Romans 4
1 Let's take Abraham as an example. From a human viewpoint he is the father of our nation. Let's ask, “What was his experience?”
Pho-ke sizakuthi uAbrahama ubaba wethu wazuzani ngokwenyama?
2 For if Abraham was set right by what he did, he would have had something to boast about—but not in God's eyes.
Ngoba uba uAbrahama walungisiswa ngemisebenzi, ulokuzincoma, kodwa kungekho phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
3 However, what does Scripture say? “Abraham trusted God, and so he was considered as being a good person who did right.”
Ngoba umbhalo uthini? Uthi: Kodwa uAbrahama wakholwa kuNkulunkulu, kwasekubalelwa kuye ukuthi yikulunga.
4 Whoever works gets paid—it's not considered as a gift, but because they've earned their wages.
Kodwa kulowo osebenzayo kabalelwa iholo ngokomusa, kodwa ngokomlandu.
5 But God, who makes sinners right, considers them as right not because they've worked for it but because they trust in him. This is why
Kodwa kulowo ongasebenziyo, kodwa ekholwa kuye olungisisa oweyisa uNkulunkulu, ukholo lwakhe lubalelwa ukuthi yikulunga.
6 David speaks of the happiness of those whom God considers as right, and not because they worked for it:
Njengoba laye uDavida ekhuluma ngokubusiswa komuntu, uNkulunkulu ambalela ukulunga ngaphandle kwemisebenzi esithi:
7 “How happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Babusisiwe abaziphambeko zabo zithethelelwe labazono zabo zisitshekelwe.
8 How happy are those the Lord does not consider sinful.”
Ubusisiwe umuntu iNkosi engasoze yambalela isono.
9 Now is this blessing just for the Jews, or is it for others too? We've just stated that Abraham was accepted as good and right because he trusted God.
Ngakho lokhukubusiswa kuphezu kokusoka yini, kumbe laphezu kokungasoki? Ngoba sithi: Ukholo lwabalelwa kuAbrahama ukuthi luyikulunga.
10 But when did this happen? When Abraham was a Jew or before?
Pho lwabalelwa njani? Lapho esekusokeni yini, kumbe ekungasokini? Kungekho ekusokeni, kodwa ekungasokini.
11 It was actually before he became a Jew by being circumcised, which was a confirmation of his trust in God to make him right. This happened before he was circumcised, so he is the father of everyone who trusts in God and are considered as right by God, even though they may not be circumcised Jews.
Wasesemukela isibonakaliso sokusoka, uphawu lokulunga kokholo ayelakho ekungasokini; ukuze abe nguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo lanxa bengasokanga, ukuze ukulunga kubalelwe lakibo;
12 He is also the father of circumcised Jews not merely because they're circumcised, but because they follow the example of the trust in God our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
loyise wokusoka kulabo abangayisibo bokusoka kuphela, kodwa futhi abahamba ezinyathelweni zokholo lukababa wethu uAbrahama ayelalo engakasokwa.
13 God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.
Ngoba kasingomlayo isithembiso kuAbrahama kumbe kunzalo yakhe, ukuthi uzakuba yindlalifa yomhlaba, kodwa ngokulunga kokholo.
14 For if the promised inheritance is based on keeping the law, then the issue of trusting God is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.
Ngoba uba labo abomlayo beyizindlalifa, ukholo lwenziwe ize, lesithembiso senziwa ize;
15 For the law results in punishment—but if there's no law then it cannot be broken.
ngoba umlayo ubanga ulaka; ngoba lapho okungekho khona umlayo, kakukho lokweqa.
16 So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham—not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.
Ngakho kungokholo, ukuze kube ngokomusa; ukuze isithembiso siqiniseke kuyo yonke inzalo; kungeyisiyo engeyomlayo kuphela kodwa lakuyo engeyokholo lukaAbrahama, ongubaba wethu sonke,
17 As Scripture says, “I've made you the father of many nations.” For in the presence of God, Abraham trusted in the God who makes the dead alive and speaks into existence what didn't previously exist.
(njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Ngikumisile ukuthi ube nguyise wezizwe ezinengi) phambi kwakhe akholwa kuye, uNkulunkulu, ophilisa abafileyo, lobiza izinto ezingekho ngokungathi zikhona.
18 Against all hope Abraham in hope trusted God, so he could become the father of many peoples, just as God had promised him: “This is how many descendants you'll have!”
Owathi emelane lethemba wakholwa ngethemba, ukuze abe nguyise wezizwe ezinengi, njengalokho okwatshiwoyo ukuthi: Izakuba njalo inzalo yakho.
19 His trust in God didn't weaken even though he thought his body was practically dead (he was around a hundred years old), and knew that Sarah was too old to have children.
Njalo kabanga buthakathaka ekholweni, kanakananga umzimba wakhe uqobo owawusufile, ngoba wayesengaba leminyaka elikhulu, lokufa kwesizalo sikaSara;
20 He held on to God's promise—he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.
njalo kathandabuzanga ngesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ngokungakholwa, kodwa waqiniswa ekholweni, enika uNkulunkulu udumo,
21 He was totally convinced that what God had promised he had the power to deliver.
njalo eqinisekile ngokupheleleyo ukuthi lokho ayekuthembisile, ulamandla ngitsho okukwenza.
22 That's why Abraham was considered right by God.
Ngalokho-ke kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi yikulunga.
23 The words “Abraham was considered right” weren't just written down for his benefit.
Kakubhalwanga-ke ngenxa yakhe yedwa, ukuthi kwabalelwa kuye;
24 They were for us too, those of us who will be considered as right, since we trust in God who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.
kodwa langenxa yethu, esizabalelwa khona, thina esikholwa kuye owavusa uJesu iNkosi yethu kwabafileyo,
25 Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to make us right.
owanikelwa ngenxa yeziphambeko zethu, wavuswa ngenxa yokulungisiswa kwethu.
