Agalatiya 5

1 Tuba wani intukuluho ku zwililila kwa Jesu kreste ya va tulukululi. Linu muve vakolete mi sanzi mu wondwa hape kwi joko lya vuvi.

It is in order that we might live without (being obliged [to/having to]) [obey all the Jewish rituals] that Christ freed us [from God condemning us because of our disobeying those rituals]. So, firmly [reject the false teaching that someone must circumcise you, and] do not [live like] slaves again [MET] [by letting others force you to obey those rules and rituals again].

2 Muvone, Ime, Paulusi niti kwenu haiva ni muya ku mupato, Kreste kese na mihe mupuzo munzila i mwi ne imwi.

Consider very carefully what I, Paul, [an apostle], now tell you: If, [to fulfill Jewish ritual laws], you are permitting yourself to be circumcised {someone to circumcise you}, what Christ [has done for you] will not benefit you at all.

3 Hape ni paka mukwame zumwi ni zumwi mukwame ya va yendi ku mupato linu uswanela kukuteka ni kwi chilila mulao wonse.

Instead, I solemnly declare again to every man who is circumcised {has someone circumcise him} [in order for God to accept him], that you must [perfectly] obey all of the laws [that God gave Moses, in order for God to save you].

4 Inwe mukauhenye ku “zwililila” kwa krest. muvonse mu va wani ku shemuviwa cha mulao. Muva wilile kule ni chisemo.

Those of you who are sure that God will erase the record of your sins because you obey the laws [that God gave to Moses], you have separated yourselves from Christ. You have abandoned/rejected [God’s true method of saving you, which was] by kindly erasing the record of your sins, in a way that you did not deserve.

5 Kuzwililila ku Luhuho, che ntumelo, linu tulivelele che nsempo ni ku shiyama.

But we who have a relationship with Christ and who trust in Christ are eagerly waiting to receive what God’s Spirit assures us that we can expect. We can expect to receive it because God has erased the record of our sins.

6 Cha Jesu Kereste nanga cha mupato kapa cha kusaya ku mupato kutolokwa chintu chimwina. Kwande ntumelo iseveza che lato nji yiine tuso.

As for us who have a relationship with Christ Jesus, God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust [in] Christ, with the result that we love [other people].

7 Zile mutiya hande. Njeni ya va mizimiki ku kuteka buniti?

You were progressing well [spiritually] [MET]. You should not have let someone influence you so that [now you] are not believing the true [message about Christ] [RHQ]!

8 Ku susuwezwa ku tenda vulyo, ka ku zwili kwali uzo ya va misumpi.

[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!

9 Chi vilisa chi nini chi tende muñende kufunduluka.

[Remember that this false doctrine that someone is teaching you will affect all of you, just like] [MET] a little yeast causes all of the dough to swell up.

10 Ni na nsepo kwenu che Reeza kuti ke se muhupule kusanduka munzila imwi ne imwi. Uzo yo milyanganise u swanela inkatulo ya kwe, iye mwine.

[Nevertheless], because of my relationship with the Lord, I am certain that you will think only as I do [about forcing people to obey rules and rituals]. Furthermore, [God] will punish anyone who is confusing you [by teaching this false message], even if he is an important person.

11 Va kwangu, heva ni ni si kutaza za mupato, chi nzi hani sinyandiswa? Che yo nzila chi sitataliso cha chifano ka chi shinyiwe.

But, my fellow believers, [although someone claims that I am proclaiming that men must be circumcised, I certainly am not still proclaiming that. Remember that the Jews are still] ([persecuting me/causing me to suffer]). If I were still proclaiming that men must be circumcised [in order for God to accept them], (the Jews would not be persecuting me./why would the Jews be persecuting me?) [RHQ] [They would] [RHQ] not be [persecuting me]/causing me to suffer [because] then [the Jews] would no longer be offended. [They] ([are offended/do not want to accept what I teach]) [because I proclaim that Christ, the Messiah, died on] the cross [MTY].

12 Ni lakaleza avo va mi lyanganisa ka vali kawule avo vene.

I [would even] wish that those who are disturbing you [by insisting that men be circumcised] would also emasculate [EUP] themselves, [with the result that they would be expelled from your congregations]!

13 Chokuti Ireeza ava misumpi, vakwangu, kwi ntukuluho. Sanzi mu sevelisi intukuluho yenu sina ha mu wanina ze nyama. Ni hakuvavulyo che lato mutusana ha mwina.

