“Nikienda na kuwaandalia mahali, nitakuja tena niwakaribishe kwangu, ili nilipo mimi nanyi mwepo.” Yohana. 14:3

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.” John. 14:3

Kuna maneno mengi tofauti yanayotumika katika Agano Jipya la Kiyunani kuhusu Ujio wa Pili wa Bwana. Maandiko yanaonyesha kwamba Yesu atarudi kumkusanya bibi-arusi Wake kwake, akiwafufua wale waliolala (waliokufa) katika Yesu, na kuwabadilisha wale ambao bado wanaishi, wawe pamoja Naye milele. Hii inaonyeshwa kwa uzuri katika 1 Thes. 4:13-18. Kuja huku kwa Mara ya Pili kwa watakatifu Wake wakati fulani kunachanganyikiwa na kuja kwake pamoja na kanisa ili kusimamisha ufalme Wake wa kidunia wa miaka elfu ambao utatokea baada ya arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo na bibi-arusi Wake kufanyika, inayonenwa katika Ufu. 19:6-9.

There are many different words used in the Greek New Testament concerning the Lord’s Second Coming. The Scriptures show that Jesus will return to gather His bride unto Himself, raising those that sleep (died) in Jesus, and changing those who are still living, to be with Him forever. This is beautifully shown in 1 Thess. 4:13-18. This Second coming for His saints is sometimes confused with His coming with the church to establish His earthly thousand-year kingdom which will occur after the marriage of the Lamb and His bride has taken place, spoken of in Rev. 19:6-9.

Tutaangalia sasa marejeo mengi na semi zinazorejelea kurudi kwa Bwana kwa bibi-arusi Wake. Yametolewa kama maneno ya kutia moyo kwa wafuasi wa Yesu tangu Pentekoste hadi wakati wetu wa sasa. Haya ni baadhi ya maneno ya Kiyunani yanayorejelea Ujio wa Pili wa Bwana: Parousia, Epiphania, Apokalupsis, Phaneroo, Phanero, na Katabisis. Katika kuandikia makanisa mbalimbali, Mitume walitumia maneno tofauti ya Kiyunani kuhusiana na tukio lile lile, kutegemea muktadha. Hebu tuangalie baadhi ya Maandiko haya:

We will look now at the many references and expressions that refer to the Lord’s returning for His bride. They are given as words of encouragement to Jesus’ followers from Pentecost down to our present time. These are some of the Greek words referring to the Lord’s Second Advent: Parousia, Epiphania, Apokalupsis, Phaneroo, Phanero, and Katabisis. In writing to the various churches, the Apostles used different Greek words in relating to the same event, depending on the context. Let us look at some of these Scriptures:

“Kumngoja Mwana wa Mungu kutoka Mbinguni”-1 Thes.1:10. Katika Thes. 3:13 & 5:23, Paulo analiambia kanisa kungojea uwepo wa Bwana (Gk. parousia). Yakobo pia aliwasihi Wakristo kuwa na subira, kwa kuwa uwepo wa Bwana (Gk. parousia) ulikuwa karibu (Yakobo 5:7-8).

“Waiting for the Son of God from Heaven”-1 Thess.1:10. In I Thess. 3:13 & 5:23, Paul is telling the church to wait for the Lord’s presence (Gk. parousia). James also exhorted the Christians to be patient, for the Lord’s presence (Gk. parousia) was near (James 5:7-8).

“Kungoja Kutokea Kwake” - Katika 1 Tim. 6:14, Paulo alikuwa akimhimiza Timotheo kushika amri bila doa mpaka Bwana atakapotokea (Gk. epiphania) Ona pia Tito 2:13. Paulo alikuwa akitarajia kupokea taji ya uzima katika siku ile ya kutokea kwa Bwana (2 Tim. 4:8).

“Waiting for His appearing” - In 1 Tim. 6:14, Paul was exhorting Timothy to keep the commandment spotless until the Lord’s appearing (Gk. epiphania) See also Titus 2:13. Paul was expecting to receive the crown of life in that day of the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:8).

“Kungoja ufunuo wake” - Katika 1 Kor.1:7, Paulo alihimiza kanisa kuwa waaminifu hadi Bwana atakapofunuliwa (Gk. apokalupsis). Tazama pia 1 Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13.

“Waiting for His revelation” - In 1 Cor.1:7, Paul exhorted the church to be faithful until the Lord would be revealed (Gk. apokalupsis). See also 1 Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13.

“Wakingoja kufunuliwa kwake” - Katika Wakolosai 3:4, Paulo analikumbusha kanisa la Kolosai kwamba wamekufa kwa ulimwengu huu na ni shughuli zilizolemewa na dhambi na maisha yao mapya yamefichwa pamoja na Kristo katika Mungu na kwamba wakati Kristo... watatokea (Gk. phanerothete) pia wangetokea pamoja naye katika utukufu. Katika waraka wake wa kwanza, Petro pia, wakati hapo awali alitumia neno apokalupsis mara tatu, sasa katika sura ya 5, mstari wa 4 anatumia neno phanero. Tazama pia 1 Yohana 3:2.

