Valumi 9
1 Nijova chakaka, nene ndi mundu wa Kilisitu, nijova lepi udese. Mutima wangu wilongoswa na Mpungu Msopi ulangisa chakaka njwe nene nijova lepi udese.
[Now I would like to discuss the fact that most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ]. Because of my relationship with Christ, I say completely truthfully [what I will now tell you]. I am not lying [DOU]! My conscience confirms what I [say] because the Holy Spirit [controls it].
2 Nigana kujova naha, nivii ngolongondi na mvinisu wangamalika mumtima wangu
[I tell you that] I grieve very greatly and deeply [DOU] [about my fellow Israelites].
3 ndava ya valongo vangu vaisilaeli vandu va likabila langu. Ngati kuvya kwa njombi yavi, nganiyidakili likoto na kulekanganiswa na Kilisitu.
I personally would be willing to let [God] curse me [and, as a result, be separated] from Christ, [if that would] help my fellow Israelites, my natural kinsmen, [to believe in Christ].
4 Vena ndi vandu va ku Isilaeli ndi vevahaguwili na Chapanga vavyai vana vaki, avalangisi ukulu waki. Akalagana nawu, akavapela Malagizu gaki, namuna ya kumuyupa mwene na malaganu gaki.
We [Jews] are [Israelites, God’s chosen] descendants of [Jacob]. [God has always considered] us as his children [MET]. It was to our ancestors [that he used to appear] gloriously [while they were in the desert]. It was with them that [God made] covenants [several times]. It was to them [that God] gave the laws [at Sinai Mountain]. They were the ones [to whom God showed how they should] worship him. They were the ones [to whom God] promised many things, [especially that the Messiah would come from their race].
5 Vene ndi vajukulu va vagogo va Vaebulania, namwene Kilisitu, mu umundu waki, ahumili mu lukolo lwavi. Chapanga mweitalalila goha alumbaliwayi magono goha gangali mwishu! Ena. (aiōn g165)
It was our ancestors, [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom God chose to found our nation]. And, [most importantly], it was from us Israelites that the Messiah received his human nature. [Nevertheless, most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ], who is the one who controls all things! He is God, the one who is worthy that we praise him forever! This is true! (OR, Amen!) (aiōn g165)
6 Nijova lepi lilaganu la Chapanga ling'anamwiki, muni lepi vandu voha va Isilaeli ndi vandu va Chapanga.
[God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that their descendants would all inherit his blessings]. But [although most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ], that does not [prove] that God has failed [to do] the things that he promised, because it is not all who are descended from Jacob and who [call themselves the people of] Israel whom [God considers] to be truly his people.
7 Ndi lepi vajukulu voha va Ibulahimu ndi vana va Chapanga. Nambu Chapanga mjovili Ibulahimu, “Chiveleku chaku yati vihumalila kwa Izaki.”
And it is also not all of Abraham’s natural descendants that [God considers] to be his people. Instead, [God considers only some of them to be Abraham’s children]. [This agrees with what God told Abraham]: “It is Isaac, [not any of your(sg) other sons], whom [I] will consider [to be the true father of] your descendants.”
8 Ndava muni vala vevavelekiwi chihiga, vene lepi vana va Chapanga, nambu vala vevavelekiwi kwa lealagini nawu Chapanga ndi yati vikemelewa vana va Ibulahimu.
That means that it is not all the natural-born descendants [of Abraham] whom God [considers as] his children. Instead, it is those who [believed what God] promised whom [he] considers to be his children.
9 Muni Chapanga avikili lilaganu ili, “Lukumbi lweluganikiwa yati niwuya, na mwene Sala yati iveleka mwana mgosi.”
[You know that what God] promised [to Abraham] was this: “About this time [next year] Sarah [your wife] will bear a son [as a result of my enabling] [MTY] [her to do so].” [So Abraham knew that it was not through Ishmael, the son that he already had, that God would fulfill what he had promised him] (OR, [that his true descendants would come]).
10 Lepi ago ndu, mewa nambu Lebeka ababili vana mapaha kwa dadi mmonga, mwenuyo ndi gogo witu Izaki.
And not only then did God show [that he did not determine who would be his true children according to who their ancestors were. He showed it again] when Rebecca conceived [twins] by our ancestor Isaac.
11 Nambu, hati kwakona mapaha vangavelekewa amala vangahotola kumanya lijambu loloha labwina amala lihakau, muni mpangu wa Chapanga wa kuhagula lilolekanayi,
Before [the twins, Jacob and Esau], were born, when neither one had yet done anything good or bad, [God] said to Rebecca [about the twins she was to bear], “The older one shall later serve the younger one, [contrary to normal custom].” [God said this] in order that [we] might [clearly] understand that what he purposed [for people] was according to what he himself determined. That is, people’s [eternal destiny] does not depend on what they do. Instead, their destiny depends on [God], the one who chooses them.
