Romans 4
1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
Tuseme nini basi, juu ya Abrahamu baba yetu?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not towards God.
Kama Abrahamu alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kutokana na matendo yake, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia mbele ya Mungu.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Kwa maana, Maandiko Matakatifu yasema: “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, naye Mungu akamkubali kuwa mwadilifu.”
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.
Mfanyakazi hulipwa mshahara; mshahara wake si zawadi bali ni haki yake.
5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted 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 pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Naye Daudi asema hivi juu ya furaha ya mtu ambaye Mungu amemkubali kuwa mwadilifu bila kuyajali matendo yake:
7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
“Heri wale waliosamehewa makosa yao ambao makosa yao yamefutwa.
8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”
Heri mtu yule ambaye Bwana hataziweka dhambi zake katika kumbukumbu.”
9 Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham 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 counted? 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 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 those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to 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 He is 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.
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 the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, 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 those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no 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 produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
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 offspring, 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, “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 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 Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring 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 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (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 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew 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 also able to perform.
Alijua kwamba Mungu anaweza kuyatekeleza yale aliyoahidi.
22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”
Ndiyo maana Mungu alimkubali kuwa mwadilifu.
23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
Inaposemwa, “Alimkubali,” haisemwi kwa ajili yake mwenyewe tu.
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who 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.
