Wahudumu Wa Agano Jipya

Je mnadhani tunaanza kujisifu tena? Au tunahitaji kupata barua za utambulisho kwenu au kutoka kwenu, kama watu wengine wafanyavyo? Ninyi wenyewe ni barua yetu ya utambulisho iliyoan dikwa katika mioyo yenu, ijulikane na kusomwa na kila mtu. Ni dhahiri kwamba ninyi ni barua iliyoandikwa na Kristo, matokeo ya kazi yetu. Barua hii haikuandikwa kwa wino bali kwa Roho wa Mungu aliye hai.

Hili ndilo tumaini tulilo nalo kwa Mungu ndani ya Kristo. Haina maana kwamba sisi tunaweza wenyewe kupima cho chote tuna chofanya, lakini uwezo wetu unatoka kwa Mungu. Ni yeye ali yetuwezesha sisi kuwa wahudumu wa agano jipya, ambalo limefanywa, si kwa maandishi, bali kwa Roho. Kwa maana maandishi huleta kifo, lakini Roho huleta Uzima.

Utukufu Wa Agano Jipya

Sasa ikiwa huduma iliyoleta kifo, ambayo iliandikwa kwa herufi juu ya jiwe ilikuja kwa utukufu hata ikawa Waisraeli wal ishindwa kutazama uso wa Musa kwa sababu ya kung’aa kwake, ingawa ulikuwa ukififia, je? Huduma ya Roho haitakuwa na utukufu zaidi? Ikiwa huduma inayowahukumu watu ina utukufu, huduma inayoleta haki si itakuwa na utukufu zaidi? 10 Hakika kwa hali hii, kilichokuwa na utukufu hapo mwanzo, sasa hakina utukufu tena kikilinganishwa na utukufu uliopo. 11 Na kama kilichokuwa kina fifia kilikuja kwa utukufu, utukufu wa kile kinachodumu ni zaidi sana!

12 Kwa hiyo kwa kuwa tunatumaini hili, tuna ujasiri. 13 Sisi si kama Musa, ambaye alifunika uso wake kwa kitambaa ili Waisraeli wasione ule mng’ao ulivyokuwa ukififia na kutoweka. 14 Lakini akili zao zilipumbaa, kwa maana mpaka leo akili zao zinafunikwa na kitambaa wakati agano jipya linaposomwa. Hicho kitambaa hakijaondolewa kwa maana ni Kristo peke yake anayeweza kukiondoa. 15 Hata leo, sheria ya Musa inaposomwa, bado kitambaa kinafunika akili zao. 16 Lakini wakati wo wote mtu anapomgeukia Bwana, “kitambaa kinaondolewa.” 17 Basi, Bwana ni Roho, na mahali alipo Roho wa Bwana pana uhuru. 18 Na sisi sote ambao nyuso zetu hazikufunikwa tunaonyesha, kama kwenye kioo, utukufu wa Bwana. Nasi tunabadilishwa tufanane naye, kutoka utukufu hadi utukufu wa juu zaidi, ambao unatoka kwa Bwana ambaye ni Roho.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves(A) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation(B) to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.(C) You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,(D) not on tablets of stone(E) but on tablets of human hearts.(F)

Such confidence(G) we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves(H) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(I) He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant(J)—not of the letter(K) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.(L)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death,(M) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,(N) transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation(O) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!(P) 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope,(Q) we are very bold.(R) 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face(S) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull,(T) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant(U) is read.(V) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,(W) the veil is taken away.(X) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit,(Y) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.(Z) 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a](AA) the Lord’s glory,(AB) are being transformed into his image(AC) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflect