Romans 11
1 Because of that, [if anyone should ask], “Has God rejected his people [the Jews?” I would declare that] he certainly has not [rejected all of us! You can realize that by remembering that] I also belong to the [people of] Israel. I am a descendant of Abraham, and I belong to the tribe of Benjamin, [but God has not rejected me]!
Lapho-ke ngiyabuza ngithi: Kanti uNkulunkulu wabalahla yini abantu bakhe? Hatshi akunjalo! Mina uqobo ngingumʼIsrayeli inzalo ka-Abhrahama, owesizwana sikaBhenjamini.
2 No, God has not rejected his people, whom he chose long ago [to be people whom he would bless in a special way]. Remember [RHQ] what is written [PRS] in the Scriptures about Elijah when he [mistakenly] complained to God about [the people of] Israel, saying,
UNkulunkulu kabalahlanga abantu bakhe abazi kuqala. Kalikwazi yini ukuthi uMbhalo uthini esahlukwaneni ngo-Elija, ukuthi wakhalaza njani kuNkulunkulu esola u-Israyeli esithi:
3 “Lord, they have killed [the rest of] your [(sg)] prophets, they have destroyed your altars. I am the only one [who believes in you] who remains [alive], and now they are trying to kill me!”
“Nkosi, bababulele abaphrofethi bakho, badiliza lama-alithare akho; yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo bafuna ukungibulala?”
4 God answered him like this: “[You(sg) are not the only one who believes in me]! I have protected for myself [not just you, but] 7,000 [other] men who have not worshipped [the false god] Baal. (Remember that!/Do you not remember that?) [RHQ]”
Impendulo kaNkulunkulu kuye yathini na? Yathi, “Ngizigodlele mina ngokwami abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa abangamkhothamelanga uBhali.”
5 So, similarly, there is also at this time a small group [of us Jews] who have become [believers. God] has chosen us [to become believers] (OR, [his people]) only because he acts kindly toward us, in ways that we do not deserve.
Ngakho futhi, ngalesisikhathi kulensalela ezakhethwa ngomusa.
6 Since it is because he acts kindly [toward those whom he chooses, it is] not because they have done good things [that he has chosen them]. If [God chose people because they did good deeds], then it would not be because he was acting toward them in a way that they did not deserve.
Njalo nxa kungomusa, ngakho akuseyikho ngemisebenzi; nxa kwakunjalo, umusa wawungeke ube usaba ngumusa.
7 [Since God chose only some people of Israel], [this is what I conclude: [RHQ] Most of the people of] Israel did not find [the way for him to erase the record of their sins], even though some of them were earnestly looking for it. The [people of Israel whom God had] chosen found it, but the rest [of them] were {[God]} made spiritually insensitive/unresponsive.
Pho-ke? Lokho u-Israyeli akufuna ngokuzimisela kakuzuzanga, kodwa abakhethiweyo bakuthola. Abanye baba lukhuni,
8 [Our] fellow Jews are just like the [ones] about whom Isaiah wrote, God (caused their senses to be dull/made them unable to think clearly). Up to this very day, [they have] eyes but they cannot see [spiritually] [MET]. [They have] ears, but they cannot understand [spiritually] what they hear.
njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “UNkulunkulu wabanika umoya wokozela, lamehlo ukuze bangaboni, lendlebe ukuze bangezwa, kuze kube lamhla.”
9 And [they remind me of what King] David said, [when he asked God to cause his enemies’ senses to be dull] [MET], [Make them stupid] [MTY], [like animals that are] caught in snares! May they [feel secure because of the things that they enjoy but which will catch them like a] trap [DOU, MET], with the result that you will destroy them.
Njalo uDavida uthi: “Sengathi itafula yabo ingaba ngumjibila lesifu, isikhubekiso kanye lesijeziso kubo.
10 May their ability to perceive [danger] be dulled {Dull their ability to perceive [spiritually]} [MET], with the result that they will not [become alarmed] [MET] [when there is danger]. May you cause them to carry heavy loads on their backs continually [as slaves do] [MTY].
Sengathi amehlo abo angafiphala ukuze bangaboni, lamaqolo abo akhokhobe kokuphela.”
11 [Perhaps someone will ask], “[When the Jews] sinned [by not believing in Christ, did] it result in their separating themselves from God [permanently?]” Then I [would reply], [No], they have certainly not [separated themselves from God permanently]! What is happening is that because they sinned, [God] is saving non-Jews in order to cause [the Jews] to envy [the way he blesses non-Jews and so ask Christ to save them].
Ngiyabuza njalo ngithi: Kambe bangabe bakhubeka bawa okungangokuthi kakuselakuphepha na? Akunjalo! Kodwa ngenxa yesiphambeko sabo, ukusindiswa sekufikile kwabeZizwe ukuba kwenze u-Israyeli abe lomona.
12 [When the Jews] sinned (OR, rejected Christ), [the result was that God] abundantly [blessed other people in] [MTY] the world by [offering them the opportunity to believe]. And [when the Jews] failed [spiritually, the result was that God] abundantly [blessed] the non-Jews. Since that is true, think how wonderful it will be when the complete number [of the Jews whom God has chosen will believe in Christ] [RHQ]!
Kodwa nxa isiphambeko sabo sisitsho inotho emhlabeni, lencithakalo yabo isitsho inotho kwabeZizwe, inkulu kangakanani inotho elethwa yikuphelela kwabo!
13 Now it is to you non-Jews that I am saying [what follows]. I am the one who is the apostle to non-Jews, and I highly esteem this work [that God appointed] me to do.
Ngikhuluma lani lina abeZizwe. Njengoba ngingumpostoli wabezizwe, ngikhulisa inkonzo yami
14 But I also hope that [by my labors] I will make my fellow Jews (jealous/want what you non-Jews have), [with the result that] some of them will [believe and] be saved.
ngethemba lokuthi mhlawumbe ngingavusa umona ebantwini bakithi ngisilise abanye babo.
15 [God] has rejected [most of my fellow Jews because they refused to believe, with the result that] he reconciled [many other people in] the world [MTY] [to himself]. But he will accept [my fellow Jews again when they trust in Christ]! And (this is what the result will be./do you know what the result will be?) [RHQ] It will be [as though God is making them] alive again after they have been dead!
Ngoba nxa ukulahlwa kwabo kuyikubuyisana komhlaba, ukwamukelwa kwabo kuzakuba yini na ngaphandle kokuphila okuvela kwabafileyo?
16 [Just like] the whole lump [of dough] will belong to God if [people offer] to God [MET] the [bread baked from] the first part [of it] [MET], [so the Jews will belong to God because their ancestors belonged to God]. And just like the branches [of a tree] will be good if the roots are good [MET], [so the descendants of our great Jewish ancestors who belonged to God will also some day belong to God].
Nxa ingxenye yenhlama enikelwe njengezithelo zakuqala ingcwele, injalo yonke enye; nxa impande zingcwele, zinjalo lezingatsha.
17 [God has rejected] many of [the Jews] [MET], [like] branches [of a tree] are broken off {[like people] break off [dead] branches [of a tree]}. And each of you [non-Jews whom God has accepted is like] [MET] [a branch of] a wild/uncultivated olive tree [that] was {[that someone]} grafted among the branches (OR, onto one of the branches) [that were left on a cultivated olive tree]. [God has caused] you [to benefit from how he blessed our(exc) first Jewish ancestors, as branches] benefit from the nutritious sap from the roots of a [cultivated] olive tree [MET].
