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

¹For as touching the ministering to 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 know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them.

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.

³But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared:

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 by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence.

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.

⁵I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion.

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

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

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.

⁷[Let] each man [do] according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

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 to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:

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

⁹as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever.

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 he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, 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.

¹¹ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh 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.

¹²For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto 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.

¹³seeing that through the proving [of you] by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of [your] contribution unto them and unto all;

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

¹⁴while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

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

¹⁵Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.