< Ahibirania 11 >
1 Rĩu-rĩ, gwĩtĩkia nĩkũgĩa na ma ya maũndũ marĩa twĩrĩgĩrĩire, na kũmenya na ma atĩ maũndũ marĩa tũtonaga marĩ ho.
It is because people trust [God] that they are sure that they will receive the things that they confidently expect [God to give them]. They are also certain [that they will see those things], though no one sees them yet.
2 Ũndũ ũcio nĩguo watũmire andũ arĩa maarĩ kuo tene magaathĩrĩrio.
It was because our ancestors trusted in God that they pleased him.
3 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩtũmenyaga atĩ thĩ yothe yombirwo na kiugo kĩa Ngai, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio indo iria cionagwo itiathondekirwo kuuma kũrĩ indo iria cionekanaga. (aiōn )
It is because we trust in God that we understand that he formed the universe by commanding [it to exist]. The result is that the things that we see were not made from things that already existed. (aiōn )
4 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Habili nĩarutĩire Ngai igongona rĩega gũkĩra rĩa Kaini. Na nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia nĩagathĩrĩirio ta mũndũ mũthingu rĩrĩa Ngai aaheanire ũira mwega nĩ gwĩtĩkĩra maruta make. Na nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia o na rĩu no aaragia o na gũtuĩka nĩakuire.
It was because [Adam’s son] Abel trusted God that he sacrificed something better to God than what [his older brother] Cain offered to God. Because Abel did that, when God spoke well about what Abel sacrificed, God declared that Abel was righteous. And although Abel is dead, we still learn from him [about trusting God].
5 Na ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Enoku nĩeheririo mũtũũrĩre-inĩ ũyũ, nĩguo ndagacame gĩkuũ; na ndacookire kuonwo tondũ Ngai nĩamweheririe. Nĩgũkorwo ataneherio, nĩagathĩrĩirio atĩ aarĩ mũndũ wakenagia Ngai.
It was because Enoch believed [God that God] took him [up to heaven]. The result was that he did not die. No one found him, because he was taken up {[God] had removed him} from the earth [to heaven]. Before [God] took him away, [he] testified that Enoch pleased him well.
6 Na rĩrĩ, gũtarĩ na wĩtĩkio gũtingĩhoteka gũkenia Ngai, tondũ mũndũ ũrĩa wothe ũũkaga harĩ we no nginya etĩkie atĩ nĩ kũrĩ Ngai, na atĩ nĩwe ũheaga arĩa othe mamũcaragia na kĩyo iheo ciao.
It is possible for people to please God only if they trust God, because anyone who wants to come to God must first believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek [to know] him.
7 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Nuhu aamenyithirio ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa matoonekete-rĩ, nĩaakire thabina arĩ na wĩtigiri wa ngoro nĩguo ahonokie andũ a nyũmba yake. Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia gwake nĩatuĩrĩire thĩ ciira, na agĩtuĩka mũgai wa ũthingu ũrĩa uumanaga na gwĩtĩkia.
It was because Noah trusted [God] that after he was warned by God {after [God] warned him} about [a flood that] had not yet happened, Noah [showed that he] revered God by building a huge ship to save his family. By doing that, he [showed all the people who did not believe him] [MTY] [that they deserved to be condemned] {[that God would] condemn them}. He was someone whom God declared to be righteous because of his trusting in God.
8 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu rĩrĩa eetirwo athiĩ bũrũri ũrĩa aaheagwo ũtuĩke igai rĩake, nĩathĩkire na agĩthiĩ, o na akorwo ndaamenyaga kũrĩa aathiiaga.
It was because Abraham trusted God that when he was told to go {when [God] told him to go}, he obeyed [God], he left [his own country], and went to a place that God would give him. Abraham left his own country, even though he did not know where he would be going.
9 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, agĩtuĩka mũtũũri bũrũri-inĩ wa kĩĩranĩro ahaana ta mũgeni bũrũri-inĩ wene; aatũũraga hema-inĩ, o ũndũ ũmwe na Isaaka na Jakubu, arĩa maarĩ agai a kĩĩranĩro kĩu hamwe nake.
It was because Abraham trusted God that he lived as though he was a foreigner in the land that [God] had promised to him. Abraham lived in tents, and his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob did also. God promised to give to Isaac and Jacob the same things that he promised to give Abraham.