Nxa ezinye ingatsha zephulwe, njalo wena, lanxa ulihlumela lomʼoliva weganga, usuxhunyelelwe phakathi kwezinye njalo usuhlanganyela emhluzini okhulisayo ovela empandeni zomʼoliva,
18 However, you [non-Jews] must not despise [the Jews whom God rejected] [MET], [who are like] the branches that [were broken off from the tree] If any of you [wants to] boast [about having received blessings from God], [remember this: Branches] do not nourish the roots. Instead the roots nourish [the branches] [MET]. [Similarly, you are blessed by God because of what] you [have received from the Jews! It is not what the Jews have received from] you [that blesses them] [MET]!
ungazincomi ngalezongatsha. Nxa ukwenza, cabanga ngalokhu: Impande kakusuwe oyithwalayo, kodwa impande yiyo ekuthweleyo.
19 If one of you then says, “[God rejected the Jews] [MET] [like] branches [MET] that are broken {that people broke} off [a tree and rejected], in order that [he might accept us non-Jews, as] branches [MET] of a tree are grafted in {[as people] graft in branches of a tree},”
Lapho-ke lina lizakuthi, “Ingatsha zephulwa ukuze mina ngixhunyelelwe.”
20 [I would reply that] this is true. However, it is because the Jews did not believe [in Christ] that they were rejected [MET] {that [God] rejected [MET] them}. As for you, it is [only] because you believe [in Christ] that [God has accepted] you! [So] do not [any of you] become proud, but instead beware [of what could happen to you]
Yebo. Kodwa zephulwa ngenxa yokungakholwa, kodwa lina limi ngokukholwa. Lingazikhukhumezi, kodwa yesabani.
21 Since God did not spare [the unbelieving Jews] [MET] [who were like a tree’s] natural branches, he will not spare any of you [if you do] not [keep trusting in him]!
Ngoba nxa uNkulunkulu engaziyekelanga ingatsha zemvelo, lani kasoze aliyekele.
22 Note then, that God acts kindly, but he also acts severely. He has acted severely toward [the Jews] who have stopped trusting in him. On the other hand, he acts kindly toward each of you [non-Jews only] if you continue [to appreciate his acting] kindly [toward you]. However, you will be rejected {[he] will reject you} if you do not [keep trusting in him].
Ngakho cabangani ngesisa njalo lobulukhuni bukaNkulunkulu: ubulukhuni kulabo abawayo, kodwa isisa kini, nxa liqhubeka esiseni sakhe. Kungenjalo, lani lizaqunywa.
23 And if the Jews believe [in Christ] [LIT], God also will [reunite them to himself as] branches are grafted {[as people] graft branches} into [a tree again], because God is able to do that.
Njalo nxa bengaphikeleli ngokungakholwa, bazaxhunyelelwa, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyenelisa ukubaxhumelela futhi.
24 Each of you [non-Jews who were previously separated from God has benefited from the ways in which God blessed the Jews] [MET]. [That is like taking branches] that have been cut {that someone has cut} from a wild olive tree that just grew [without being planted] {[someone planting it]} and, contrary to what people usually do, grafting them into a cultivated olive tree. So God will much more readily [receive back the Jews because they belonged to him before] [MET]! [That will be like] the original branches [that had been cut off] being grafted {like grafting the original branches [that someone cut off], } back into the olive tree to which they [originally belonged]!
Phezu kwalokho, nxa laliqunywe esihlahleni somʼoliva weganga ngemvelo, kwathi ngokuphambene lemvelo laxhunyelelwa esihlahleni se-oliva esilinywayo, pho kuzakuba lula kakhulu okunjani kulezi, ingatsha zemvelo, ukuba zixhunyelelwe esihlahleni sazo se-oliva.
25 My [non-Jewish] fellow believers, I certainly want you to understand [LIT] this truth that God has now revealed [about my fellow Jews who are refusing to believe]. You should not proudly think [that] God [now favors you] more [than the Jews] (OR, [that you understand God’s further plans for the Jews]). Many [people of] Israel will continue to be stubborn until all the non-Jews [whom God has chosen have believed in Jesus].