“Waiting for His manifestation” - In Col. 3:4, Paul is reminding the church in Colossae that they are dead to this world and it’s sin laden activities and their new life is hid with Christ in God and that when Christ...shall appear (Gk. phanerothete) they would also appear with Him in glory. In his first epistle, Peter also, while previously using the word apokalupsis three times, now in chapter 5, vs. 4 uses the word phanero. See also 1 John 3:2.

“Wakimngoja ashuke” kutoka mbinguni. (Gk. Katabaino) Tazama 1 Thes. 4:16. 

Kwa kifupi -- kanisa lilihimizwa:

• Subiri parousia au uwepo wake - 1 Thes. 3:13; 5:23; Yak. 5:7, 8.

• Subiri epifania au kutokea kwake - 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:8. Tito 2:13

• Subiri apokalupsis au ufunuo Wake - 1 Kor. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13. 1 Thes.4:13

• Subiri udhihirisho wake wa kifano au udhihirisho wake - Wakolosai 3:4; 1 Pet. 5:4. 1 Yohana 3:2

• Subiri katabaino Yake au kushuka - 1 Thes. 4:13-17.

“Waiting for Him to descend” from heaven. (Gk. Katabaino) See 1 Thess. 4:16. 

In brief -- the church was encouraged to:

• Wait for His parousia or presence - 1 Thess. 3:13; 5:23; Jas. 5:7, 8.

• Wait for His epiphania or appearing - 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:8. Titus 2:13

• Wait for His apokalupsis or revelation - 1 Cor. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13. I Thess.4:13

• Wait for His phanerosis or manifestation - Col. 3:4; 1 Pet. 5:4. I John 3:2

• Wait for His katabaino or descending - 1 Thess. 4:13-17.

Kutokana na hayo hapo juu tunaweza kuona kwa urahisi kwamba maneno haya mbalimbali yatafanyika kwa wakati mmoja, wakati kanisa lililokamilika litakapofufuliwa na kutuzwa pamoja. Hawakuweza kuashiria vipindi tofauti vya wakati, kwa nini Mtume Paulo aliwaambia Wathesalonike wangoje hadi parousia ya Bwana, waambie Timotheo na Tito wangojee epifania ya Bwana, Wakorintho wangojee apokalupsis ya Bwana, na Wakolosai hadi Phanerosis ya Bwana, nk? Sababu moja ya matumizi ya maneno haya mbalimbali katika maandishi ya Kigiriki ilikuwa kutimiza matakwa ya kisarufi ya Kigiriki. Kwa kuwa maneno haya si sawa, yanaweza tu kutumika kwa kubadilishana kwa sababu yana matumizi ya wakati wa kawaida. Maneno mbalimbali ya Kigiriki yangeweza kutumiwa kwa kubadilishana tu wakati muktadha ni wa mtu anayeshughulika na wakati.

From the above we can readily see that these various words are to all take place at the same time, when the completed church will be resurrected and rewarded together. They could not possibly denote different time periods, for why would the Apostle Paul tell the Thessalonians to wait until the Lord’s parousia, tell Timothy and Titus to wait unto the Lord’s epiphania, the Corinthians to wait unto the Lord’s apokalupsis, and the Colossians until the Lord’s phanerosis, etc? One reason for the use of thesevarious words in the Greek text was to meet the Greek grammatical requirements. Since these words  are not synonymous, they could only be used interchangeably because they have a common time application. The various Greek words could be used interchangeably only when the context is of one dealing with time.

Baada ya Bwana Yesu Kristo kuja kwa bibi-arusi Wake na arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo kufanyika, ndipo watarudi pamoja kuwafufua wafu na kusimamisha Ufalme wa Mungu duniani. 

After the Lord Jesus Christ comes for His bride and the marriage of the Lamb has taken place, then they will return together to raise the dead and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. 

Baadhi ya Maandiko yanayorejelea wakati huu wa baraka ni: Waefeso 1:10; 1 Kor. 15:25-28; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rum. 8:17; 1 Kor. 6:2; Isaya 26:9.

Some Scriptures that refer to this time of blessing are: Ephesians 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:25-28; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rom. 8:17; 1 Cor. 6:2; Isaiah 26:9.

Bwana hakika atakuja hivi karibuni kwa ajili ya Kanisa Lake katika Kuja Kwake kwa Pili. Huenda ikawa katika maisha yetu -- kwa hivyo hebu tuwe tunatazama, waaminifu na tayari!

The Lord will indeed be coming soon for His Church at His Second Advent. It may well be in our lifetime -- so let us be watching, faithful and ready!