Treasure in Clay Jars
1 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. This is why we never give up. 2 We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don't try to fool anyone or twist God's message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure we can be trusted. 3 If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.
4 The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. 5 We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. 6 The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.
7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 8 We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. 9 In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. 10-11 We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so his life can also be seen in us. 12 This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you.
13 In the Scriptures it says, “I spoke because I had faith.” We have this same kind of faith. So we speak 14 because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you. 15 All of this has been done for you, so more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor him.
Faith in the Lord
16 We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. 17 These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. 18 Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. This is why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.
Naafuloo feŋ nafantaŋolu kono
1 Bayiri ntolu ye ñiŋ dookuwo soto ka bo niŋ Alla la hiinoo le la, ǹ te jikilateyi la. 2 M̀ fatata malu kuwolu la le, mennu ka ke kulloo kono. M̀ buka neeneeroo ke, sako ǹ si Alla la kumoo tooñaa yelemandi. Ǹ ka tooñaa le fo koyirinke fo moo-wo-moo si a tooñaayandi noo a sondomoo kono Alla ñaatiliŋo la. 3 Niŋ a ye a tara, kibaari betoo, m̀ be meŋ kawandi kaŋ, be muuriliŋ ne, wo to muurilaŋo be moolu le ñaadaalu kaŋ, mennu be kasaaroo siloo kaŋ. 4 Ñiŋ duniyaa maralilaa ye itolu lannabaloolu sondomeñaalu suki le fo ì kana maloo je noo, meŋ naata ka bo niŋ kibaari betoo la Kiristu* la kallankeeyaa* to, ate meŋ mu Alla muluŋo ti. 5 Ntolu ka meŋ kawandi, wo maŋ ke m̀ faŋolu la kuwo ti, bari ǹ ka Yeesu Kiristu le la kuwo kawandi ko, ate le mu Maariyo ti, ntolu mu ali la dookuulaalu le ti, a la kuwo kamma la. 6 Alla meŋ ko nuŋ ko, “Maloo ye mala diboo kono,” ate faŋo le ye a la maloo dii ǹ sondomoo kono fo ǹ si a la kallankeeyaa fahaamu. Ñiŋ mu Alla la kallankeeyaa le ti, meŋ ka mala Kiristu ñaadaa to.
7 Aduŋ ŋà ñiŋ naafuloo soto keraŋo le kono, meŋ dadaata potoo la ka a yitandi ko, ñiŋ sembe baa bota Alla faŋo le bulu, a maŋ ke ntolu ti. 8 Ì ye n toorandi ñaa-wo-ñaa, bari ì te n kasaara noo la. Ǹ tarata jaakaloo kono, bari m̀ maŋ jikilateyi. 9 Moolu ye ǹ toorandi, bari ǹ tankandilaa maŋ m̀ bula. Ì ye m̀ boyindi duuma, bari m̀ maŋ kasaara. 10 Ǹ na tooroo kono, m̀ balajaatoo ka Yeesu la saayaa le duni fo a la baluwo fanaa si je noo m̀ bala. 11 Ntolu la ñiŋ baluwo kono, waati-wo-waati ǹ ka tara saayaa maasiiboo le kono Yeesu la kuwo kamma la, fo a la baluwo si yitandi m̀ baloolu kono, mennu mu saayaa taa ti. 12 Wo kamma la, saayaa le be dookuwo ke kaŋ ntolu kono, baluwo le be dookuwo ke kaŋ alitolu kono.
13 Ko a be safeeriŋ ñaameŋ ko:
“Nte laata le, bituŋ ǹ diyaamuta.”
Baawo ntolu niŋ ate ye wo lannoo noora kiliŋo le soto, m̀ fanaa diyaamuta le, kaatu ǹ laata le. 14 Aduŋ ŋà a loŋ ne ko, meŋ ye Maarii Yeesu wulindi ka bo saayaa kono, wo le be ntolu fanaa wulindi la. Bituŋ a si ǹ niŋ Yeesu niŋ alitolu samba a ñaatiliŋo la. 15 Kaatu ñinnu bee ka ke ali la nafaa le kamma, fo Alla la hiinoo si futa moo jamaa ma, ka tenturoo lafaa, ka horomoo dii Alla la.
Baluwo ka bo niŋ lannoo la
16 Wo kamma la, m̀ buka jikilateyi. M̀ balajaatoolu be baŋ kaŋ ñaa-wo ñaa, bari ǹ konoto daañaa ka tu kutayaa la le luŋ-wo-luŋ. 17 Ñiŋ toorandiŋo meŋ be ke la fo waatindiŋ, wo be m̀ parendi la le ka ǹ naati badaa-badaa kallankeeyaa kono, meŋ maŋ ñoŋo soto. 18 Kaatu m̀ buka kuwolu juubee, mennu ka je, bari mennu buka je, ǹ ka wolu le juubee. Kuwolu mennu ka je, wolu be baŋ na le, bari mennu buka je, wolu le ka tu fo abadaa.
