Barome 4
1 Toloba nini na tina na Abrayami, koko na biso? Azwaki nini na bomoto?
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered?
2 Soki Abrayami atangamaki lokola moto ya sembo na nzela ya misala, akokaki solo komikumisa; kasi liboso ya Nzambe, ezali bongo te!
If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
3 Makomi elobi nini? « Abrayami azalaki na kondima epai ya Nzambe, yango wana Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo. »
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Soki moto asali mosala, batangaka lifuti na ye lokola likabo te, kasi lokola motoki na ye.
Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.
5 Nzokande, soki moto asali mosala te, kasi andimeli Nzambe oyo atangaka bato ya masumu lokola bato ya sembo, kondima na ye ekokomisa ye moto ya sembo.
However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6 Davidi mpe alobaki bongo tango atatolaki esengo ya moto oyo Nzambe akomisi sembo na kozanga misala:
And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 « Esengo na bato oyo mabe na bango elimbisami, mpe masumu na bango elongwe!
“Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Esengo na moto oyo Nkolo atangelaka lisumu te! »
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
9 Boni, esengo yango ezali kaka mpo na bato oyo bakatisa ngenga to ezali mpe mpo na bato oyo bakatisa ngenga te? Solo, tozali koloba: Mpo ete Abrayami azalaki na kondima, Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo.
Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
10 Esalemaki tango nini? Esalemaki liboso na ye kokatisa ngenga to sima na ye kokatama ngenga? Esalemaki te sima na ye kokatama ngenga; esalemaki nde liboso na ye kokatisa ngenga.
In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.
11 Nzambe apesaki ye elembo ya kokatama ngenga lokola kashe ya bosembo oyo azwaki na nzela ya kondima, wana azalaki akatama nanu ngenga te. Boye akoma na mbala moko tata ya bato nyonso oyo bandimaka, wana bazali bakatama ngenga te mpo ete bango mpe bakoma bato ya sembo,
And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
12 mpe tata ya bato oyo bakatisa ngenga, ba-oyo bakatama ngenga kaka te, kasi balandaka mpe ndakisa ya kondima oyo Abrayami, tata na biso, azalaki na yango liboso ete bakata ye ngenga.
And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Ezali na nzela ya Mobeko te nde Abrayami mpe bakitani na ye bapesamelaki elaka ya kozwa mokili lokola libula, kasi ezali nde na nzela ya bosembo oyo ewutaka na kondima.
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
14 Pamba te soki ezali bato oyo batosaka mibeko nde bakozwa libula yango, wana kondima ezali lisusu na tina te mpe elaka ezali te,
For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,
15 pamba te Mobeko ebendaka kanda ya Nzambe. Nzokande, esika oyo Mobeko ezali te, kobuka Mobeko mpe ezalaka te.
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 Yango wana, elaka eyaka na nzela ya kondima, mpo ete ezala na nzela ya ngolu mpe mpo ete ezala mpo na bakitani nyonso ya Abrayami: kaka te mpo na ba-oyo babengami bakitani na nzela ya Mobeko, kasi mpe mpo na ba-oyo bazali na kondima ya Abrayami oyo azali tata na biso nyonso,
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
17 kolanda ndenge ekomama: « Nakomisaki yo tata ya bikolo ebele. » Azali tata na biso na miso ya Nzambe oyo ye andimaki, Nzambe oyo apesaka bomoi epai ya bakufi mpe azalisaka biloko oyo etikala kozala te.
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.
18 Atako Abrayami akokaki lisusu te kotia elikya, kasi atiaki kaka elikya mpe andimaki; boye akomaki tata ya bikolo ebele, kolanda ndenge Nzambe aloba mpo na ye: « Bakitani na yo bakozala ebele. »
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
19 Abrayami akomaki na mibu pene nkama moko, kasi kondima na ye elembaki te atako atalaki nzoto na ye, oyo ezalaki lisusu na makasi te, mpe nzoto ya Sara oyo akokaki lisusu kobota te.
Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.
20 Nzokande, na esika ete atia tembe na elaka ya Nzambe mpe aboya kondima, kasi kondima na ye epesaki ye lisusu makasi koleka mpe azalaki kopesa Nzambe nkembo,
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21 wana andimisamaki makasi ete Nzambe azali na makoki ya kokokisa elaka na Ye.
being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
22 Yango wana, mpo na kondima na ye, Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo.
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
23 Nzokande, ezali mpo na ye moko kaka te nde ekomama: « Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo; »
Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,
24 ezali mpe mpo na biso oyo Nzambe akotanga lokola bato ya sembo mpo ete tondimelaka Ye oyo asekwisaki, kati na bakufi, Yesu, Nkolo na biso,
but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
25 oyo akabamaki mpo na masumu na biso mpe asekwaki mpo ete tokoma bato ya sembo.
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.
