KwabaseRoma 4
1 Pho sizakuthi kuyini u-Abhrahama, ukhokho wethu, akufumanayo ngokwenyama kule indaba na?
What then shall we say concerning Abraham the patriarch, that by the flesh he obtained?
2 Nxa, ngempela, u-Abhrahama walungisiswa ngemisebenzi, wayelakho okokuzincoma ngakho, kodwa hatshi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
But if Abraham was justified by works, he had ground of glorying; yet not before God.
3 Kanje umbhalo uthini na? Uthi, “U-Abhrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, njalo kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.”
For what saith the scripture? That Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
4 Nxa umuntu esebenza, umholo wakhe kawubalwa kuye njengesipho, kodwa njengomlandu.
But to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as a debt to him.
5 Ikanti emuntwini ongasebenziyo kodwa ethemba uNkulunkulu owenza ababi balunge, ukukholwa kwakhe kubalwa njengokulunga.
Whereas, to him that worketh not, but only believeth in him that justifieth sinners, his faith is accounted to him for righteousness.
6 UDavida utsho okufanayo lapho ekhuluma ngokubusiseka komuntu uNkulunkulu ambalela ukulunga ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, esithi:
As David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man, to whom God reckoneth righteousness without works,
7 “Babusisiwe labo oziphambeko zabo zithethelelwe, ozono zabo zisibekelwe.
saying: Blessed are they, whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered up:
8 Ubusisiwe lowo ongasoze abalelwe isono sakhe yiNkosi.”
and, Blessed is the man, to whom God will not reckon his sin.
9 Ukubusiseka lokhu ngokwabasokileyo kuphela, kumbe njalo lakwabangasokanga na? Kade sisithi ukukholwa kuka-Abhrahama kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.
This blessedness, therefore, is it on the circumcision? or on the uncircumcision? For we say, that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.
10 Kwabalelwa kusiphi isimo na? Kwakungemva kokuba esesokile, loba ngaphambilini na?
How then was it reckoned to him? In circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 Wamukela isibonakaliso sokusoka, uphawu lokulunga abalalo ngokulunga engakasoki. Ngakho-ke, unguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo, kodwa bengasokanga, ukuze ukulunga kubalelwe kubo.
For he received circumcision, as the sign and the seal of the righteousness of his faith while in uncircumcision: that he might become the father of all them of the uncircumcision who believe; and that it might be reckoned to them also for righteousness:
12 Njalo unguyise wabasokileyo futhi, abangasokanga nje kuphela, kodwa abahamba ezinyathelweni zokholo ubaba u-Abhrahama ayelalo engakasoki.
and the father of the circumcision; not to them only who are of the circumcision, but to them also who fulfill the steps of the faith of our father Abraham in his uncircumcision.
13 Akuzanga ngomthetho ukuthi u-Abhrahama lenzalo yakhe amukele isithembiso sokuthi uzakuba yindlalifa yomhlaba, kodwa kweza ngokulunga okuza ngokukholwa.
For the promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he should become the heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of his faith.
14 Ngoba nxa labo abaphila ngomthetho bezindlalifa, ukukholwa kakulasizo lesithembiso siyize,
For if they who are of the law were heirs, faith would be made void, and the promise of no force.
15 ngoba umthetho uletha ulaka. Njalo lapho okungelamthetho khona akukho ukona.
For the law is a worker of wrath; because where no law is, there is no transgression of law.
16 Ngakho, isithembiso siza ngokukholwa, ukuze sifike ngomusa njalo siqiniseke kuyo yonke inzalo ka-Abhrahama, hatshi kulabo abangabomthetho kuphela, kodwa njalo lakulabo abangabokholo luka-Abhrahama. Ungubaba wethu sonke.
Wherefore, it is by the faith which is by grace, that we are justified: so that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all:
17 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “Sengikwenze waba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi.” Ungubaba emehlweni kaNkulunkulu akholwa kuye, yena onika abafileyo ukuphila njalo enze izinto ebezingekho zibe khona.
as it is written: " I have constituted thee a father to a multitude of nations;" namely before God, in whom thou hast believed; who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which are not, as if they were.
18 Kungekho themba, u-Abhrahama ngethemba wakholwa waba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi, njengoba kwakutshiwo kuye ukuthi, “Izakuba njalo inzalo yakho.”
And without hope, he confided in the hope of becoming the father of a multitude of nations; (as it is written: So will thy seed be.)
19 Engekethisanga ekukholweni kwakhe, wamelana lobuqotho bokuthi umzimba wakhe wawusufana lofileyo, njengoba wayeseleminyaka ephosa ibe likhulu ubudala kanye lokuthi isibeletho sikaSara laso sasesifile.
And he was not sickly in his faith, while contemplating his inert body, (for he was a hundred years old, ) and the inert womb of Sarah.
20 Waqiniswa ekukholweni kwakhe, wapha udumo kuNkulunkulu,
And he did not hesitate at the promise of God, as one lacking faith; but he was strong in faith, and gave glory to God;
21 ekholwe ngokupheleleyo ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelamandla okwenza lokho ayekuthembisile.
and felt assured, that what God had promised to him, he was able to fulfill.
22 Yikho-nje “kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.”
And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.
23 Amazwi athi “kwabalelwa kuye” kawalotshelwanga yena yedwa,
And not for his sake alone, was it written, that his faith was accounted for righteousness;
24 kodwa lathi futhi, uNkulunkulu azabalela ukulunga kwethu, thina esikholwa kuye, yena owavusa uJesu iNkosi yethu kwabafileyo.
but for our sakes also; because it is to be accounted so to us, who believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Messiah from the dead;
25 Wanikelwa ekufeni ngenxa yezono zethu njalo wavuselwa ekuphileni ukuze silungisiswe.
who was delivered up, on account of our sins; and arose, that he might justify us.
