Barome 4
1 Toloba nini na tina na Abrayami, koko na biso? Azwaki nini na bomoto?
What then shall we say—as touching Abraham our forefather?
2 Soki Abrayami atangamaki lokola moto ya sembo na nzela ya misala, akokaki solo komikumisa; kasi liboso ya Nzambe, ezali bongo te!
For, if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath whereof to boast; —nevertheless, not towards God, —
3 Makomi elobi nini? « Abrayami azalaki na kondima epai ya Nzambe, yango wana Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo. »
For what doth the Scripture say? And Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
4 Soki moto asali mosala, batangaka lifuti na ye lokola likabo te, kasi lokola motoki na ye.
Now, unto him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned by way of favour but by way of 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.
Whereas, unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that declareth righteous the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
6 Davidi mpe alobaki bongo tango atatolaki esengo ya moto oyo Nzambe akomisi sembo na kozanga misala:
Just as David also affirmeth the happiness of the man unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works: —
7 « Esengo na bato oyo mabe na bango elimbisami, mpe masumu na bango elongwe!
Happy, they whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered,
8 Esengo na moto oyo Nkolo atangelaka lisumu te! »
Happy, the man whose sin the Lord will in nowise reckon.
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.
This happiness, then, [is it] for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision? for we say—His faith was reckoned unto Abraham 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.
How, then, was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;
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, a sign, he received [namely] of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end [the same] righteousness might be reckoned unto 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 father of circumcision—unto them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, while yet uncircumcised, of our father Abraham.
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, not through means of law, doth the promise belong unto Abraham or unto his seed, —that he should be heir of the world; but, through a righteousness 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 they who are of law are heirs, made void is faith and of no effect is the promise.
15 pamba te Mobeko ebendaka kanda ya Nzambe. Nzokande, esika oyo Mobeko ezali te, kobuka Mobeko mpe ezalaka te.
For, the law, worketh out anger, but, where there is no law, neither is there 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,
For this cause, it is by faith, in order that it may be by way of favour, so that the promise is firm unto all the seed, —not unto that by the law only, but unto that also [which is such] by the faith of Abraham; who is 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.
Even as it is written—Father of many nations, have I appointed thee: before him whom he believed—God, who causeth the dead to live, and calleth the things that are not as things that are: —
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. »
Who, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, —according to what had been said—So shall be thy seed; —
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.
And, without becoming weak in his faith, he attentively considered his own body, already deadened—he being a hundred years old, the deadening also 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,
In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God,
21 wana andimisamaki makasi ete Nzambe azali na makoki ya kokokisa elaka na Ye.
And being fully persuaded (that), —what he hath promised, able is he also to perform:
22 Yango wana, mpo na kondima na ye, Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo.
Wherefore [also], it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
23 Nzokande, ezali mpo na ye moko kaka te nde ekomama: « Nzambe atangaki ye lokola moto ya sembo; »
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was reckoned unto him,
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 for our sakes also—unto whom it is to be reckoned, —even unto them that believe upon him who raised Jesus our Lord from among the dead:
25 oyo akabamaki mpo na masumu na biso mpe asekwaki mpo ete tokoma bato ya sembo.
Who was delivered up on account of our offences and was raised on account of the declaring us righteous.
