¹For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

¹Si lazima kuandika zaidi kuhusu huduma hiyo yenu kwa ajili ya watu wa Mungu.

²For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

²Ninajua jinsi mlivyo na moyo wa kusaidia, na nilijivuna juu yenu kuhusu jambo hilo mbele ya watu wa Makedonia. Niliwaambia: "Ndugu zetu wa Akaya wako tayari tangu mwaka jana." Hivyo, moto wenu umekwisha wahimiza watu wengi zaidi.

³Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

³Basi, nimewatuma ndugu zetu hao, ili fahari yetu juu yenu ionekane kwamba si maneno matupu, na kwamba mko tayari kabisa na msaada wenu kama nilivyosema.

⁴Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

⁴Isije ikawa kwamba watu wa Makedonia watakapokuja pamoja nami tukawakuta hamko tayari, hapo sisi tutaaibika--bila kutaja aibu mtakayopata ninyi wenyewe--kwa sababu tutakuwa tumewatumainia kupita kiasi.

⁵Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

⁵Kwa hiyo, nimeona ni lazima kuwaomba hawa ndugu watutangulie kuja kwenu, wapate kuweka tayari zawadi yenu kubwa mliyoahidi; nayo ionyeshe kweli kwamba ni zawadi iliyotolewa kwa hiari na si kwa kulazimishwa.

⁶But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

⁶Kumbukeni: "Apandaye kidogo huvuna kidogo; apandaye kwa wingi huvuna kwa wingi."

⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

⁷Kila mmoja, basi, na atoe kadiri alivyoamua, kwa moyo na wala si kwa huzuni au kwa kulazimishwa, maana Mungu humpenda yule mwenye kutoa kwa furaha.

⁸And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

⁸Mungu anaweza kuwapeni ninyi zaidi ya yale mnayoyahitaji, mpate daima kuwa na kila kitu mnachohitaji, na hivyo mzidi kusaidia katika kila kazi njema.

⁹(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

⁹Kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: "Yeye hutoa kwa ukarimu, huwapa maskini, wema wahudumu milele."

¹⁰Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

¹⁰Na Mungu ampaye mkulima mbegu na mkate kwa chakula, atawapa ninyi pia mbegu mnazohitaji, na atazifanya ziote, ziwe na kuwapa mavuno mengi ya ukarimu wenu.

¹¹Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

¹¹Yeye atawatajirisha ninyi daima kwa kila kitu, ili watu wapate kumshukuru Mungu kwa ajili ya zawadi zenu wanazozipokea kwa mikono yetu.

¹²For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

¹²Maana huduma hii takatifu mnayoifanya si tu kwamba itasaidia mahitaji ya watu wa Mungu, bali pia itasababisha watu wengi wamshukuru Mungu.

¹³Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

¹³Kutokana na uthibitisho unaoonyeshwa kwa huduma hii yetu, watu watamtukuza Mungu kwa sababu ya uaminifu wenu kwa Habari Njema ya Kristo mnayoiungama, na pia kwa sababu ya ukarimu mnaowapa wao na watu wote.

¹⁴And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

¹⁴Kwa hiyo watawaombea ninyi kwa moyo kwa sababu ya neema ya pekee aliyowajalieni Mungu.

¹⁵Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

¹⁵Tumshukuru Mungu kwa ajili ya zawadi yake isiyo na kifani!