuwaona au ikiwa sipo, nipate kusikia haya juu yenu: Kuwa mnasimama imara katika roho moja, mkiishindania imani ya Injili kwa umoja,
Only let the lives you live be worthy of the Good News of the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or, being absent, only hear of you, I may know that you are standing fast in one spirit and with one mind, fighting shoulder to shoulder for the faith of the Good News.
28 wala msitishwe na wale wanaowapinga. Hii ni ishara kwao kuwa wataangamia, lakini ninyi mtaokolewa, na hii ni kazi ya Mungu.
Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness will be to them a sure token of impending destruction, but to you it will be a sure token of your salvation--a token coming from God.
29 Kwa maana mmepewa kwa ajili ya Kristo, si kumwamini tu, bali pia kuteswa kwa ajili yake,
For you have had the privilege granted you on behalf of Christ--not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf;
30 kwa kuwa mnashiriki mashindano yale yale mliyoyaona nikiwa nayo na ambayo hata sasa mnasikia kuwa bado ninayo.
maintaining, as you do, the same kind of conflict that you once saw in me and which you still hear that I am engaged in.
