¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope;

¹Mimi Paulo, mtume wa Yesu Kristo kwa amri ya Mungu Mwokozi wetu na Yesu Kristo tumaini letu,

²to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

²nakuandikia Timotheo mwanangu halisi katika imani. Nakutakia neema, huruma na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba yetu na Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu.

³As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

³Napenda ukae huko Efeso, kama nilivyokuomba nilipokuwa ninakwenda Makedonia. Wako watu fulani huko wanaofundisha mafundisho ya uongo. Wakomeshe watu hao.

⁴neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—

⁴Waambie waachane na zile hadithi tupu na orodha ndefu za mababu, ambazo huleta tu ubishi, wala haviwajengi watu katika mpango ujulikanao kwa imani.

⁵but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;

⁵Shabaha ya amri hii ni kuhimiza mapendo yatokayo katika moyo safi, dhamiri njema, na imani ya kweli.

⁶from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking;

⁶Watu wengine wamepotoka na kugeukia majadiliano yasiyo na maana.

⁷desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

⁷Wanapenda kuwa walimu wa Sheria, lakini hawaelewi maneno yao wenyewe au mambo wanayosisitiza.

⁸But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,

⁸Twajua kwamba Sheria ni njema, kama ikitumiwa ipasavyo.

⁹as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

⁹Lakini tunapaswa kukumbuka kwamba sheria haziwekwi kwa ajili ya watu wema, bali kwa ajili ya wahalifu na wasiotii, wasiomcha Mungu na wenye dhambi, watu wasio na dini na wa kidunia. Watu wanaowaua baba na mama zao, au wauaji wowote wale;

¹⁰for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

¹⁰sheria imewekwa kwa ajili ya waasherati, wafiraji, wanaowaiba watu, waongo, na wanaoapa uongo au wanaofanya chochote ambacho ni kinyume cha mafundisho ya kweli.

¹¹according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

¹¹Mafundisho hayo hupatikana katika Habari Njema ambayo mimi nimekabidhiwa niihubiri, Habari Njema ya Mungu mtukufu na mwenye heri.

¹²And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

¹²Namshukuru Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo aliyenipa nguvu kwa ajili ya kazi yangu. Namshukuru kwa kuniona mimi kuwa ni mwaminifu, akaniteua nimtumikie,

¹³although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹³ingawa pale awali mimi nilimtukana na kumtesa na kumdhulumu. Lakini Mungu alinionea huruma, kwa sababu sikuwa na imani bado, na hivyo sikujua nilichokuwa ninafanya.

¹⁴The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴Lakini Bwana wetu alinijalia neema yake kwa wingi, akanipa imani na upendo katika kuungana na Kristo Yesu.

¹⁵The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

¹⁵Usemi huu ni wa kuaminika, na tena unafaa kukubaliwa kabisa: Kristo Yesu alikuja ulimwenguni kuwaokoa wenye dhambi. Nami ni mkosefu zaidi kuliko hao wote,

¹⁶However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

¹⁶lakini Mungu alinionea huruma, ili Kristo aonyeshe uvumilivu wake wote kwangu mimi, kama mfano kwa wale wote ambao baadaye watamwamini na kupokea uzima wa milele.

¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁷Kwake yeye aliye Mfalme wa milele na asiyekufa, yeye aliye Mungu pekee--kwake viwe heshima na utukufu milele na milele! Amina.

¹⁸This instruction I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may wage the good warfare;

¹⁸Mwanangu Timotheo, nakukabidhi amri hii kufuatana na maneno ya unabii yaliyosemwa zamani juu yako. Yatumie maneno hayo yawe silaha yako katika kupigana vita vizuri,

¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith;

¹⁹na ushike imani yako na dhamiri njema. Watu wengine hawakusikiliza dhamiri zao na hivyo wakaiharibu imani yao.

²⁰of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

²⁰Miongoni mwao ni Humenayo na Aleksanda ambao nimewakabidhi kwa Shetani, ili wafundishwe wasimtukane Mungu.