Romans 4
1 What then shall we say of Abraham, our ancestor in the flesh?
Tuseme nini basi, kuhusu Abrahamu baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili: yeye alipataje kujua jambo hili?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to be proud of, but not before God.
Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
3 For what does Scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was set down to his account as righteousness.
Kwa maana Maandiko yasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
4 Now if a man earn his pay by his work, it is not counted to him as a favor, but it is paid him as a debt;
Basi mtu afanyapo kazi, mshahara wake hauhesabiwi kwake kuwa ni zawadi, bali ni haki yake anayostahili.
5 but a man who does not "work," but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, has his faith imputed to him for righteousness.
Lakini kwa mtu ambaye hafanyi kazi na anamtumaini Mungu, yeye ambaye huwahesabia waovu haki, imani yake inahesabiwa kuwa haki.
6 Just as David also speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from actions.
Daudi pia alisema vivyo hivyo aliponena juu ya baraka za mtu ambaye Mungu humhesabia haki pasipo matendo:
7 Blessed he says are they whose iniquities have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered.
“Wamebarikiwa wale ambao wamesamehewa makosa yao, ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Heri mtu yule Bwana hamhesabii dhambi zake.”
9 Is this blessing, then, for the circumcised alone? or for the uncircumcised also? Abraham’s faith, I say, was imputed to him for righteousness.
Je, huku kubarikiwa ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa peke yao, au pia na kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Tunasema, “Imani ya Abrahamu ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
10 How then was it imputed to him? When he was circumcised? or uncircumcised? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;
Je, ni lini basi ilipohesabiwa kwake kuwa haki? Je, ilikuwa kabla au baada ya kutahiriwa kwake? Haikuwa baada, ila kabla hajatahiriwa.
11 and he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the faith- righteousness which he had while he was in uncircumcision; in order that he might be the father of all who believe, even though they are uncircumcised; so that righteousness might be imputed to them.
Alipewa ishara ya tohara kuwa muhuri wa haki aliyokuwa nayo kwa imani hata alipokuwa bado hajatahiriwa. Kusudi lilikuwa kumfanya baba wa wote wale waaminio pasipo kutahiriwa na ambao wamehesabiwa haki.
12 He is the father of circumcision to those who are not merely circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he held while he was as yet uncircumcised.
Vivyo hivyo awe baba wa wale waliotahiriwa ambao si kwamba wametahiriwa tu, bali pia wanafuata mfano wa imani ambayo Baba yetu Abrahamu alikuwa nayo kabla ya kutahiriwa.
13 For the promise that he should be heir of the world did not come to Abraham or to his posterity through law, but through faith- righteousness.
Kwa maana ile ahadi kwamba angeurithi ulimwengu haikuja kwa Abrahamu au kwa wazao wake kwa njia ya sheria bali kwa njia ya haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
14 For if those who are righteous through law are heirs, faith is empty and the promise becomes void.
Kwa maana ikiwa wale waishio kwa sheria ndio warithi, imani haina thamani na ahadi haifai kitu,
15 For law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu. Mahali ambapo hakuna sheria hakuna makosa.
16 This is why righteousness is of faith, that it may be a free gift; so that the promise stands firm to all Abraham’s posterity; not to his children of his faith. For in the sight of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls into being that which is not, Abraham is the father of us all both Jews and Gentiles,
Kwa hiyo, ahadi huja kwa njia ya imani, ili iwe ni kwa neema, na itolewe kwa wazao wa Abrahamu, si kwa wale walio wa sheria peke yao, bali pia kwa wale walio wa imani ya Abrahamu. Yeye ndiye baba yetu sisi sote.
17 as it is written, I have made you a father of many nations.
Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Yeye ni baba yetu mbele za Mungu, ambaye yeye alimwamini, yule Mungu anaye fufua waliokufa, na kuvitaja vile vitu ambavyo haviko kana kwamba vimekwisha kuwako.
18 For Abraham, hoping against hope, had faith to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So numberless shall your descendants be.
Akitarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, Abrahamu akaamini, akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama alivyoahidiwa kwamba, “Uzao wako utakuwa mwingi mno.”
19 Though he was about a hundred years old, his faith did not fail him when he regarded his own body, now as good as dead. and remembered Sarah’s barrenness.
Abrahamu hakuwa dhaifu katika imani hata alipofikiri juu ya mwili wake, ambao ulikuwa kama uliokufa, kwani umri wake ulikuwa unakaribia miaka mia moja, au alipofikiri juu ya ufu wa tumbo la Sara.
20 Nor did he with regard to the promise of God waver in unbelief, but he waxed strong in faith, while he gave God glory,
Lakini Abrahamu hakusitasita kwa kutokuamini ahadi ya Mungu, bali alitiwa nguvu katika imani yake na kumpa Mungu utukufu,
21 and was fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform.
akiwa na hakika kabisa kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kutimiza lile aliloahidi.
22 And so his faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.
Hii ndio sababu, “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
23 Now these words were not written simply for his sake, but for us as well.
Maneno haya “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki,” hayakuandikwa kwa ajili yake peke yake,
24 For it will be "reckoned for righteousness." to us also, who believe on him that raised from the dead our Lord Jesus;
bali kwa ajili yetu sisi pia ambao Mungu atatupa haki, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu kutoka kwa wafu.
25 who was betrayed to death for our transgressions, and raised again to life for our justification.
Alitolewa afe kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, naye alifufuliwa kutoka mauti ili tuhesabiwe haki.