My fellow believers, [God] chose you in order that [you might live] without having to [obey rules and rituals]. But [do not assume that because] you are free [from having to obey rules and rituals], [God] permits you to [do whatever your] self-directed nature [desires]. Instead, constantly, as you love [each other], serve each other.

14 Chokuti mulawo wonse wi zuzilikizwe cha mulawo wumwina, “Mu swanela kusaka va mu vambene navo sina mu mu lisakila inwe mu vene.”

Keep in mind that we can sum up all of the laws [that God has] given us in one law, which is: “You must love each person you come in contact with, just like [you love] yourself.”

15 Kono heva ni musumana ni kulisana ha mwina, mutokomele kuti ka mu liholofazi ha mwina.

Since you are attacking and injuring [MET] each other [by the things that you say] [MET], I warn you that [if you continue doing that], you will totally ruin each other [spiritually].

16 Niti, muyende cha Luhuho, mi ke se mwi zuzilikize intakazo ze nyama.

[So] I tell you this: Constantly let [God’s] Spirit direct you. [If you do that], you will certainly not do the things that your self-directed nature wants [you to do].

17 Chokuti inyama ine ntakazo nkando yi lwisa Luhuho, mi Luhuho lwine ntakazo nkando kuhite nyama. Chokuti inzi zi lwisanisa izo ziine. Inkalabo yi chokuti ka muwoli kutenda chintu chi mulakaza kutenda.

Your self-directed nature (opposes [God’s] Spirit/does not [want you to do what] God’s Spirit [wants you to do]), but also his Spirit opposes your self-directed nature. These two are always (fighting with/opposing) each other. The result is that you do not [constantly] do the [good] deeds that you truly desire [to do].

18 Kono heva Luhuho lu miyendisa, ka musina mwi konde lya mulawo.

But when you are led by God’s Spirit {when God’s Spirit directs you}, you [can do what pleases God], now that you are no longer obligated [to obey all] the laws [that God gave Moses].

19 Linu misevezi ye nyama i bwenekete. Vena vuvuki, vahule, vasa njolwele, ve takazo zihitilize,

[You already know] how [people think and] act [PRS] because of their self-directed nature. These are [some of the things that they do: People] are sexually immoral. [People] commit unnatural sexual acts. [People] act indecently.

20 ni kulapela vazimu, ni vulozi, ni kuli toya, ni kuli fwila muna, ni kuwamba cha kukalimela,

[People] worship false gods [and] things [that] represent those gods. [People] perform (rituals in order that evil spirits might act for them/sorcery). [People] are hostile [to others. People] quarrel [with each other. People] are (jealous/resent other people’s status). [People] behave angrily. [People] try (to get others to think highly of them/to exalt themselves) and (do not consider what others want/act selfishly). People do not associate [with others. People] associate only with those who agree [with them].

21 ne fufa, ni muna ni vundakwa, ni vulyavi, ni zimwi zi fosahele. Ni mi kalimela, sina muni va mi kalimeleli ku tanzi, kuti avo va tundamena izo zintu ke se ni va yole muvuso we Reeza.

[People] want what others have. [People] get drunk. [People] (revel/participate in wild parties). And [people do other] things like these. I warn you [now], just like I warned [you previously], that the ones [who constantly] act [and think] like that will not receive [what] God [has for his own people when he begins] to rule over us.

22 Linu zichelantu za Luhuho i laato, yi ntavo, inkonzo, inkulo inde, chisemo, vulotu, ni tumelo,

But [God’s] Spirit causes [us to do these things]: We love [others]. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are [ones whom] others can trust.

23 ni kulishuwa ni kuliyeleza. Linu kakwina mulawo ulwisa nisana nezo zintu.

We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].

24 Kwavo vena kwa Jesu Kereste vava kokotelwa ni takanzo ze nyama ni hamwina ni ntakazo zi fosahele.

Furthermore, we who belong to Christ Jesus have [stopped obeying] our self-directed nature and [stopped doing] all the evil things that we desire to do [MET]. [It is as though] [MET] we nailed them to the cross!

25 Heva tu hala cha Luhuho, tu swanela lyaho ku yenda cha Luhuho.

Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].

26 Sanzi tu saki ku vuvekwa ku sene ntuso, kuli shemayeta kapa kuli fwila muna.

We should not be saying how great we are. We should not be making ourselves more important than others. We should not envy each other.