¹Ndugu, ninyi wenyewe mnafahamu kwamba ziara yetu kwenu haikuwa bure.

¹For yourselves have known, brethren, our entrance in unto you, that it did not become vain,

²Mnajua jinsi tulivyodhulumiwa na kutukanwa kule Filipi kabla ya kufika kwenu Thesalonike. Ingawa kulikuwa na upinzani mwingi, Mungu wetu alitujalia uhodari wa kuwahubirieni Habari Njema yake.

²but having both suffered before, and having been injuriously treated (as ye have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the good news of God in much conflict,

³Jambo tunalosisitiza kwenu si jambo linalotegemea uongo au nia mbaya; wala hatupendi kumdanganya mtu yeyote.

³for our exhortation [is] not out of deceit, nor out of uncleanness, nor in guile,

⁴Sisi twanena daima kama atakavyo Mungu kwani yeye alituona kwamba tunafaa, akatukabidhi hii Habari Njema. Si nia yetu kuwapendeza watu hata kidogo, bali twataka kumpendeza Mungu ambaye anajua mioyo yetu mpaka ndani.

⁴but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who is proving our hearts,

⁵Ninyi mnajua kwamba sisi hatukuja kwenu na maneno matamu ya kubembeleza wala hatukutumia maneno ya kijanja ya kuficha ubinafsi fulani; Mungu ni shahidi!

⁵for at no time did we come with speech of flattery, (as ye have known,) nor in a pretext for covetousness, (God [is] witness!)

⁶Hatukutafuta sifa kutoka kwa watu, wala kutoka kwenu, wala kutoka kwa mtu yeyote,

⁶nor seeking of men glory, neither from you nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as Christ`s apostles.

⁷ingawa sisi tukiwa mitume wa Kristo, tungeweza kudai mambo fulani kwenu. Lakini sisi tulikuwa Wapole kati yenu kama alivyo mama kwa watoto wake.

⁷But we became gentle in your midst, as a nurse may cherish her own children,

⁸Tuliwapenda ninyi sana hata tukawa tayari kuwashirikisha si tu Habari Njema ya Mungu, bali pia na maisha yetu. Ndivyo mlivyokuwa wapenzi wetu!

⁸so being desirous of you, we are well-pleased to impart to you not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because beloved ye have become to us,

⁹Ndugu, mnakumbuka jinsi tulivyofanya kazi na kutaabika. Tulipowaleteeni Habari Njema ya Mungu tulifanya kazi mchana na usiku kusudi tusiwe mzigo kwa mtu yeyote miongoni mwenu.

⁹for ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for, night and day working not to be a burden upon any of you, we did preach to you the good news of God;

¹⁰Ninyi mnaweza kushuhudia, na Mungu pia ni shahidi, jinsi mwenendo wetu kati yenu ninyi mnaoamini ulivyokuwa mzuri, mwadilifu na usio na lawama.

¹⁰ye [are] witnesses — God also — how kindly and righteously, and blamelessly to you who believe we became,

¹¹Mnajua kwamba sisi tulimtendea kila mmoja wenu kama vile baba anavyowatendea watoto wake mwenyewe.

¹¹even as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,

¹²Tuliwapeni moyo, tuliwafarijini na kuwahimiza ili mpate kuishi maisha yampendezayo Mungu ambaye aliwaiteni mshiriki Utawala na utukufu wake.

¹²for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign and glory.

¹³Tena tunayo sababu nyingine ya kumshukuru Mungu: tulipowaleteeni ujumbe wa Mungu, ninyi mliusikia mkaupokea, si kama vile ujumbe wa binadamu, bali kama ujumbe wa Mungu, na kweli ndivyo ulivyo. Maana Mungu anafanya kazi ndani yenu ninyi mnaoamini.

¹³Because of this also, we — we do give thanks to God continually, that, having received the word of hearing from us of God, ye accepted, not the word of man, but as it is truly, the word of God, who also doth work in you who believe;

¹⁴Ndugu, ninyi mmepatwa na mambo yaleyale yaliyoyapata makanisa ya Mungu kule Yudea, mambo yaliyowapata watu walio wake Kristo Yesu. Ninyi mlidhulumiwa na wananchi wenzenu kama vile wao walivyodhulumiwa na wenzao Wayahudi,

¹⁴for ye became imitators, brethren, of the assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because such things ye suffered, even ye, from your own countrymen, as also they from the Jews,

¹⁵ambao walimuua Bwana Yesu na manabii, wakatutesa na sisi pia. Watu hao wanamchukiza Mungu, tena ni adui za kila mtu!

¹⁵who did both put to death the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and did persecute us, and God they are not pleasing, and to all men [are] contrary,

¹⁶Hata walijaribu kutuzuia kuwahubiria watu wa mataifa mengine ujumbe utakaowaletea wokovu. Ndivyo walivyokamilisha orodha ya dhambi zote walizotenda siku zote. Lakini sasa hasira ya Mungu imewaangukia.

¹⁶forbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, but the anger did come upon them — to the end!

¹⁷Ndugu, kuachana kwetu nanyi kulikuwa kwa muda tu, tena kuachana huko kulikuwa kwa mwili tu na si kwa roho. Kitambo kifupi baadaye, tulishikwa na hamu kubwa ya kuwaoneni tena!

¹⁷And we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour — in presence, not in heart — did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,

¹⁸Kwa hiyo tuliamua kuwatembeleeni tena. Nami, Paulo, nilijaribu kuja kwenu zaidi ya mara moja, lakini Shetani alituzuia.

¹⁸wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;

¹⁹Je, tutakaposimama mbele ya Bwana Yesu wakati atakapokuja, fahari ya ushindi wetu itakuwa nini? Itakuwa ni ninyi wenyewe; ninyi ndio tumaini letu na furaha yetu.

¹⁹for what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence?

²⁰Naam, ninyi ni utukufu wetu na furaha yetu!

²⁰for ye are our glory and joy.