10 Nĩgũkorwo nĩataanyaga kuona itũũra rĩrĩ na mĩthingi mĩrũmu, rĩrĩa mũthondeki na mwaki warĩo nĩ Ngai.
Abraham was waiting to live in a city [in heaven] that would exist forever [MET]. It was a city that God is building [DOU].
11 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu, o na gũtuĩka nĩatindĩkĩte matukũ, nake Sara aarĩ thaata, nĩahotithirio gũtuĩka ithe wa mwana tondũ nĩatuĩte atĩ Ũrĩa weranĩire kĩĩranĩro kĩu aarĩ mwĩhokeku.
It was because Abraham trusted God that God gave Abraham strength so that he [was] able to produce a son. Even though his wife Sarah was past the age [when women bear children], [God] promised [that he would give her a son], and Abraham considered that God would do what he promised to do.
12 Na nĩ ũndũ ũcio kuuma harĩ mũndũ ũyũ ũmwe, o na aarĩ ta mũndũ mũkuũ-rĩ, gũgĩciarwo njiaro nyingĩ o ta njata cia igũrũ, o na ta mũthanga ũrĩa ũtangĩtarĩka ũrĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia iria.
So, although Abraham was also too old to have children, so many people descended from that one man that they were as numerous as the stars in the sky and are as countless as the grains of sand along the seashore, [just like God promised him].
13 Andũ aya othe maatũũrire marũmĩtie wĩtĩkio nginya rĩrĩa maakuire. Matiigana kũhingĩrio maũndũ marĩa meerĩirwo; no nĩmamonaga marĩ o kũraya na makamakenera. Nao nĩmoimbũraga atĩ o nĩ ageni na agendi gũkũ thĩ.
It was while they still trusted in God that all those people died. Even though they had not yet received the things that God had promised to give them, [it was as though] they saw those things in a distance. They were glad [to know] about what God promised. It was as though they admitted that they were not from this earth, but that they were only here temporarily.
14 Andũ arĩa moigaga maũndũ ta macio monanagia atĩ nĩ gwetha methaga bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ wao kĩũmbe.
As for those people who talk like that, they clearly show that they long for [a place that will become] their true native land.
15 Korwo nĩmeeciiragia ũhoro wa bũrũri ũrĩa moimĩte-rĩ, nĩ mangĩagĩte na mweke wa gũcooka kuo.
If they had been thinking about [that place being] the place from which they had come, they would have taken the opportunity to return there.
16 Handũ ha ũguo, o meeriragĩria bũrũri mwega kũrĩ ũcio, naguo nĩ bũrũri wa igũrũ. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ngai ndaconokaga gwĩtwo Ngai wao, nĩgũkorwo nĩahaarĩirie itũũra inene nĩ ũndũ wao.
But, instead, they desired a better [place in which to live]; that is, they desired [a home] in heaven. So God has prepared a city for them to live [with him], and he is pleased [LIT] for them to say that he is their God.
17 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Iburahĩmu, rĩrĩa aageririo nĩ Ngai, nĩarutire Isaaka atuĩke igongona. Ũcio werĩirwo ciĩranĩro nĩehaarĩirie kũruta mũrũ wake wa mũmwe igongona,
It was because Abraham trusted [God] that he [was ready to] kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice when [God] tested him. This same man to whom [God] promised [to give] ([a son/many descendants]) was going to sacrifice [that same son], the only son [whom his own wife had borne]!
18 o na gũtuĩka Ngai nĩamwĩrĩte atĩrĩ, “Rũciaro rũrĩa rũgeetanio nawe rũkoima harĩ Isaaka.”
It was to Abraham that God said, “It is [only] from Isaac that I will consider your family to descend.”
19 Iburahĩmu nĩatuĩte na ngoro atĩ Ngai no ariũkie mũndũ mũkuũ, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio no kwĩrwo na ngerekano atĩ nĩacookeirio Isaaka ta oimĩte kũrĩ arĩa akuũ.
Abraham considered that [to fulfill that promise], God could make [Isaac] live again [even if] he had died [after Abraham sacrificed him]! The result was that when Abraham did receive Isaac back [after God told him not to harm Isaac], it was as though he received him back even after he died.
20 Na ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Isaaka nĩarathimire Jakubu na Esaũ akĩratha ũhoro wa matukũ mao ma thuutha.
It was because Isaac trusted God that he [prayed that after he died, God would] bless [his] sons Jacob and Esau.
