Maonyo Ya Mwisho Na Salamu

13 Hii itakuwa ni safari yangu ya tatu kuja kwenu. “Shitaka lo lote lazima lithibitishwe na mashahidi wawili au watatu.” Niliwaonya wale waliotenda dhambi na wengine wote, na sasa nawaonya tena nikiwa siko nanyi kama nilivyowaonya wakati nili powatembelea mara ya pili, kwamba nikija tena sitawahurumia. Kwa kuwa mnataka kupata ushahidi kuwa Kristo anazungumza kupi tia kwangu, hiyo itakuwa ushahidi wangu. Yeye si mdhaifu anapow ashughulikia bali ni mwenye nguvu ndani yenu. Kwa maana alisu lubiwa katika udhaifu, lakini anaishi kwa nguvu za Mungu. Hali kadhalika sisi ni wadhaifu ndani yake, lakini kwa nguvu za Mungu tutaishi pamoja naye ili tuweze kuwahudumia.

Jichunguzeni mwone kama mnashika imani yenu. Jipimeni. Je, hamtambui ya kuwa Kristo yuko ndani yenu, au pengine mmeshindwa kufikia kipimo hicho? Natumaini mtagundua ya kuwa sisi hatu kushindwa kufikia kipimo hicho. Lakini tunamwomba Mungu msije mkatenda jambo lo lote ambalo ni kosa; si ili sisi tuonekane kuwa tumeshinda bali ili ninyi mtende lililo haki, hata kama tutaone kana kuwa tumeshindwa. Kwa maana hatuwezi kufanya lo lote kupinga kweli, bali kuithibitisha kweli. Tunafurahi wakati wo wote sisi tunapokuwa wadhaifu na ninyi mkawa wenye nguvu. Tuna choomba ni kwamba mpate kukomaa katika imani. 10 Nawaandikieni haya wakati nikiwa mbali ili nitakapokuja nisiwe na sababu ya kuwa mkali katika kutumia madaraka ambayo Bwana amenipa kuwa jenga, na sio kuwagandamiza. 11 Hatimaye ndugu zangu, kwaherini. Sahihisheni mwenendo wenu, pokeeni ushauri wangu; sikilizaneni ninyi kwa ninyi; kaeni kwa amani. Na Mungu wa upendo na amani atakuwa pamoja nanyi. 12 Salimianeni ninyi kwa ninyi kwa busu takatifu. 13 Watakatifu wote wanawasalimu.

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.(A) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”[a](B) I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:(C) On my return I will not spare(D) those who sinned earlier(E) or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.(F) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,(G) yet he lives by God’s power.(H) Likewise, we are weak(I) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him(J) in our dealing with you.

Examine yourselves(K) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(L) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(M)—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak(N) but you are strong;(O) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.(P) 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(Q) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(R)

Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers and sisters,(S) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.(T) And the God of love(U) and peace(V) will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W) 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.(X)

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,(Y) and the love of God,(Z) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit(AA) be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deut. 19:15