KwabaseRoma 3
1 Pho-ke yibuphi ubungcono bomJuda, kumbe luyini usizo lokusoka?
Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Kukhulu ngendlela yonke; ngoba kuqala-ke ukuthi baphathiswe amazwi kaNkulunkulu.
Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God.
3 Ngoba kuyini uba abanye bengakholwanga? Ukungakholwa kwabo kuzakwenza ize ukholo lukaNkulunkulu yini?
For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?
4 Phinde! Kodwa uNkulunkulu kabe leqiniso, kodwa wonke umuntu abe ngumqambimanga, njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Ukuze uthiwe ulungile emazwini akho, unqobe ekwahlulelweni kwakho.
May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgement.”
5 Kodwa uba ukungalungi kwethu kubonakalisa ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu, sizakuthini? Kambe uNkulunkulu kalunganga yini owehlisela ulaka? (Ngikhuluma njengomuntu.)
But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.
6 Phinde! Uba kungenjalo uNkulunkulu uzawahlulela njani umhlaba?
May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?
7 Ngoba uba iqiniso likaNkulunkulu landisile kakhulu edumeni lwakhe ngamanga ami, ngisagwetshelwani mina futhi njengesoni?
For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 Njalo kungenjengalokhu sigconwa, lanjengoba abanye bathi thina sithi: Kasenze izinto ezimbi ukuze kuvele okuhle? Abakulahlwa kwabo kuba ngokokulunga.
Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let’s do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.
9 Pho-ke? Singcono yini? Hatshi bo! Ngoba sesiwacalile mandulo amaJuda kanye lamaGriki ukuthi wonke angaphansi kwesono,
What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Kakho olungileyo, kakho loyedwa;
As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
11 kakho oqedisisayo, kakho odinga uNkulunkulu;
There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
12 bonke baphambukile, kabasizi lutho bonkana; kakho owenza okuhle, kakho ngitsho loyedwa;
They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
13 umphimbo wabo ulingcwaba elivulekileyo; bakhohlisa ngenlimi zabo; ubuhlungu bephimpi bungaphansi kwendebe zabo;
“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”
14 omlomo wabo ugcwele ukuqalekisa lokubaba;
“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 inyawo zabo ziphangisela ukuchitha igazi;
“Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 incithakalo losizi kusendleleni zabo,
Destruction and misery are in their ways.
17 njalo indlela yokuthula kabayazanga;
The way of peace, they haven’t known.”
18 ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kakukho phambi kwamehlo abo.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Njalo siyazi ukuthi konke okutshoyo umlayo, ukukhuluma kubo abangaphansi komlayo, ukuze yonke imilomo ivinjwe, lokuthi umhlaba wonke ube lecala kuNkulunkulu;
Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgement of God.
20 ngoba emisebenzini yomlayo kakulanyama ezalungisiswa phambi kwakhe; ngoba ngomlayo kulokwazi isono.
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
21 Kodwa khathesi-ke sekubonakalisiwe ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu ngaphandle komlayo, okufakazelwa ngumlayo labaprofethi;
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
22 ngitsho ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu ngokholo lukaJesu Kristu kubo bonke laphezu kwabo bonke abakholwayo; ngoba kawukho umehluko;
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
23 ngoba bonke bonile basilele enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu,
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24 balungisiswa ngesihle ngomusa wakhe ngohlengo olukuKristu Jesu;
being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 uNkulunkulu ammisayo ukuthi abe yinhlawulo yokuthula, ngokholo egazini lakhe, ukuze kube yisibonakaliso sokulunga kwakhe, ngokuyekelwa kwezono ezenziwa ngaphambili, ekubekezeleni kukaNkulunkulu;
whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
26 ukuze kube yisibonakaliso sokulunga kwakhe kulesisikhathi, ukuze abe ngolungileyo lokuthi uyamlungisisa ongowokholo lukaJesu.
to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time, that he might himself be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
27 Ngakho kungaphi ukuzincoma? Kuvalelwe phandle. Ngomthetho bani? Wemisebenzi yini? Hatshi bo, kodwa ngomthetho wokholo.
Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 Ngakho siphetha ngokuthi umuntu ulungisiswe ngokholo, ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yomlayo.
We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
29 Kambe unguNkulunkulu wamaJuda kuphela? Njalo kayisuye lowabezizwe yini? Yebo lowabezizwe;
Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 lokhu uNkulunkulu emunye, ozalungisisa ukusoka ekholweni, lokungasoki ngokholo.
since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Ngakho siyawenza umlayo ube yize ngokholo yini? Phinde! Kodwa siyawuqinisa umlayo.
Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.