21 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Jakubu, rĩrĩa aarĩ hakuhĩ gũkua, nĩarathimire ariũ a Jusufu, o mũndũ riita rĩake, na akĩhooya Ngai enyiitĩrĩire mũthĩgi wake.
It was because Jacob trusted God that, as he was dying, he [prayed that God would] bless each of the sons of [his own son Joseph]. He worshipped God as he leaned upon his walking stick [before he died].
22 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Jusufu, nake, ihinda rĩake rĩa mũthia rĩakuhĩrĩria, nĩaririe ũhoro wa gũthaama kwa andũ a Isiraeli kuuma bũrũri wa Misiri, na agĩathana ũhoro ũkoniĩ mahĩndĩ make.
It was because Joseph trusted God that, when he was about to die [in Egypt], he anticipated the time when the Israelis would leave Egypt; and he instructed [that] his people [should carry] his bones [with them when they] ([left Egypt/returned to Canaan]).
23 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, aciari a Musa nĩmamũhithire ihinda rĩa mĩeri ĩtatũ kuuma aaciarwo tondũ nĩmoonire aarĩ mwana mwega, na matietigĩrire watho wa mũthamaki.
It was because Moses’ father and mother trusted God that they hid [their son] for three months shortly after he was born, because they saw that he was so beautiful. They were not afraid of [disobeying] what the king of Egypt had commanded, [namely, that all the Jewish male babies must be killed].
24 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, Musa rĩrĩa aatuĩkire mũndũ mũgima nĩaregire gwĩtwo mũrũ wa mwarĩ wa Firaũni.
The daughter of the [king, whom they called] Pharaoh, [raised] Moses, but when he had grown up, it was because he trusted God that he refused to [accept the privileges that would have been his if people] considered that he was (the son of the king’s daughter/the king’s own grandson).
25 Nĩathuurire kũnyariiranĩrio hamwe na andũ a Ngai, handũ ha gwĩkenia na mĩago ya wĩhia ya ihinda inini.
He decided that it was better for others to mistreat him for a time along with the Israeli people, than to temporarily enjoy living sinfully [in the King’s palace].
26 We nĩatuire atĩ kũmenwo nĩ ũndũ wa Kristũ nĩ uumithio mũnene gũkĩra ũtonga wa Misiri, nĩ tondũ nĩacũthagĩrĩria gũkaaheo kĩheo.
This is because he decided that if he suffered for the Messiah, it would be worth far more [in God’s sight] than his owning all the treasures of Egypt [that he would receive as Pharaoh’s heir. He decided that] because he looked forward to the time when [God would give him] an [eternal] reward.
27 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩoimire Misiri ategwĩtigĩra marakara ma mũthamaki; nĩakirĩrĩirie tondũ nĩoonire Ũrĩa ũtonekaga.
It was because he trusted God that he left Egypt. He was not afraid that the king would be angry [because of his doing that]. He (kept going/did not turn back) because [it was as though] he kept seeing [God], whom no one can see.
28 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩarũmirie gĩathĩ kĩa Bathaka na ũhoro wa kũminjaminjanĩrio gwa thakame, nĩguo mwanangi wa marigithathi ndakae kũhutia marigithathi ma andũ a Isiraeli.
It was because Moses believed [that God would save his own people] that he instituted the [festival called] Passover. He did that [by commanding that the people should kill lambs and] sprinkle their blood [on their] doorposts. They did that in order that [the angel who] causes people to die would not kill [EUP] the oldest male Israelites [when he killed the oldest sons in each Egyptian family].
29 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, andũ nĩmatuĩkanĩirie Iria Itune taarĩ thĩ nyũmũ maagereire; no rĩrĩa andũ a Misiri maageririe gwĩka ũguo, makĩrindanio nĩ maaĩ.
It was because they trusted God that [when] the [Israelite] people walked through [where] the Red Sea [had been, it was] as [though they walked] on dry land! But, when the [army of] Egypt also attempted to [cross that same water], they drowned, because [the sea came back and flooded them]!
30 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, thingo cia Jeriko nĩciagũire andũ maarĩkia gũcithiũrũrũka matukũ mũgwanja.
It was because the [Israeli] people trusted God that the walls around Jericho [city] collapsed, after the Israelis marched around the walls for seven days.
31 Nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, mũmaraya ũrĩa wetagwo Rahabu, tondũ wa kũnyiita athigaani ũgeni, ndoraganĩirio na andũ arĩa maarĩ aremi.
