KwabaseRoma 10
1 Bazalwane, isifiso senhliziyo yami lomkhuleko wami kuNkulunkulu ngabako-Israyeli yikuba basindiswe.
My friends, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for my people is for their salvation.
2 Ngoba ngingafakaza ngabo ukuthi batshisekela uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukutshiseka kwabo akugxilanga ekwazini.
I can testify that they are zealous for the honour of God; but they are not guided by true insight,
3 Njengoba ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu bengakwazanga bafuna ukumisa okwabo, kabavumanga ukuzibeka ngaphansi kokulunga kukaNkulunkulu.
for, in their ignorance of the divine righteousness, and in their eagerness to set up a righteousness of their own, they refused to accept with submission the divine righteousness.
4 UKhristu uyisiphetho somthetho ukuze kube lokulunga kubo bonke abakholwayo.
For Christ has brought Law to an end, so that righteousness may be obtained by everyone who believes in him.
5 UMosi ukuchaza ngale indlela ukulunga okungomthetho: “Umuntu owenza izinto lezi uzaphila ngazo.”
For Moses writes that, as for the righteousness which results from Law, those who practice it will find life through it.
6 Kodwa ukulunga okungokukholwa kuthi: “Ungabokutsho enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi, ‘Ngubani ozakwenyukela ezulwini na?’” (okuyikuthi, ukwehlisa uKhristu)
But the righteousness which results from faith finds expression in these words: “Do not say to yourself ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” (which means to bring Christ down)
7 “loba, ‘Ngubani ozakwehlela ekuzikeni kolwandle na?’” (okuyikuthi, ukuvusa uKhristu kwabafileyo). (Abyssos g12)
“or ‘Who will go down into the depths below?’” (which means to bring Christ up from the dead). (Abyssos g12)
8 Kodwa kuthini na? “Ilizwi liseduze lawe, lisemlonyeni wakho lasenhliziyweni yakho,” lokho yikuthi, ilizwi lokukholwa esilitshumayelayo:
No, but what does it say? “The message is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (which means “The message of faith” which we proclaim).
9 nxa uvuma ngomlomo wakho usithi, “UJesu uyiNkosi,” njalo ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uzasindiswa.
For, if with your lips you acknowledge the truth of the message that JESUS IS LORD, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 Ngoba ukholwa ngenhliziyo yakho njalo ulungiswa ngayo, njalo kungomlomo wakho ovuma ngawo usindiswe.
For with their hearts people believe and so attain to righteousness, while with their lips they make their profession of faith and so find salvation.
11 Njengoba uMbhalo usithi, “Loba ngubani okholwa kuye akayikuyangiswa.”
As the passage of scripture says – “No one who believes in him will have any cause for shame.”
12 Ngoba kawukho umahluko phakathi komJuda loweZizwe, iNkosi yinye iyiNkosi yabo bonke njalo iyababusisa kakhulu bonke abakhuleka kuyo,
For no distinction is made between the Jew and the Greek, for all have the same Lord, and he is bountiful to all who invoke him.
13 ngoba, “Wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa.”
For everyone who invokes the name of the Lord will be saved.
14 Pho, bangakhuleka kanjani kulowo abangakholwa kuye? Njalo bangakholwa njani kulowo abangakaze bezwe ngaye na? Njalo bangezwa njani kungekho otshumayela kubo na?
But how, it may be asked, are they to invoke one in whom they have not learned to believe? And how are they to believe in one whose words they have not heard? And how are they to hear his words unless someone proclaims him?
15 Njalo bangatshumayela njani ngaphandle kokuba bethunyiwe na? Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “Yeka ubuhle bezinyawo zalabo abaletha izindaba ezinhle!”
And how is anyone to proclaim him unless they are sent as his messengers? As scripture says – “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
16 Kodwa akusibo bonke abako-Israyeli abazamukelayo izindaba ezinhle. Ngoba u-Isaya uthi, “Nkosi, ngubani olikholiweyo ilizwi lethu na?”
Still, it may be said, everyone did not give heed to the good news. No, for Isaiah asks – “Lord, who has believed our teaching?”
17 Ngakho-ke, ukukholwa kuvela ekuzweni ilizwi, lelizwi lizwakala ngelizwi likaKhristu.
And so we gather, faith is a result of teaching, and the teaching comes in the message of Christ.
18 Kodwa ngiyabuza ngithi: Kabezwanga na? Impela bezwa ukuthi: “Ilizwi labo liphumile laya kuwo wonke umhlaba, amazwi abo emikhawulweni yomhlaba.”
But I ask “Is it possible that people have never heard?” No, indeed, for – “Their voices spread through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.”
19 Ngiyabuza njalo ngithi: U-Israyeli kaqedisisanga na? Kuqala uMosi uthi, “Mina ngizalenza libe lomona kulabo abangasiso sizwe; ngizalenza lithukuthelele isizwe esingelakho ukuqedisisa.”
But again I ask “Did not the people of Israel understand?” First there is Moses, who says – “I, the Lord, will stir you to rivalry with a nation which is no nation; against an undiscerning nation I will arouse your anger.”
20 Lo-Isaya ukhuluma ngesibindi uthi, “Ngatholwa yilabo ababengangidingi; ngazibonakalisa kulabo abangangicelanga.”
And Isaiah says boldly – “I was found by those who were not seeking me; I made myself known to those who were not inquiring of me.”
21 Kodwa mayelana lo-Israyeli uthi, “Ilanga lonke ngelulele izandla zami ebantwini abangalaleliyo labayiziqholo futhi.”
But of the people of Israel he says – “All day long I have stretched out my hands to a people who disobey and contradict.”
