Romatɔwo 4
1 Azɔ nu ka gblɔ ge míala tso mía tɔgbui Abraham, ame si ƒe ŋutinya míese le nya sia me la ŋuti?
What shall we say then that Abraham our father obtained according to the flesh?
2 Ne ele eme vavã be wotso afia na Abraham to eƒe dɔwɔwɔwo me la, ekema nane li si ŋuti wòaƒo adegbe le, gake menye le Mawu ŋkume o.
for if Abraham were justified by works, he hath something to boast of; but this he hath not before God:
3 Nu ka Ŋɔŋlɔ Kɔkɔe la gblɔ? “Abraham xɔ Mawu dzi se, eye wobui nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee.”
for what saith the scripture? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
4 Azɔ ne ame aɖe wɔ dɔ la, ekema eƒe fetu menye nunana o, ke boŋ enye eƒe dɔdeasi.
Now to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned as a favor, but as a debt:
5 Ke ne ame aɖe mewɔ dɔ o, gake wòxɔ Mawu, ame si tsoa afia na ame vɔ̃ɖi dzi se la, ekema woabu eƒe xɔse nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee.
but to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
6 David gblɔ nya sia ke esi wòƒo nu tso ame si Mawu bu ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe yayra ŋu dɔ wɔwɔ manɔmee be,
As David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom: God imputeth righteousness without works, saying,
7 “Woayra ame siwo wotsɔ woƒe dzidadawo ke wo, kple ame siwo wotsyɔ nu woƒe nu vɔ̃wo dzi la.
"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered:
8 Woayra ŋutsu si ƒe nu vɔ̃ Aƒetɔ la mabu nɛ o la.”
blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin."
9 Ɖe yayra sia nye aʋatsotsotɔwo ɖeɖe ko tɔ alo enye ame siwo menye aʋamatsomatsotɔwo hã tɔa? Míegblɔna be Mawu bu Abraham ƒe xɔse nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee.
Now is this blessedness upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
10 Nu ka ta wobu Abraham ƒe xɔse nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee ɖo? Ɖe wobui nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee le eƒe aʋatsotso megbe alo do ŋgɔ na eƒe aʋatsotsoa? Menye le eƒe aʋatsotso megbe o, ke boŋ do ŋgɔ na eƒe aʋatsotso!
How then was it accounted to him? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 Exɔ aʋatsotso si nye eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe nutrenu ƒe dzesi si wòxɔ la esime wometso aʋa nɛ o. Esia ta Abraham nye ame siwo katã xɔ se, gake wometso aʋa na wo o la fofo, be woabui na wo dzɔdzɔenyenyee.
And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all that believe though not circumcised, that righteousness may be imputed to them also:
12 Abraham ganye ame siwo katã wotso aʋa na la fofo, ame siwo mexɔ aʋatsotso ɖeɖe ko o, ke boŋ wonɔ agbe le xɔse me abe ale si mía fofo Abraham hã nɔ agbee hafi wotso aʋa nɛ ene.
and the father of circumcision to those, who not only are of the circumcision, but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
13 Menye to se la mee Abraham kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo xɔ ŋugbedodo la le be anye xexea me ƒe domenyila o, ke boŋ to dzɔdzɔenyenye si tso xɔse mee.
For the promise made to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of faith:
14 Elabena ne ame siwo le agbe le se la nu nye domenyilawo la, ekema xɔse menye viɖenu o, eye ŋugbedodo la nye yakanu,
for if they only that are of the law be heirs, faith is made useless, and the promise is become of no effect.
15 elabena se la hea dɔmedzoe vanɛ. Eye afi si se mele o la, nu vɔ̃ menɔa anyi o.
Now the law worketh wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 Eya ta ŋugbedodo la vana to xɔse me be wòanye amenuveve, eye wòanye Abraham ƒe dzidzimeviwo katã, menye ame siwo le se la te ɖeɖe ko o, ke boŋ ame siwo si xɔse le abe Abraham ene. Eyae nye mí katã fofo.
And therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, that so the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17 Abe ale si Ŋɔŋlɔ Kɔkɔe la gblɔ ene be: “Meɖo wò dukɔ geɖewo fofo.” Eyae nye mía fofo le Mawu ŋkume, ame si dzi wòxɔ se, Mawu, ame si naa agbe ame kukuwo, eye wòyɔa nu siwo meli o la abe ɖe woli ene.
(as it is written, "I have made thee a father of many nations,") in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not as if they were:
18 Togbɔ be mɔkpɔkpɔ aɖeke megali o hã la, Abraham kpɔ mɔ le xɔse me, eye wòzu dukɔ geɖewo fofo, abe ale si wogblɔ nɛ ene be, “Nenema anye wò dzidzimeviwo.”
who against hope believed, with hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was said unto him, "So shall thy seed be."
19 Megbɔdzɔ le xɔse me o, eya ta mebu be yeƒe ŋutilã ku, esi wòxɔ abe ƒe alafa ɖeka ene, eye Sara hã ƒe vidzidɔ ku na vidzidzi o.
And not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, being about an hundred years old; nor the deadness of Sarah's womb.
20 Ke meke ɖi le Mawu ƒe ŋugbedodo la ŋuti le dzimaxɔse me o, ke boŋ edo ŋusẽ eƒe xɔse, eye wòtsɔ ŋutikɔkɔe na Mawu,
He hesitated not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21 eye wòka ɖe edzi blibo be Mawu ate ŋu awɔ nu sia nu si ŋugbe wòdo la.
and being fully persuaded, that what was promised He was able to perform:
22 Nu sia ta “wobui nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee” ɖo.
and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 Gake menye eya ɖeɖe ta woŋlɔ ɖi be “wobui nɛ dzɔdzɔenyenyee” o,
Now it was not written on his account only, that it was imputed to him:
24 ke míawo hã tae, mí ame siwo Mawu abui na dzɔdzɔenyenyee, mí ame siwo xɔa ame si fɔ Yesu, míaƒe Aƒetɔ la ɖe tsitre tso ame kukuwo dome dzi sena.
but for our sakes also, to him it will be imputed, as we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead:
25 Eku ɖe míaƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta, eye wofɔe ɖe tsitre ɖe afiatsotso na mí ta.
who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
