Romans 4
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, hath found?
Tuseme nini basi, juu ya Abrahamu baba yetu?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
Kama Abrahamu alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kutokana na matendo yake, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia mbele ya Mungu.
3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Kwa maana, Maandiko Matakatifu yasema: “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, naye Mungu akamkubali kuwa mwadilifu.”
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
Mfanyakazi hulipwa mshahara; mshahara wake si zawadi bali ni haki yake.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
Lakini mtu asiyetegemea matendo yake mwenyewe, bali anamwamini Mungu ambaye huwasamehe waovu, basi, Mungu huijali imani ya mtu huyo, na hivi humkubali kuwa mwadilifu.
6 Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,
Naye Daudi asema hivi juu ya furaha ya mtu ambaye Mungu amemkubali kuwa mwadilifu bila kuyajali matendo yake:
7 [saying], Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.
“Heri wale waliosamehewa makosa yao ambao makosa yao yamefutwa.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.
Heri mtu yule ambaye Bwana hataziweka dhambi zake katika kumbukumbu.”
9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.
Je, hiyo ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa tu, ama pia kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Ni kwa wale wasiotahiriwa pia. Kwa maana tumekwisha sema: “Abrahamu aliamini, naye Mungu akamkubali kuwa mwadilifu.”
10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:
Je, Abrahamu alikubaliwa kabla ya kutahiriwa ama baada ya kutahiriwa? Kabla ya kutahiriwa, na si baada ya kutahiriwa.
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
Abrahamu alitahiriwa baadaye, na kutahiriwa huko kulikuwa alama iliyothibitisha kwamba Mungu alimkubali kuwa mwadilifu kwa sababu ya imani yake aliyokuwa nayo kabla ya kutahiriwa. Kwa hiyo, Abrahamu amekuwa baba wa wale wote ambao, ingawa hawakutahiriwa, wamemwamini Mungu, wakafanywa waadilifu.
12 and the father of circumcision to them 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.
Vilevile yeye ni baba wa wale waliotahiriwa; lakini si kwa kuwa wametahiriwa, bali kwa sababu wanafuata njia ileile ya imani baba yetu Abrahamu aliyofuata kabla ya kutahiriwa.
13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
Mungu alimwahidi Abrahamu na wazawa wake kwamba ulimwengu ungekuwa mali yao. Ahadi hiyo haikufanywa kwa sababu Abrahamu aliitii Sheria, bali kwa kuwa aliamini, akakubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:
Maana kama watakaopewa hayo aliyoahidi Mungu ni wale tu wanaoitii Sheria, basi, imani haina maana yoyote, nayo ahadi ya Mungu si kitu.
15 for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
Sheria husababisha ghadhabu; lakini kama hakuna Sheria, haiwezekani kuivunja.
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 seed; 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 hiyo, jambo hili lategemea imani, hivyo kwamba ahadi hiyo yatokana na neema ya Mungu, na kwamba ni hakika kuwa ahadi hiyo ni kwa ajili ya wote: si kwa wale tu wanaoishika Sheria, bali pia kwa wale waishio kwa imani kama Abrahamu. Yeye ni baba yetu sisi sote.
17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.
Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Nimekuweka uwe baba wa mataifa mengi.” Ahadi hiyo ni kweli mbele ya Mungu ambaye Abrahamu alimwamini—Mungu ambaye huwapa wafu uzima, na kwa amri yake, vitu ambavyo havikuwapo huwa.
18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Abrahamu aliamini na kutumaini ingawa hali yenyewe ilikuwa bila matumaini, na hivyo amekuwa baba wa mataifa mengi kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Wazao wako watakuwa wengi kama nyota!”
19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb:
Alikuwa mzee wa karibu miaka mia moja, lakini imani yake haikufifia ingawa alijua kwamba mwili wake ulikuwa kama umekufa, na pia mkewe, Sara, alikuwa tasa.
20 yea, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,
Abrahamu hakuionea mashaka ile ahadi ya Mungu; alipata nguvu kutokana na imani, akamtukuza Mungu.
21 and being fully assured that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Alijua kwamba Mungu anaweza kuyatekeleza yale aliyoahidi.
22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Ndiyo maana Mungu alimkubali kuwa mwadilifu.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him;
Inaposemwa, “Alimkubali,” haisemwi kwa ajili yake mwenyewe tu.
24 but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Jambo hili linatuhusu sisi pia ambao tunamwamini Mungu aliyemfufua Yesu, Bwana wetu, kutoka wafu.
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Yeye alitolewa auawe kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, akafufuka ili tupate kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu na Mungu.
