Romans 4
1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
Tutasema nini tena kwamba Abrahamu, baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili, amepatikana?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, angekuwa na sababu ya kujisifu, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Kwani maandiko yanasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
4 Now to the one who works, the pay is not counted as a gift, but as an obligation.
Sasa kwa mtu afanyaye kazi, malipo yake hayahesabiwi kuwa ni neema, bali kuwa ni deni.
5 But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Lakini kwa mtu asiyefanya kazi bali anamwamini yeye ambaye amhesabia haki asiyekuwa mtaua, imani yake mtu huyo imehesabiwa kuwa haki.
6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,
Daudi pia hunena baraka juu ya mtu ambaye Mungu amhesabia haki pasipo matendo.
7 "Happy are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Alisema, “Wamebarikiwa wale ambao maovu yao yamesamehewa na ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
8 Happy is the one whom the Lord will not charge with sin."
Amebarikiwa mtu yule ambaye Bwana hamhesabii dhambi.”
9 Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.
Basi je baraka hizi ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa tu, au pia kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Kwa maana twasema, “kwa Abrahamu imani yake ilihesabiwa kuwa ni haki.”
10 How then was it credited? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Hivyo ilihesabiwaje basi? Wakati Abrahamu alikuwa katika tohara, au kabla hajatahiriwa? Haikuwa katika kutahiriwa, bali katika kutotahiriwa.
11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be credited to them.
Abrahamu alipokea alama ya kutahiriwa. Huu ulikuwa muhuri wa ile haki ya imani aliyokuwa nayo tayari kabla hajatahiriwa. Matokeo ya ishara hii ni kwamba alifanyika kuwa baba wa wote waaminio, hata kama wapo katika kutotahiriwa. Hii ina maana kwamba haki itahesabiwa kwao.
12 The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
Hii pia ilimaanisha kuwa Abrahamu alifanyika baba wa tohara si tu kwa wale wanaotokana na tohara, bali pia wale wanaozifuata nyayo za baba yetu Abrahamu. Na hii ndiyo imani aliyokuwa nayo kwa wasiotahiriwa.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his descendants that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Kwa maana haikuwa kwa sheria kwamba ahadi ilitolewa kwa Abrahamu na uzao wake, ahadi hii ya kwamba watakuwa warithi wa dunia. isipokuwa, ilikuwa kupitia haki ya imani.
14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
Kwa maana kama wale wa sheria ndio warithi, imani imekuwa bure, na ahadi imebatilika.
15 For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
Kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu, lakini pale ambapo hakuna sheria, pia hakuna kutotii.
16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the descendants, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
Kwa sababu hii hili hutokea kwa imani, ili iwe kwa neema. Matokeo yake, ahadi ni dhahiri kwa uzao wote. Na wazawa hawa si tu wale wanaojua sheria, bali pia wale ambao ni wa imani ya Abrahamu. Kwa maana yeye ni baba yetu sisi sote,
17 As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
kama ilivyoandikwa, “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Abrahamu alikuwa katika uwepo wa yule aliyemwamini, yaani, Mungu ambaye huwapa wafu uzima na kuyaita mambo ambayo hayapo ili yaweze kuwepo.
18 Who hoped in spite of hopeless circumstances, with the result that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "so will your descendants be."
Licha ya hali zote za nje, Abrahamu kwa ujasiri alimuamini Mungu kwa siku zijazo. Hivyo akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kulingana na kile kilichonenwa,”... Ndivyo utakavyokuwa uzao wako.”
19 And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Yeye hakuwa dhaifu katika imani. Abrahamu alikiri kwamba mwili wake mwenyewe ulikwisha kufa - alikuwa na umri wa karibu miaka mia moja. Pia alikubaliana na hali ya kufa ya tumbo la Sara.
20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
Lakini kwa sababu ya ahadi ya Mungu, Abrahamu hakusita katika kutokuamini. Bali, alitiwa nguvu katika imani na alimsifu Mungu.
21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Alikuwa akijua hakika ya kuwa kile ambacho Mungu ameahidi, alikuwa pia na uwezo wa kukikamilisha.
22 And therefore "it was credited to him as righteousness."
Kwa hiyo hii pia ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa ni haki.
23 Now it was not written that it was credited to him for his sake alone,
Sasa haikuandikwa tu kwa faida yake, kwamba ilihesabiwa kwake.
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Iliandikwa kwa ajili yetu pia, kwa waliowekewa kuhesabiwa, sisi ambao tunaamini katika yeye aliyemfufua Bwana wetu Yesu kutoka wafu.
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Huyu ni yule ambaye alitolewa kwa ajili ya makosa yetu na kufufuliwa ili tupate kuhesabiwa haki.
