Warumi 3
1 Pwu Myahudi ikhava khehi? Ukhukhekhetiwa khwikhava khehii?
[Someone may object to this, saying], “[If being circumcised does not cause God to accept us Jews], (there is no advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]./is there any advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]?) [RHQ] Being circumcised does not benefit [us Jews at all]!”
2 Lononu fincho khela njela. Khuvwutengulilo, avayahudi vapevilwe ulovonekhelo ukhukhuma khwa Nguluve.
[I would reply that being Jews] benefits [us] in many ways [HYP]. First of all, it benefits us because it was to [our ancestors] that God’s words, [words that contain his promises], were given {that [God] gave his words, [words that contain his promises]}.
3 Pwu yayiva ndeti ingave Avayahudi avange valevovole ulwedekho? ukhu sitakhwedekha khwavene khukhokhovekha uvugolofu wa Nguluve ukhuva vovivi?
Many [Jews did not obey God as they promised that they would. So someone might ask], “Does their not being faithful mean that God will not [bless us Jews] as he promised [that he would]?”
4 Ate padebe, ulwa khuva, nndekhe Nguluve avonekhe ukhuta va yelweli, ndayeve khela munu nn'desi. Ingave umuyasimbiwe, “Ukhuta pwu uvonekhe ukhuva ulevayelweli mu mamenyu gaakho, ukhulotelela vwuvukhwingela pa vukhegi.
[I would reply], “No, it certainly does not mean that! God always does [what he has promised], even though [people do not]. All those who accuse God [of not keeping his promises to us Jews] are very mistaken.” [What King David wrote about God’s justly saying that he would punish him for his sins is also true of those who accuse God of not keeping his promises. What he said to God was], “So everyone must acknowledge that what you [(sg)] have said [about them] (OR, [their sin]) is true, and you will always win the case when you are accused {when [people] accuse you}.”
5 Engave imbivi nchetu nchivonesya elweli eya Nguluve, pwu tute khekhi? uNguluve si mbivi vwu ikhumya elyoyo lya mwene khukhuta ale evo? Ninchova ukhukhumana na lweli yavwu munu.
So if we [Jews’] being wicked [PRS] shows that it is right that God [does not bless us], what shall we say/conclude? Shall we conclude that it is not right for God to be angry [and punish us Jews] [MTY]? I [should not be saying these things], [but] I am speaking as ordinary humans [speak].
6 Ate! ndakhekhi u Nguluve umuyakhiva ikhikhekhega ekhilunga?
We should certainly not [conclude that God should not judge us], because if God [did not judge us Jews], (it would not possibly be right for him to judge [anyone in] the world [MTY]!/how could he judge [anyone in] the world?) [MTY, RHQ]
7 Engave lweli ya Nguluve ukhugendela uvwodesi vwango ikhumia ulwiginio khu mwene, khekhi nipi khegiwa ndu ntula nongwa?
But [someone might object and say to me], “The fact that God truly [keeps his promises] becomes very clear/evident because of my not doing [what God has commanded]. But the result is that people praise God! So (God should no longer say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned!/why should God still say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned?) [RHQ]
8 Khekhi tunchove ndu vovya tudeteliwa na avange vikhwedekhana ukhuta twinchova, “Tuvombe imbivi, pwu ginche amananu? Uvukhegi khuvene vwa yelweli.
[If what you, Paul, say is true], then (we might as well/it is all right for us to) do evil things in order that good things [like that] will result! For example, [then people will praise God]!” Some people speak evil about me by their [falsely] saying that I say [such things. God] will fairly/justly punish [people who say such things about me]!
9 Khenu khehi? Ukhwetetela yofwe? Losikhuli, ulwa khuva ufwe tuvadetile avayahudi na Wayunani voni paninie, ukhuta vale pasi pa mbivi.
[If someone would ask], “[Shall we conclude that God] will treat us [Jews] more favorably [and will treat] the non-Jews less [favorably] [RHQ]?” [I would reply that we can] certainly not [conclude that]! I have already shown you that all people, the Jews and also the non-Jews, have sinned and [so they deserve to be punished] {[that God will punish them]} [PRS].
10 Ele ndavovwalesimbiwe: Asikhiwi uvayelweli, nu uve aliyumo.
[The following words] that are written {prophets have written} [in the Scriptures support this], No person is righteous. There is not even one righteous person!
11 Asikhuli umunu yuywa ikhweliwa. Asikhuli umunu uveikhondonda u Nguluve.
There is no one who understands [how to live properly] (OR, [about God]). There is no one who seeks/desires [to know] God!
12 Voni vasyetwikhe, voni paninie wakhosinche ulwedekhano. Asikhuli uveivomba inonu na aleomo.
Absolutely everyone has turned away [MET] [from God]. God considers them depraved (OR, Everyone has become useless [to God]). There is no one who acts righteously; no, there is not even one!
13 Emisingo gya vene vuguli uvole mwanchi. Indimi incha vene nchidetile, ugoda gwa njokha guli pasi mumilomo gya vene.
What people say [MTY] [is foul/bad, like the smell that comes from] a grave that has been {that [people] have} opened [MET]. [By what people say] [MTY], they deceive people. [By what they say] [MTY] [they injure people, just like] the poison of snakes [injures people] [MET].
14 Emilomo gya vene gedekhile ulukhoto nu luvavo.
They are continually (cursing/asking God to do harmful things to) others and saying (cruel/harsh/hateful) things [MTY].
15 Amalunde ga vene ginyilela ukhududa ukhisa.
They (go quickly/are eager) to murder people [MTY].
16 Uvunangi nu vukhuvilwa filimnjila ncha vene.
Wherever they go, they ruin everything and make [people] miserable [MTY].
