WEDNESDAY 11TH JULY 2018 MORNING
1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Footnotes:
- 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
- 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames
In the above passage the Apostle Paul talks about the importance of love. The Love which he is describing is Agape love. This is self-giving love. God is the source of all true love. Humans are naturally inclined to be selfish which is really the root of sin. Think about the characteristics or love as listed in verses 4 to 7. How do you rate your love for other people? Ask God to help you to love Him and other people.
JUMATANO TAREHE 11 JULAI 2018 ASUBUHI
1 KORINTHO 13:1-13
1 Nijaposema kwa lugha za wanadamu na za malaika, kama sina upendo, nimekuwa shaba iliayo na upatu uvumao.
2 Tena nijapokuwa na unabii, na kujua siri zote na maarifa yote, nijapokuwa na imani timilifu kiasi cha kuweza kuhamisha milima, kama sina upendo, si kitu mimi.
3 Tena nikitoa mali zangu zote kuwalisha maskini, tena nikijitoa mwili wangu niungue moto, kama sina upendo, hainifaidii kitu.
4 Upendo huvumilia, hufadhili; upendo hauhusudu; upendo hautakabari; haujivuni;
5 haukosi kuwa na adabu; hautafuti mambo yake; hauoni uchungu; hauhesabu mabaya;
6 haufurahii udhalimu, bali hufurahi pamoja na kweli;
7 huvumilia yote; huamini yote; hutumaini yote; hustahimili yote.
8 Upendo haupungui neno wakati wo wote; bali ukiwapo unabii utabatilika; zikiwapo lugha, zitakoma; yakiwapo maarifa, yatabatilika.
9 Kwa maana tunafahamu kwa sehemu; na tunafanya unabii kwa sehemu;
10 lakini ijapo ile iliyo kamili, iliyo kwa sehemu itabatilika.
11 Nilipokuwa mtoto mchanga, nalisema kama mtoto mchanga, nalifahamu kama mtoto mchanga, nalifikiri kama mtoto mchanga; tokea hapo nilipokuwa mtu mzima, nimeyabatilisha mambo ya kitoto.
12 Maana wakati wa sasa tunaona kwa kioo kwa jinsi ya fumbo; wakati ule tutaona uso kwa uso; wakati wa sasa nafahamu kwa sehemu; wakati ule nitajua sana kama mimi nami ninavyojuliwa sana.
13 Basi, sasa inadumu imani, tumaini, upendo, haya matatu; na katika hayo lililo kuu ni upendo.
Katika mistari hapo juu Mtume Paulo ameaandika kuhusu Upendo. Anaelezea hasa kuhusu Upendo wa Agape, yaani upendo wa kujitoa. Upendo huu ni sifa ya Mungu. Kwa binadamu ni ngumu kupenda hivi kwa sababu ya asili yetu ya dhambi na ubinafsi. Soma tena mstari ya 4 hadi ya 7 na utaona sifa za upendo huu. Jichunguze na upime upendo wako kwa Mungu na binadamu wenzako. Umwombe Mungu akusaidie kumpenda yeye na binadamu wenzako.