12 Chapanga amjovili Lebeka, “Mwana mvaha yati akumhengela mbena waki.” Ndi uhagula wa Chapanga wihuvalila namuna cheikemela mwene, lepi uhagula wa mundu.
13 Ngati chegijova Mayandiku Gamsopi, “Namganili Yakobo, nambu namhakalili Esau.”
And [this teaching is] ([supported/shown to be true]) [by] what is written [in the Scriptures] {what [a prophet] recorded} [that God said]: “I favored Jacob, [the younger son]. I did not favor [HYP] Esau, [the older son].”
14 Hinu, tijova wuli? Wu, Chapanga ihamula lepi cheyiganikiwa? Hati padebe!
[Someone] might say, “(Is God unjust [by choosing the ones he wants to choose?/I think] that God is unjust [by choosing the ones he wants to choose!])” [RHQ] [I would reply], “[He is] certainly not [unjust]!”
15 Muni amujovili Musa, “Yati nikumuhengela lipyana mundu yoyoha mwenigana kumuhengela lipyana, yati nivya mbwina kwa mundu mwenigana kumkitila ubwina.”
God told Moses, “I will pity and help anyone whom I choose [DOU]!”
16 Hinu, goha genago gihuvalila lipyana la Chapanga, ndi lepi ukangamala wa mundu amala cheigana mundu.
So [God chooses people], not because they want [God to choose them] or because they try hard [to do things so that he] will [accept them]. Instead he chooses people because he himself has mercy [on undeserving ones].
17 Muni Mayandiku Gamsopi gijova naha Falao, “Nakukitili wa nkosi wa ku Misili muni nilangisayi makakala gangu kupitila veve, na liina langu limanyikanayi pamulima woha.”
[Moses] recorded [PRS] [that God had told] Pharaoh, “This is why I gave you [(sg)] authority [MTY]: It was in order that I might show [by how I oppose] you [how exceedingly] powerful I am, and in order that people everywhere [HYP] would hear about me [MTY].”
18 Ndava yeniyo, Chapanga akumuhengela lipyana mundu yoyoha mweigana kumuhengela lipyana, na akagana kumkita mundu avyai na mtima unonopa akumkita avyai mewa.
So [we conclude that God] kindly helps the ones he wants to act kindly towards. But he makes stubborn the ones [such as Pharaoh] that he wants [to make stubborn].
19 Pangi ukunikota, “Ngati naha, ndava kyani Chapanga ijova vandu vabudili? Yani mweihotola kuubesa uganu wa Chapanga?”
[One of] you may [object to this by] saying to me, “[Because God determines ahead of time everything that people do, that also implies that he wants us to do everything that we do]. (No one has resisted what God has willed!/Who has resisted what God has willed?) [RHQ] Therefore, (it would not be right that God would still condemn [a person for having sinned]!/why does God still condemn [a person for having sinned]?) [RHQ]”
20 Nambu veve ndi wayani mweukumkota Chapanga? Wu, chiviga chihotola kumkota muwumba chiviga, “Ndava kyani uniwumbili chenichi?”
[I would reply that since] you [(sg)] are [just a] human being, (you do not [have any right at all to] criticize God!/[who are you to] say that what God does is wrong?) [RHQ] [As a potter is the one who creates a clay pot, God is the one who created you]. (A clay pot [MET] certainly would not [have a right to criticize] the potter by asking [PRS], “Why did you [(sg)] make me this way?”/Would a clay pot [have a right to criticize] the potter by asking [PRS], “Why did you [(sg)] make me this way?”) [RHQ]
21 Muwumba viviga ihotola kuhengela ludaka cheigana na kuwumba viviga vivili kwa ludaka lulalula, chimonga kwa lihengu utopesa na chingi kwa lihengu langali utopesa.
Instead, (the potter certainly has the right to [take] some clay and from one lump [of clay] make one pot that people will honor and [make another] one for ordinary purposes [MET]./does not a potter have the right to [take] some clay and from one lump [of clay] make one pot that people will honor and [make another] pot for ordinary purposes?) [MET, RHQ] [Similarly, God has the right to carry out what he purposes for people].
22 Chenichi ndi cheyavili kwa Chapanga. Chapanga aganili kulangisa ligoga laki na makakala gaki. Nambu avasindimalili neju, vandu vala vevaganikiwi kuhamuliwa na ligoga laki, venavo ndi vevaganikiwi kuyongomeswa.
