¹This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Deuteronomy 19:15

¹Hii ni mara yangu ya tatu kuja kwenu. "Kila tatizo litatatuliwa kwa ushahidi wa watu wawili au watatu," yasema Maandiko.

²I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;

²Nilikwisha sema, na kama ilivyokuwa safari ya pili, sasa nasema tena nikiwa mbali: wale wote waliotenda uovu bila kutubu, na pia wale wengine, nitakapokuja, watakiona cha mtema kuni.

³seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

³Mtajionea wenyewe kwamba Kristo anasema ndani yangu. Kwenu Kristo si dhaifu; bali nguvu yake yafanya kazi miongoni mwenu.

⁴For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

⁴Maana hata kama alisulubiwa kwa sababu ya udhaifu, lakini sasa anaishi kwa uwezo wa Mungu. Sisi pia tu dhaifu kwa kuungana naye lakini tutaishi naye kwa uwezo wa Mungu kwa ajili yenu.

⁵Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

⁵Jichunguzeni ninyi wenyewe mpate kujua kama kweli mnayo imani. Jichunguzeni ninyi wenyewe. Je, hamjui kwamba Kristo Yesu yumo ndani yenu? Kama sivyo, basi ninyi mmeshindwa.

⁶But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified.

⁶Lakini natumaini kwamba ninyi mnajua kuwa sisi hatukushindwa.

⁷Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.

⁷Tunamwomba Mungu msifanye uovu wowote, lakini si kusudi tuonekane kama watu waliokwisha faulu, bali mpate kutenda mema, hata kama sisi tunaonekana kuwa tumeshindwa.

⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

⁸Maana hatuwezi kuupinga ukweli; uwezo tulio nao ni wa kuuendeleza ukweli.

⁹For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.

⁹Tunafurahi kwamba sisi tu dhaifu, lakini ninyi mna nguvu; kwa hiyo tunaomba mpate kuwa wakamilifu.

¹⁰For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.

¹⁰Basi, ninaandika barua hii nikiwa mbali, ili nitakapofika kwenu nisilazimike kuwa mkali kwenu kwa kutumia ule uwezo alionipa Bwana; naam, uwezo wa kujenga na si wa kubomoa.

¹¹Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹¹Kwa sasa, ndugu, kwaherini! Muwe na ukamilifu, shikeni mashauri yangu, muwe na nia moja; kaeni kwa amani. Naye Mungu wa mapendo na amani atakuwa pamoja nanyi.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹²Salimianeni kwa ishara ya upendo.

¹³All the saints greet you.

¹³(G13-12) Watu wote wa Mungu huku wanawasalimuni.

¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

¹⁴(G13-13) Neema ya Bwana Yesu Kristo na upendo wa Mungu na umoja wa Roho Mtakatifu, viwe nanyi nyote.