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

¹For, indeed, concerning the ministration that [is] for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

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.

²for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part,

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.

³and I sent the brethren, that our boasting on your behalf may not be made vain in this respect; that, according as I said, ye may be ready,

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.

⁴lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we — we may be put to shame (that we say not — ye) in this same confidence of boasting.

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.

⁵Necessary, therefore, I thought [it] to exhort the brethren, that they may go before to you, and may make up before your formerly announced blessing, that this be ready, as a blessing, and not as covetousness.

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

⁶And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

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.

⁷each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

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

⁸and God [is] able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,

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

⁹(according as it hath been written, `He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,`)

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.

¹⁰and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

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

¹¹in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God,

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

¹²because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

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.

¹³through the proof of this ministration glorifying God for the subjection of your confession to the good news of the Christ, and [for] the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all,

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

¹⁴and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you;

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

¹⁵thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!