Ombi Kuhusu Maombezi

Hatimaye, ndugu wapendwa, tuombeeni ili neno la Mungu lienee upesi na kukubaliwa kama ilivyokuwa kwenu. Ombeni pia kwamba tuokolewe kutokana na watu waovu na wasio na haki, kwa maana si watu wote wanaamini. Lakini Bwana ni mwaminifu. Ata waimarisheni na kuwalinda kutokana na yule mwovu. Nasi tuna tumaini kubwa kwa Bwana juu yenu, kwamba mnafanya na mtaendelea kufanya yale tuliyowaagiza. Bwana aielekeze mioyo yenu kwenye upendo wa Mungu na katika ustahimilivu wa Kristo.

Onyo Kuhusu Uvivu

Ndugu wapendwa, katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo, tuna waagiza mjitenge na kila ndugu ambaye ni mvivu na ambaye haishi kufuatana na maagizo tuliyowapeni. Maana ninyi wenyewe mnafa hamu jinsi mnavyopaswa kuiga mfano wetu. Sisi hatukuwa wavivu tulipokuwa nanyi wala hatukula chakula cha mtu ye yote pasipo kulipa. Bali tulifanya kazi kwa juhudi usiku na mchana ili tusimlemee mtu ye yote kati yenu. Hatukufanya hivi kwa sababu hatukuwa na haki ya kupata msaada wenu, bali tulitaka tuwape mfano wa kuiga. 10 Maana tulipokuwa pamoja nanyi tuliwapa amri hii: “Ikiwa mtu hatafanya kazi, basi asile.”

11 Tumesikia kwamba baadhi yenu ni wavivu, hawana shughuli maalumu isipokuwa kusengenya wenzao. 12 Sasa tunawaagiza na kuwaonya watu hao katika jina la Bwana Yesu Kristo, wafanye kazi ili wajipatie chakula wanachokula. 13 Ndugu wapendwa, ninyi msi choke kutenda mema.

14 Ikiwa mtu atakataa kutii maagizo tunayotoa katika barua hii, mwangalieni vema mtu huyo, mjitenge naye, ili apate kuona aibu. 15 Lakini msimhesabu kama adui bali mkanyeni kama ndugu.

Salamu Za Mwisho

16 Sasa, Bwana wa amani mwenyewe awapeni amani nyakati zote na kwa njia zote. Bwana na awe nanyi nyote.

17 Mimi, Paulo, ninaandika salamu hizi kwa mkono wangu mwe nyewe. Hii ndio alama ya utambulisho katika barua zangu zote.

Tuombee nasi

Na sasa, ndugu zangu, mtuombee. Ombeni kwamba mafundisho ya Bwana yaendelee kuenea haraka na kwamba watu watayaheshimu, kama ilivyotokea kwenu. Mtuombee tupate ulinzi kutokana na watu wabaya na waovu. Mnafahamu, siyo wote wanamwamini Bwana.

Lakini Bwana ni mwaminifu. Atawapa nguvu na ulinzi dhidi ya Mwovu. Tuna uhakika kwa sababu ya Bwana mnayemtumikia na mtaendelea kuyafanya yale tunayowaamuru. Tunaomba kwamba Bwana atasababisha mjisikie upendo wa Mungu na kukumbuka subira ya ustahimilivu wa Kristo.

Wajibu wa Kufanya kazi

Kwa mamlaka ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo tunawaambia kukaa mbali na mwamini yeyote anayekataa kufanya kazi. Watu kama hao wanaokataa kufanya kazi hawafuati mafundisho tuliyowapa. Ninyi wenyewe mnafahamu kwamba mnatakiwa kuishi kwa kuiga mfano wetu. Hatukuwa wavivu tulipokuwa pamoja nanyi wala hatukuishi pasipo utaratibu unaofaa. Hatukupokea chakula kutoka kwa yeyote bila ya kukilipia. Tulifanya kazi ili tusiwe mzigo kwa yeyote. Tulifanya kazi usiku na mchana. Tulikuwa na haki ya kuomba mtusaidie. Lakini tulifanya kazi ili tuwe mfano wa kuigwa nanyi. 10 Tulipokuwa nanyi, tuliwapa kanuni hii: “Yeyote asiyefanya kazi asile.”

11 Tunasikia kwamba watu wengine katika kundi lenu wanakataa kufanya kazi. Hawashughuliki kufanya kazi badala yake wanashughulika kwa kuyafuatilia maisha ya wengine. 12 Maagizo yetu kwao ni kuwakataza kuwasumbua wengine, waanze kufanya kazi na kupata chakula chao wenyewe. Ni kwa mamlaka ya Bwana Yesu Kristo tuwaagize kufanya hivi. 13 Msichoke kabisa kutenda wema.

14 Wakiwapo wengine huko wanaokataa kufanya tunayowaambia katika barua hii, basi mkumbuke wao ni kina nani. Msichangamane nao. Ndipo pengine wanaweza kujisikia aibu. 15 Lakini msiwafanye kama adui. Washaurini waachane na tabia hiyo kama watu wa nyumbani mwake Mungu.

Maneno ya Mwisho

16 Tunaomba kwamba Bwana wa amani awape amani wakati wote na kwa njia yo yote. Bwana atakuwa pamoja nanyi nyote.

17 Hizi ni salamu zangu kwa mwandiko wangu: Paulo. Ninafanya hivi katika barua zangu zote kuonesha zinatoka kwangu. Hivi ndivyo ninavyoandika.

18 Neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo iwe nanyi nyote.

Request for Prayer

As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(A) pray for us(B) that the message of the Lord(C) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(D) And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(E) for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful,(F) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(G) We have confidence(H) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts(I) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(J) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(K) every believer who is idle and disruptive(L) and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us.(M) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(N) We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(O) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(P) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(Q) 10 For even when we were with you,(R) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(S) shall not eat.”

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(T) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(U) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(V) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(W)

14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(X) in order that they may feel ashamed.(Y) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(Z)

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace(AA) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(AB)

17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,(AC) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition