Maono Ya Paulo Na Mwiba Aliokuwa Nao

12 Inanibidi nijisifu. Ingawa hakuna faida, nitawaeleza juu ya maono na mafunuo niliyopata kutoka kwa Bwana. Namfahamu mtu aliyekuwa ndani ya Kristo ambaye miaka kumi na minne iliyopita alijikuta katika mbingu ya tatu. Kama alikuwa katika mwili au katika roho mimi sijui, Mungu anajua. Na ninafahamu ya kuwa huyu mtu alijikuta yuko Paradiso, kama alikuwa katika mwili au katika roho mimi sijui, Mungu anajua. Naye alisikia mambo ambayo hayawezi kusimuliwa, ambayo mtu hawezi kuyatamka. Kwa niaba ya mtu huyu nitajisifu, lakini kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe sitajisifu isipokuwa kuhusu udhaifu wangu. Lakini ningependa kujisifu, sitakuwa mjinga kwa maana nitakuwa nasema kweli. Ila najizuia, ili mtu ye yote asije akaniona mimi kuwa bora zaidi kuliko ninavyoonekana katika yale ninayotenda na kusema.

Na ili nisijione bora kuliko nilivyo, kutokana na mafunuo haya makuu, nilipewa mwiba katika mwili wangu, mtumishi wa she tani, ili anitese. Nimemsihi Bwana mara tatu aniondolee mwiba huu. Lakini aliniambia, “Neema yangu inakutosha, kwa kuwa uwezo wangu unakamilika katika udhaifu.” Kwa hiyo nitajisifu kwa furaha zaidi kuhusu udhaifu wangu ili uwezo wa Kristo ukae juu yangu. 10 Basi, kwa ajili ya Kristo, naridhika na udhaifu, mat usi, taabu, mateso na maafa; kwa maana ninapokuwa mdhaifu ndipo nina nguvu.

Upendo Wa Paulo Kwa Wakorintho

11 Nimekuwa mjinga, lakini ninyi mmenilazimisha niwe hivyo. Kwa kuwa ninyi ndio ambao mngenisifu. Kwa sababu sikuwa wa chini kuliko hawa “mitume wakuu,” hata ingawa mimi si kitu. 12 Mambo yanayomtambulisha mtume wa kweli, yaani ishara, miujiza na maaj abu, yalifanywa miongoni mwenu kwa uvumilivu wote. 13 Je, kuna kitu ambacho hamkupewa sawa na wengine, isipokuwa mimi sikuwa mzigo kwenu? Nisameheni kwa kosa hili.

14 Na sasa niko tayari kuwatembelea kwa mara ya tatu, nami sitahitaji msaada wenu kwa sababu sitaki mnipe mali yenu, ninaowahitaji ni ninyi. Kwa kuwa si sawa watoto waweke akiba kwa ajili ya wazazi wao bali wazazi waweke akiba kwa ajili ya watoto wao. 15 Nitafurahi kutumia kila nilicho nacho hata mwili wangu pia, kwa ajili yenu. Je kama nawapenda zaidi, mtanipenda kidogo tu kwa sababu hiyo? 16 Hata kama mnakubali kwamba sikuwa mzigo kwenu, wengine watasema nilikuwa mjanja nikawanasa kwa hila. 17 Je, niliwahi kuwadanganya kupitia mmojawapo wa hao watu nil iowatuma kwenu? 18 Nilimsihi Tito aje kwenu nikamtuma ndugu mwingine waje pamoja. Je, Tito aliwatoza cho chote? Je, sisi sote hatukutenda kwa kuongozwa na Roho mmoja na kufuata njia moja?

19 Pengine mnafikiri wakati wote kwamba sisi tunajaribu kujitetea mbele yenu. Sisi tunajitetea mbele ya Mungu katika Kristo, na yote haya ni kwa nia ya kuwajenga ninyi, wapendwa wetu. 20 Kwa maana nina hofu kwamba nitakapokuja nitawakuta hamko kama ambavyo ningependa muwe, na ninyi mtakuta siko kama ambavyo mngependa niwe. Nina hofu kwamba kati yenu huenda kuna ugomvi, wivu, hasira, ubinafsi, uzushi, usengenyaji, majivuno na machafuko. 21 Nina hofu kuwa nitakapokuja tena Mungu wangu ata ninyenyekeza mbele yenu, na huenda nikaomboleza kuhusu wengi wenu ambao walitenda dhambi na hawajatubu na kuacha hayo matendo machafu, uasherati na ufisadi ambao walikuwa wakitenda.

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.(A) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations(B) from the Lord. I know a man in Christ(C) who fourteen years ago was caught up(D) to the third heaven.(E) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.(F) And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up(G) to paradise(H) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.(I) Even if I should choose to boast,(J) I would not be a fool,(K) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(L) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(M) a messenger of Satan,(N) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(O) But he said to me, “My grace(P) is sufficient for you, for my power(Q) is made perfect in weakness.(R)(S) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(T) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(U) in persecutions,(V) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(W)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11 I have made a fool of myself,(X) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”[a](Y) even though I am nothing.(Z) 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.(AA) 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?(AB) Forgive me this wrong!(AC)

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,(AD) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,(AE) but parents for their children.(AF) 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.(AG) If I love you more,(AH) will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.(AI) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged(AJ) Titus(AK) to go to you and I sent our brother(AL) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God(AM) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,(AN) is for your strengthening.(AO) 20 For I am afraid that when I come(AP) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.(AQ) I fear that there may be discord,(AR) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,(AS) slander,(AT) gossip,(AU) arrogance(AV) and disorder.(AW) 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved(AX) over many who have sinned earlier(AY) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery(AZ) in which they have indulged.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or the most eminent apostles