Although God desires to show that he is angry [about sin], and [although he desires to] make clear that he can powerfully [punish people who have sinned], he tolerated very patiently the people [MET] who caused him to be angry and who deserved to be destroyed (OR, who were made to be destroyed).
23 Namwene aganili kulangisa ukulu waki, weatiyitili kwitu vetaganikiwi kupokela lipyana laki, tete vetitendelekewi kuhuma kadeni tipokela ukulu waki.
[God has been patient] in order that he might make clear how very wonderfully [he acts toward those] [MET] whom he intended to act mercifully towards and whom he prepared ahead of time in order that they might [live] gloriously [in heaven].
24 Muni tete ndi vala vetikemiliwi, lepi kuhuma pagati ya Vayawudi ndu nambu kuhuma kwa vandu vangali Vayawudi.
That means us whom he chose—not only [us] Jews but also non-Jews.
25 Ngati Chapanga cheajovili muchitabu cha Hosea mweavi mlota wa Chapanga, “Vala vevavi, ‘lepi vandu vangu.’ Yati nikuvakemela, ‘Vandu vangu.’ Na vala venanga vagana, ‘yati nikuvagana.’ Vandu vangu yati mwene lepi ‘mganu wangu’
[These words that] Hosea wrote [MTY] that [God] said also (show that God has the right/[support God’s right]) [to choose from among both Jews and non-Jews] [MTY]: I will declare that many people who were not my people are now my people. I will declare that many people whom I did not love [HYP] before, I love now.
26 Kangi pandu pala pemwajoviwi, ‘Nyenye lepi vangu,’ Penapo mwikemelewa, ‘Vana va Chapanga mweavili mumi.’”
And [another prophet wrote]: What will happen is that in the places where [God] told them before, “You are not my people,” in those same places [people] will declare truthfully that they are children of God, who is completely powerful.
27 Mewawa Isaya mweavi mlota wa Chapanga, avaywangili vandu va Isilaeli pala peajovili, “Hati ngati vandu vamahele ngati msavati wa kunyanja, nambu vevisanguliwa ndi vadebe ndu,
Isaiah also exclaimed concerning the Israelites: Even though the Israelites are [so many that no one can count them, like] sand [particles on the beach beside] the ocean, [only] a small part of them will be saved {[God] will save [only] a small part of them},
28 ndava muni, BAMBU yati iyumbatika kukita uhamula waki kwa vandu va mulima woha.”
because the Lord will punish completely and speedily the [people who live on] this earth, as he said that he would do.
29 Ngati Isaya chealongolili kujova, ngaakotoka, “BAMBU mweavi na makakala ngaatileki lepi, vangi va chiveleku cha Isilaeli, voha ngatifwili ngati vandu va Sodoma, ngatiwanangini ngati vandu va Gomola.”
[Also, we can understand from what the prophet] Isaiah said [that God would not save] anyone if he did not show mercy: If the Lord, who controls everything in heaven, had not mercifully allowed some of our descendants to survive, we would have become like the people of [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah, who were [SIM, DOU] completely destroyed.
30 Hinu tijova kyani? Vandu vangali Vayawudi vahengili lepi chindu muni valolekanayi vabwina palongolo ya Chapanga, nambu mu sadika Chapanga avakitili vabwina palongolo yaki,
We must conclude this: [RHQ] Although non-Jews did not search out [a way by which] God would erase the record of their sins, they actually found that way because they trusted [in what Christ did for them].
31 Nambu vandu va Isilaeli vevalondili Malagizu muni vakitiwayi vabwina palongolo ya Chapanga, nambu vayipatili lepi.
But although [the people of] Israel sought a basis [by which God would] erase the record of their sins, they did not succeed in [fulfilling the true purpose of the] laws [that God gave to Moses].
32 Ndava kyani? Ndava vahuvalili matendu gavi pahala pa kuhuvalila sadika. Ndi vakajikuvala “paliganga la kukuvala.”
The reason [RHQ] [that they did not succeed] is that they did not trust that [God would provide a way to save them]. Instead, they were trying to do certain things [in order that God would accept them. Because they did not expect the Messiah to die, the Israelites] felt disgusted about [Jesus’ death, which is like] the stone [MET] on which people stumble.
33 Ngati chegijova Mayandiku Gamsopi, “Lola, nivika liganga ku Siyoni, lenilo yati likuvakita vandu vajikuvala, yati nivika litalau lelikuvakita vandu vagwayi, nambu mundu yoyoha mweakumsadika ikola lepi soni.”
This is what [a prophet] predicted when he wrote these words that [God said about the Messiah]: Listen! I am placing in Israel [MTY] [one who is like] a stone [MET] on which people will stumble. What he does will offend people [DOU]. Nevertheless, those who believe in him will not be disappointed.