Bazalwane, kangifuni ukuthi lingaze lazi ngale imfihlakalo, ukuze lingazikhukhumezi: U-Israyeli useyibonile ingxenye yokuba lukhuni inani elipheleleyo labeZizwe lize lingene.
26 And then all [HYP] [the people of] Israel will be saved {[God] will save all [HYP] [the people of] Israel}. Then these words that are written {that [a prophet] wrote} [in the Scriptures will] ([become true/be fulfilled]): The one who sets [his people] free will originate from [the place where] God dwells (OR, from the Jews) [MTY]. Then he will remove the guilt of the Israelite people (OR, descendants of Jacob) [MTY].
Ngokunjalo u-Israyeli wonke uzasindiswa, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Umkhululi uzafika eZiyoni: uzasusa kuJakhobe ukungakholwa.
27 And [as God says], The contract that I will make with them is that I will forgive their sins.
Lesi yisivumelwano sami labo lapho ngizisusa izono zabo.”
28 With regard to [the Jews rejecting] the good message [about Christ, God treats] them as enemies, which has benefited you [non-Jews]. But in regard to [their being the people whom God] chose, [God still] loves them because of [what he promised] their ancestors.
Mayelana levangeli, bayizitha ngenxa yenu; kodwa mayelana lokukhetha, bayathandwa ngenxa yabokhokho,
29 [He still loves them], because he never changed his mind about the privileges/blessings he [gave to them] and about his choosing [them to be his people].
ngoba izipho zikaNkulunkulu lokubiza kwakhe akuguquleki.
30 You [non-Jews] once disobeyed God, but now he has acted mercifully towards you because the [Jews] disobeyed him.
Njengoba lina elake ladelela uNkulunkulu khathesi selamukele umusa ngenxa yokudelela kwabo,
31 Now the Jews have disobeyed God. The result is that by the very same way in which he acted mercifully towards you, he will act mercifully towards them [again].
ngokunjalo labo, ngenxa yomusa kaNkulunkulu kini, kabasalaleli ukuze labo khathesi bamukele umusa.
32 God has declared and proved that all people, [both Jews and non-Jews] [MET], disobey ([him/his laws]). He has declared that because he wants to act mercifully towards us all. (eleēsē g1653)
Ngoba uNkulunkulu ubophele abantu bonke ekudeleleni ukuze abe lomusa kubo bonke. (eleēsē g1653)
33 [I marvel how] vast and great are the wise things that God [has done] and what he has [always] known [DOU]! We are completely unable to understand the things that he has decided and the ways [in which he acts toward us] [DOU]!
Yeka ukuzika kwenotho yenhlakanipho kanye lokwazi kukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukwahlulela kwakhe okungeke kuhlolwe, kanye lezindlela zakhe ezingeke zilandelwe!
34 [I remember the Scriptures that say], (No one has known what the Lord thinks./Who has known what the Lord thinks?) [RHQ] (Absolutely no one has given him advice [about what he should do!]/Who has advised him [about what he should do]?) [RHQ]
“Ngubani owake wayazi ingqondo yeNkosi na? Loba owake waba ngumcebisi wayo na?”
35 And, (No one has given anything to God that [he did not previously receive from God!]/Has anyone given anything to God that [he did not previously receive from God]?) [RHQ] So God (is not obligated to/does not have to) pay back anything to anyone!
“Ngubani owake wanika uNkulunkulu ulutho ukuba uNkulunkulu aluhlawule na?”
36 God [is the one who created] all things. He is also the one who [sustains all things]. The reason that he created them was that [everything he created might praise] him. May [all people] honor him forever! (May it be so!/Amen!) (aiōn g165)
Ngoba izinto zonke zivela kuye langaye njalo futhi zikuye. Udumo kalube kuye kuze kube laphakade! Ameni. (aiōn g165)
