Matthew 23 (SWH1850)

1Kisha Yesu akauambia umati wa watu pamoja na wanafunzi wake,Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:

2“Walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo wana mamlaka ya kufafanua Sheria ya Mose.“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

3Kwa hiyo shikeni na kutekeleza chochote watakachowaambieni. Lakini msiyaige matendo yao, maana hawatekelezi yale wanayoyahubiri.So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

4Hufunga mizigo mizito na kuwatwika watu mabegani, lakini wao wenyewe hawataki kunyosha hata kidole wapate kuibeba.They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5Wao hufanya matendo yao yote ili watu wawaone. Huvaa tepe zenye maandishi ya Sheria juu ya panda la uso na mikononi na hupanua pindo za makoti yao.All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

6Hupenda nafasi za heshima katika karamu na viti vya heshima katika masunagogi.They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,

7Hupenda kusalimiwa kwa heshima sokoni na kupendelea kuitwa na watu: Mwalimu.the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

8Lakini ninyi msiitwe kamwe Mwalimu, maana mwalimu wenu ni mmoja tu, nanyi nyote ni ndugu.But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

9Wala msimwite mtu yeyote Baba hapa duniani, maana Baba yenu ni mmoja tu aliye mbinguni.And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10Wala msiitwe Viongozi, maana kiongozi wenu ni mmoja tu, ndiye Kristo.Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.

11Aliye mkubwa miongoni mwenu ni lazima awe mtumishi wenu.The greatest among you shall be your servant.

12Anayejikweza atashushwa, na anayejishusha atakwezwa.For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13“Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnaufunga mlango wa Ufalme wa mbinguni mbele ya macho ya watu. Ninyi wenyewe hamwingii ndani, wala hamwaruhusu wanaotaka kuingia waingie.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

14Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnawanyonya wajane na kujisingizia kuwa watu wema kwa kusali sala ndefu. Kwa sababu hiyo mtapata adhabu kali.Not in the BSB

15“Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnasafiri baharini na nchi kavu ili kumpata mtu mmoja afuate dini yenu. Mnapompata, mnamfanya astahili maradufu kwenda katika moto wa Jehanamu kuliko ninyi wenyewe.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

16“Ole wenu viongozi vipofu! Ninyi mwasema ati mtu akiapa kwa Hekalu, kiapo hicho si kitu; lakini akiapa kwa dhahabu ya Hekalu, kiapo hicho kinamshika.Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

17Enyi vipofu wapumbavu! Kipi kilicho cha maana zaidi: dhahabu au Hekalu linalofanya hiyo dhahabu kuwa takatifu?You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

18Tena mwasema ati mtu akiapa kwa madhabahu si kitu; lakini akiapa kwa zawadi iliyowekwa juu ya madhabahu, kiapo hicho humshika.And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’

19Enyi vipofu! Ni kipi kilicho cha maana zaidi: ile zawadi, au madhabahu ambayo hufanya hiyo zawadi kuwa takatifu?You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

20Anayeapa kwa madhabahu ameapa kwa hiyo madhabahu, na kwa chochote kilichowekwa juu yake.So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

21Na anayeapa kwa Hekalu ameapa kwa hilo Hekalu na pia kwa yule akaaye ndani yake.And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

22Na anayeapa kwa mbingu ameapa kwa kiti cha enzi cha Mungu, na kwa huyo aketiye juu yake.And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.

23Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnatoza watu zaka, hata juu ya majani yenye harufu nzuri, bizari na jira, na huku mnaacha mambo muhimu ya Sheria kama vile haki, huruma na imani. Haya ndiyo hasa mliyopaswa kuyazingatia bila kusahau yale mengine.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

24Viongozi vipofu! Mnatoa nzi katika kinywaji, lakini mnameza ngamia!You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25“Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnasafisha kikombe na bakuli kwa nje, lakini ndani mnaacha kumejaa vitu mlivyopata kwa unyang'anyi na uchoyo.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26Mfarisayo kipofu! Kisafishe kikombe ndani kwanza na nje kutakuwa safi pia.Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

27“Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mko kama makaburi yaliyopakwa chokaa ambayo kwa nje yanaonekana kuwa mazuri, lakini ndani yamejaa mifupa ya maiti na kila namna ya uchafu.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.

28Hali kadhalika ninyi mnaonekana na watu kwa nje kuwa wema, lakini kwa ndani mmejaa unafiki na uovu.In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29“Ole wenu walimu wa Sheria na Mafarisayo, wanafiki! Mnajenga makaburi ya manabii na kuyapamba makaburi ya watu wema.Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

30Mwasema: Kama sisi tungaliishi nyakati za wazee wetu hatungalishirikiana nao katika mauaji ya manabii!And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

31Hivyo mnathibitisha ninyi wenyewe kwamba ninyi ni watoto wa watu waliowaua manabii.So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32Haya, kamilisheni ile kazi wazee wenu waliyoianza!Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.

33Enyi kizazi cha nyoka wenye sumu! Mnawezaje kuiepa hukumu ya moto wa Jehanamu?You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?

34Ndiyo maana mimi ninawapelekea ninyi manabii, watu wenye hekima na walimu; mtawaua na kuwasulubisha baadhi yao, na wengine mtawapiga viboko katika masunagogi yenu na kuwasaka katika kila mji.Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.

35Hivyo lawama yote itawapateni kwa ajili ya damu yote ya watu wema iliyomwagwa juu ya ardhi. Naam, tangu kuuawa kwa Abeli ambaye hakuwa na hatia, mpaka kuuawa kwa Zakariya, mwana wa Barakia, ambaye mlimuua Hekaluni kati ya patakatifu na madhabahu.And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36Nawaambieni kweli, kizazi hiki kitapata adhabu kwa sababu ya mambo haya.Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37“Yerusalemu, Ee Yerusalemu! Unawaua manabii na kuwapiga mawe wale waliotumwa kwako. Mara ngapi nimejaribu kuwakusanya watoto wako kwangu, kama vile kuku anavyokusanya vifaranga vyake chini ya mabawa yake, lakini hukutaka.O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

38Haya basi, nyumba yako itaachwa mahame.Look, your house is left to you desolate.

39Nakwambia kweli, hutaniona tena mpaka wakati utakaposema: Abarikiwe huyo ajaye kwa jina la Bwana.”For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Matthew 23

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Matthew 23

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