Rahab [had been] a prostitute, but because she trusted God, she did not perish with those [inside Jericho] who disobeyed [God. Joshua sent some spies] into the city [in order] to find ways to destroy it, but God saved her because she welcomed those spies [peaceably].
32 Ingiuga atĩa ũngĩ? Ndirĩ na ihinda rĩa kũheana ũhoro wa Gideoni, na wa Baraka, na wa Samusoni, na wa Jefitha, na wa Daudi, na wa Samũeli, o na wa anabii,
I do not know what more I should say [RHQ] [about others who trusted in God]. It would take too much time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the [other] prophets.
33 acio othe nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtĩkia-rĩ, nĩmatooririe mothamaki, na magĩĩka maũndũ ma kĩhooto, na makĩĩgwatĩra kĩrĩa kĩeranĩirwo; nao makĩhinga mĩrũũthi tũnua,
It was because they trusted God that some of them [did great things for him]. Some conquered lands ruled by powerful men. Some ruled [Israel] and justly [punished those men and nations who rebelled against God]. Some obtained [from God] the things that he promised to give them [MTY].
34 na makĩhoria mwaki warĩrĩmbũkaga, na makĩhonokio matikaniinwo na rũhiũ rwa njora; ũhinyaru wao wagarũrirwo ũgĩtuĩka hinya; ningĩ maarũire na ũcamba mbaara-inĩ na magĩtooria mbũtũ cia ita cia ndũrĩrĩ ingĩ.
Some forced lions to keep their mouths shut. Some escaped from being destroyed by fire. Some of those people escaped from [being killed with] a sword [MTY]. Some of those [people who trusted God] were made strong {became mighty} again after they had once been weak. Some became powerful when they fought wars. Some caused armies [that came from foreign lands] to run away from them.
35 Nao andũ-a-nja makĩriũkĩrio andũ ao arĩa maakuĩte, magĩcooka muoyo. Andũ angĩ nao nĩmaregire kũrekererio, makĩnyariirwo nĩgeetha makaariũkio magĩe na muoyo mwega makĩria.
Some women [who trusted God] received [their relatives] back again when [God] ([made them live again after they had died/raised them from the dead]). But [others who trusted God] were tortured until they died. They were tortured because they refused to agree when [their captors said, “We will] release you [if you deny that you believe in God.” They refused to do that], because they wanted to live with God forever, which is better than [continuing to live on earth] after having almost died.
36 Andũ angĩ nĩmanyũrũririo na makĩhũũrwo na iboko, o na angĩ makĩohwo na mĩnyororo na magĩikio njeera.
Other [people who trusted God] were mocked; [some had their backs] cut [open by being struck] with leaded whips. Some were chained and put in prison.
37 Nĩmahũũrirwo na mahiga; o na magĩatũranio na thoo maita meerĩ; ningĩ makĩũragwo na hiũ cia njora. Maathiiaga mehumbĩte njũa cia ngʼondu na cia mbũri, na marĩ ngĩa, na makanyariirwo, o na magekagwo ũũru;
[Some of] those believers were stoned to death {People [killed some of those believers by] throwing stones at them}. Others were cut completely in two. Others were killed with swords. Others of these people who trusted God wandered around the land [wearing garments made only of] skins from sheep and goats. They did not have any money. They were continually oppressed and tormented {People continuously oppressed them and tormented them}.
38 thĩ ndĩamaagĩrĩire. Moorũũraga werũ-inĩ na irĩma-inĩ, o na ngurunga-inĩ na miungu-inĩ ya thĩ.
[The people on earth who caused those who trusted in God to suffer were so bad that] they did not deserve [to live with people who trusted God. Some who trusted God] wandered in deserts and on mountains. Some lived in caves and in other [large] holes in the ground.
39 Andũ aya othe nĩmagathĩrĩirio nĩ ũndũ wa wĩtĩkio wao, no gũtirĩ o na ũmwe wao wahingĩirio kĩĩranĩro kĩrĩa kĩeranĩirwo.
Although all these people were commended [by God] {[God] commended all these people} because they trusted him, God did not give them all that he promised them [while they were alive].
40 Ngai nĩatũhaarĩirie ũndũ mwega makĩria nĩgeetha andũ acio matigatuuo aagĩrĩru ithuĩ tũtarĩ hamwe nao.
God knew ahead of time that what he would give us and them [later] would be better than giving [them immediately what he promised]. What God intends is that only when they and we are together will we have all that God intends us to have.