Romans 4
1 What then shall we say—as touching Abraham our forefather?
Tutasema nini tena kwamba Abrahamu, baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili, amepatikana?
2 For, if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath whereof to boast; —nevertheless, not towards God, —
Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, angekuwa na sababu ya kujisifu, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
3 For what doth the Scripture say? And Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
Kwani maandiko yanasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
4 Now, unto him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned by way of favour but by way of obligation,
Sasa kwa mtu afanyaye kazi, malipo yake hayahesabiwi kuwa ni neema, bali kuwa ni deni.
5 Whereas, unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that declareth righteous the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
Lakini kwa mtu asiyefanya kazi bali anamwamini yeye ambaye amhesabia haki asiyekuwa mtaua, imani yake mtu huyo imehesabiwa kuwa haki.
6 Just as David also affirmeth the happiness of the man unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works: —
Daudi pia hunena baraka juu ya mtu ambaye Mungu amhesabia haki pasipo matendo.
7 Happy, they whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered,
Alisema, “Wamebarikiwa wale ambao maovu yao yamesamehewa na ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
8 Happy, the man whose sin the Lord will in nowise reckon.
Amebarikiwa mtu yule ambaye Bwana hamhesabii dhambi.”
9 This happiness, then, [is it] for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision? for we say—His faith was reckoned unto 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 reckoned? 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 And, a sign, he received [namely] of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end [the same] righteousness might be reckoned unto 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 And father of circumcision—unto them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, while yet uncircumcised, of our father Abraham.
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, not through means of law, doth the promise belong unto Abraham or unto his seed, —that he should be heir of the world; but, through a righteousness by 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 they who are of law are heirs, made void is faith and of no effect is the promise.
Kwa maana kama wale wa sheria ndio warithi, imani imekuwa bure, na ahadi imebatilika.
15 For, the law, worketh out anger, but, where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
Kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu, lakini pale ambapo hakuna sheria, pia hakuna kutotii.
16 For this cause, it is by faith, in order that it may be by way of favour, so that the promise is firm unto all the seed, —not unto that by the law only, but unto that also [which is such] by the faith of Abraham; who is 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 Even as it is written—Father of many nations, have I appointed thee: before him whom he believed—God, who causeth the dead to live, and calleth the things that are not as things that are: —
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, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, —according to what had been said—So shall be thy seed; —
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, without becoming weak in his faith, he attentively considered his own body, already deadened—he being a hundred years old, the deadening also 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 In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God,
Lakini kwa sababu ya ahadi ya Mungu, Abrahamu hakusita katika kutokuamini. Bali, alitiwa nguvu katika imani na alimsifu Mungu.
21 And being fully persuaded (that), —what he hath promised, able is he also to perform:
Alikuwa akijua hakika ya kuwa kile ambacho Mungu ameahidi, alikuwa pia na uwezo wa kukikamilisha.
22 Wherefore [also], it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
Kwa hiyo hii pia ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa ni haki.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was reckoned unto him,
Sasa haikuandikwa tu kwa faida yake, kwamba ilihesabiwa kwake.
24 But for our sakes also—unto whom it is to be reckoned, —even unto them that believe upon him who raised Jesus our Lord from among 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 on account of our offences and was raised on account of the declaring us righteous.
Huyu ni yule ambaye alitolewa kwa ajili ya makosa yetu na kufufuliwa ili tupate kuhesabiwa haki.
