Wahebrania 11
1 Basi imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo yatarajiwayo, na udhahiri wa mambo yasiyoonekana.
Now faith is a realization of things being hoped for, an evidence of things not seen.
2 Maana baba zetu wa kale walipongezwa kwa haya.
By it the ancients were approved.
3 Kwa imani tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa neno la Mungu, vitu vyote vinavyoonekana havikuumbwa kutoka kwa vitu vinavyoonekana. (aiōn g165)
By faith we understand that the ages were created by a word from God, so that the things that are seen were made out of things invisible. (aiōn g165)
4 Kwa imani Abeli alimtolea Mungu dhabihu bora zaidi kuliko Kaini. Kwa imani alishuhudiwa kuwa mwenye haki, Mungu mwenyewe akazishuhudia sadaka zake. Kwa imani bado ananena ingawa amekufa.
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than did Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying concerning his gifts; and by means of it he still speaks, even though being dead.
5 Kwa imani Enoki alitwaliwa kutoka maisha haya, kiasi kwamba hakuonja mauti. Hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amemchukua. Kwa kuwa kabla hajatwaliwa alikuwa ameshuhudiwa kuwa ni mtu aliyempendeza Mungu.
By faith Enoch was transferred so as not to see death, and could not be found because God had translated him; before his translation he had obtained witness that he was pleasing to God.
6 Lakini pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu, kwa maana yeyote anayemjia Mungu lazima aamini kwamba yeye yuko na ya kuwa huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao kwa bidii.
Now without faith it is impossible to please Him, because the one approaching God must believe that He exists and that He becomes a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.
7 Kwa imani, Noa alipoonywa na Mungu kuhusu mambo ambayo hayajaonekana bado, kwa kumcha Mungu alitengeneza safina ili kuokoa jamaa yake. Kwa imani yake aliuhukumu ulimwengu na akawa mrithi wa haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.
8 Kwa imani Abrahamu, alipoitwa aende mahali ambapo Mungu angempa baadaye kuwa urithi, alitii na akaenda, ingawa hakujua anakokwenda.
By faith Abraham, upon being called to go forth to the place that he would receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, though not being acquainted with where he was going.
9 Kwa imani alifanya maskani yake katika nchi ya ahadi kama mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni; aliishi katika mahema, kama Isaki na Yakobo walivyofanya, waliokuwa pia warithi pamoja naye wa ahadi ile ile.
By faith he migrated into the land of promise as into a foreign country, dwelling in tents, along with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise;
10 Kwa maana alikuwa akiutazamia mji wenye misingi ya kudumu ambao mwenye kuubuni na kuujenga ni Mungu.
for he was waiting expectantly for the city with the real foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
11 Kwa imani Abrahamu, ingawa alikuwa mzee wa umri, naye Sara mwenyewe aliyekuwa tasa, alipokea uwezo wa kuwa baba kwa sababu alimhesabu Mungu aliyemwahidi kuwa mwaminifu na kwamba angetimiza ahadi yake.
By faith Sarah herself also received power to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the normal age, since she judged Him faithful who had promised.
12 Hivyo kutokana na huyu huyu ambaye alikuwa sawa na mfu, wakazaliwa wazao wengi kama nyota za mbinguni na kama mchanga wa pwani usiohesabika.
And so from one man, actually an impotent, were begotten descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 Watu hawa wote wakafa katika imani bila kuzipokea zile ahadi, lakini waliziona kwa mbali na kuzishangilia. Nao walikubali kwamba walikuwa wageni na wasiokuwa na maskani hapa duniani.
These all died believing—not having received the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, thus confessing that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth.
14 Watu wasemao mambo kama haya, wanaonyesha wazi kwamba wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 Kwa kweli kama wangekuwa wanafikiri kuhusu nchi waliyoiacha, wangalipata nafasi ya kurudi huko.
If they were actually remembering that land from which they had departed, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 Lakini badala yake walitamani nchi iliyo bora zaidi, yaani nchi ya mbinguni. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni aibu kuitwa Mungu wao, kwa kuwa amekwisha kuandaa mji kwa ajili yao.
Instead they are aspiring to a better home—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; in fact He has prepared a city for them.
17 Kwa imani Abrahamu, alipojaribiwa na Mungu, alimtoa Isaki kuwa dhabihu. Yeye aliyekuwa amezipokea ahadi za Mungu alikuwa tayari kumtoa mwanawe, aliyekuwa mwanawe pekee awe dhabihu.
By faith Abraham, upon being tested, offered up Isaac; yes, he who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his only begotten,
18 Ingawa Mungu alikuwa amemwambia Abrahamu, “Uzao wako utahesabiwa kupitia kwa Isaki,”
of whom it had been said, “Through Isaac will your seed be reckoned,”
19 Abrahamu alihesabu kuwa Mungu angaliweza kumfufua Isaki kutoka kwa wafu. Na kwa kusema kwa mfano, alimpata tena Isaki kutoka kwa wafu.
calculating that God was indeed able to raise him from the dead; from whence in fact he did receive him, figuratively speaking.