17 Avanu ava savayemanyile enjela ya lweli.
They have not/never known how [to live] peacefully [with other people].
18 Lusimuli uludwado lwa Nguluve pa mikho gavo.”
They absolutely refuse to fear/reverence God [SYN]!
19 Leno tulumanyile ukhuta khyokyoni ekhenchoviwa nu lulagelo, khinchova khuvavo valepasi palulagilo pwu khela ndomo gudendiwe, pwu ekhelunga khyoni khendondage u Nguluve.
Furthermore, we know that it is to [Jewish] people, [who are] required to obey [God’s] laws, that Moses wrote those laws [PRS]. [We can infer from this that] there are no [Jews or non-Jews] [SYN] who are able to say anything [in reply to God’s saying that he will punish them for having sinned]. God has declared everyone in the world [MTY] guilty!
20 Ulwa khuva gusipali umbeli uguyakheva guvaleliwa vwa yelweli khu mbombo ncha lulagelo khu mwene. Ulwa khuva ukhugendela mu lukhwincha ulukhala lwa mbivi.
It is not because people have done the things that God’s laws [require] that [God] will (erase the record of their sins/declare them no longer guilty for sin), [because no one has done those things completely]. In fact, the result of [our knowing God’s] laws is that we know clearly that we have sinned (OR, are sinful).
21 Ulwa khuva leno bila lulagelo, elweli ya Nguluve yemanyikhikhe, yavonikhe khululagelo lwa vanya malango.
But God’s (erasing the record of our sins/declaring us no longer guilty) does not depend on [our obeying] the laws [that he gave Moses]. It has now been {[God] has now} revealed [to us] how he erases the record of our sins [by a different way]. It was written about [by Moses] {[Moses] wrote about it} in the laws [PRS] [God gave] him, and it was also written about by the prophets {the prophets also wrote about it}.
22 Eye yu lweli ya Nguluve ukhugendela elweli eya Yesu klisite khuvavo vikhumwedekha.
God erases the record of our sins because we trust in [what] Jesus Christ [has done for us]. God does this for every person who trusts [in Christ], because [he considers] that there is no difference [between Jews and non-Jews].
23 Ulwa khuva voni vavombile imbivi nu khuva nu uvuvalanche vudebe uvwa Nguluve.
All people have done evil, and all people have failed to accomplish the glorious [goals] that God [set for them].
24 Vavaleliwe uvwayelweli vulevule khu lukhungu lwa mwene khu njila iya vupokhi vuvwa vule mwa Klisite Yesu.
Our record of sins has been erased {God erased the record of our sins} by God acting kindly [to forgive our sins], without our doing anything to earn it. Christ Jesus accomplished this [by dying for us].
25 Ulwa khuva u Nguluve ang'ominche u Klisite Yesu ave lusayano khu njila ya yelweli mu nkhisa gwa mwene. Ang'ominshe Klisite ndu ntangeli va yelweli eya mwene, ukhunchisye khela inongwa inchilutile.
God showed that Christ was the one who would atone for (OR, forgive) our sins [with the] blood [that flowed from his body when he died. God redeems/forgives] us because of our trusting [in Christ’s having died for us. God wanted] to show that he acts justly. [He wanted to do that] because, before [Jesus came, God] did not punish [everyone who sinned. So it seemed as though he was not being just]. But he was overlooking people’s sins during [that time],
26 Pa khwiyumilincha pamwene aga gone gakhumile pwu elweli ya mwene yevonekhe khu misekhe ege. Eye yale pwu ivonesye uvwa yelweli vwa mwene, pwu livonekhe ukhuta ikhombalela umunu alavenchaga elweli mwa Klisite.
because he is patient. [God arranged for Jesus to die for us]. By doing that, God now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts/believes in Jesus.
27 Pwu khulindakhu ukhwiginia? khulekhekhine khu mbombo ilekhu? Ulutu lwa mbombo? Ate, ulutu lwa yelweli.
It is not at all [RHQ] because of [our obeying the] laws [of Moses that God erases the record of our sins]. So, (there is no way that we can boast [that God does that because of our obeying those laws]./how can we boast [about God erasing the record of our sins because of our obeying those laws]?) [RHQ] Instead, [it is because of our] believing/trusting [in Christ that God erases the record of our sins].
28 Pwu tumalela ukhuta umunu ivaleliwa elweli khu luhungu hetavomba imbombo incha lulagilo.
[We cannot boast about that], because we conclude that the record of our sins is erased {God erases the record of our sins} because of our trusting [in Christ]. God does not erase the record of our sins because of our obeying the laws [that he gave to Moses, because it is impossible for us to completely obey them].
29 Tute uNguluve avile Nguluve va Wayahudi vene? Umwene savile Nguluve va vanu va khilunga khyoni? Eena va khilunga khyoni.
(You who are Jews certainly should not [think that you] are the only ones whom God [will accept]!/Do you Jews [think it is you] alone whom God [will accept]?) [RHQ] You certainly should [realize that he will accept] non-Jews, too. [RHQ] Of course, [he will accept] non-Jews also,
30 Yengave ya lweli u Nguluve aleyomo, alavavalela elweli avakhekhetiwe huluhungu, na vavo savakhekhetiwe khu njila eya luhungu.
because, [as you firmly believe], there is only one God, who will erase the record of Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in what Christ has done], and who will similarly erase the record of non-Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in Christ].
31 Pwu ufwe tukhulwandula ululagilo lwa luhungu, ate ufwe tukhulwedekha ululagilo.
So, [if someone should ask concerning the laws that God gave Moses], “By saying [that God erases the record of our sins because of our] trusting [in Christ], does that mean that those laws now are useless?”, [I would reply], “Certainly not. Instead, we truly fulfill the laws [that God gave Moses].”