20 Kwa imani Isaki alimbariki Yakobo na Esau kuhusu maisha yao ya baadaye.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 Kwa imani Yakobo alipokuwa anakufa, alimbariki kila mmoja wa mtoto wa Yosefu, akamwabudu Mungu akiwa ameegemea juu ya kichwa cha fimbo yake.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 Kwa imani, Yosefu alipokaribia mwisho wa maisha yake, alinena habari za kutoka kwa wana wa Israeli huko Misri na akatoa maagizo kuhusu mifupa yake.
By faith Joseph, near the end, thought of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 Kwa imani, wazazi wa Mose walimficha kwa miezi mitatu baada ya kuzaliwa, kwa sababu waliona kuwa si mtoto wa kawaida, wala hawakuiogopa amri ya mfalme.
By faith Moses was hidden for three months by his parents, after he was born, because they saw he was a fine child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
24 Kwa imani, Mose alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mwana wa binti Farao.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 Akachagua kupata mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu kuliko kujifurahisha kwa anasa za dhambi kwa kitambo kidogo tu.
choosing rather to be maltreated along with God's people than to have the temporary pleasure of sin,
26 Aliona kushutumiwa kwa ajili ya Kristo ni utajiri mkubwa zaidi kuliko hazina za Misri, maana alikuwa anatazamia kupata thawabu baadaye.
considering the reproach of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; because he was looking ahead to the reward.
27 Kwa imani Mose aliondoka Misri bila kuogopa ghadhabu ya mfalme. Alivumilia kwa sababu alimwona yeye asiyeonekana kwa macho.
By faith he left Egypt behind, not fearing the king's rage, because he persevered as though seeing Him who is invisible.
28 Kwa imani akaadhimisha Pasaka na kunyunyiza damu, ili yule mwenye kuwaangamiza wazaliwa wa kwanza asiwaguse wazaliwa wa Israeli.
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.
29 Kwa imani, watu walivuka Bahari ya Shamu kama vile juu ya nchi kavu; lakini Wamisri walipojaribu kufanya hivyo, walitoswa ndani ya maji.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry ground, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were swallowed up.
30 Kwa imani kuta za Yeriko zilianguka, baada ya watu kuzizunguka kwa siku saba.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, having been encircled for seven days.
31 Kwa imani, Rahabu, yule kahaba, hakuangamizwa pamoja na wale waliomwasi Mungu, kwa kuwa aliwakaribisha wale wapelelezi.
By faith the prostitute Rahab, having received the spies in peace, did not perish with the disobedient.
32 Basi niseme nini zaidi? Sina wakati wa kusema habari za Gideoni, Baraka, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samweli na manabii,
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell about Gideon, about Barak and Samson and Jephtha, about David and Samuel and the prophets,
33 ambao kwa imani walishinda milki za wafalme, walitekeleza haki, na wakapokea ahadi za Mungu; walifunga vinywa vya simba,
who through faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, closed lions' mouths,
34 wakazima makali ya miali ya moto, na wakaepuka kuuawa kwa upanga; udhaifu wao uligeuka kuwa nguvu; pia walikuwa hodari vitani na kuyafukuza majeshi ya wageni.
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in battle, put to flight foreign armies.
35 Wanawake walipokea watu wao waliokuwa wamekufa, wakafufuliwa. Lakini wengine waliteswa, nao wakakataa kufunguliwa, ili wapate ufufuo ulio bora zaidi.
Women received their dead back by resurrection; while others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, so that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36 Wengine walidhihakiwa na kupigwa, hata walifungwa minyororo na kutiwa gerezani.
Still others were tried by mockings and scourgings, and even by chains and imprisonment.
37 Walipigwa kwa mawe; walipasuliwa vipande viwili kwa msumeno; waliuawa kwa upanga. Walizungukazunguka wakiwa wamevaa ngozi za kondoo na mbuzi, wakiwa maskini, wakiteswa na kutendwa mabaya,
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were tempted, they were murdered by sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, mistreated
38 watu ambao ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao. Walizunguka majangwani na milimani, katika mapango na katika mahandaki ardhini.
—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 Hawa wote walishuhudiwa vyema kwa sababu ya imani yao, lakini hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyepokea yale yaliyoahidiwa.
Now all these did not receive the promise, though having been approved through faith,
40 Kwa kuwa Mungu alikuwa ametangulia kutuwekea kitu kilicho bora zaidi ili wao wasikamilishwe pasipo sisi.
God having planned something better for us, so that they should not be perfected without us.
