Warumi 4
1 Tuseme nini basi, kuhusu Abrahamu baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili: yeye alipataje kujua jambo hili?
What shall we then say that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath something to glory about; but not before God.
3 Kwa maana Maandiko yasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
4 Basi mtu afanyapo kazi, mshahara wake hauhesabiwi kwake kuwa ni zawadi, bali ni haki yake anayostahili.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 Lakini kwa mtu ambaye hafanyi kazi na anamtumaini Mungu, yeye ambaye huwahesabia waovu haki, imani yake inahesabiwa kuwa haki.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Daudi pia alisema vivyo hivyo aliponena juu ya baraka za mtu ambaye Mungu humhesabia haki pasipo matendo:
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputeth righteousness apart from works,
7 “Wamebarikiwa wale ambao wamesamehewa makosa yao, ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Heri mtu yule Bwana hamhesabii dhambi zake.”
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Je, huku kubarikiwa ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa peke yao, au pia na kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Tunasema, “Imani ya Abrahamu ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 Je, ni lini basi ilipohesabiwa kwake kuwa haki? Je, ilikuwa kabla au baada ya kutahiriwa kwake? Haikuwa baada, ila kabla hajatahiriwa.
How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 Alipewa ishara ya tohara kuwa muhuri wa haki aliyokuwa nayo kwa imani hata alipokuwa bado hajatahiriwa. Kusudi lilikuwa kumfanya baba wa wote wale waaminio pasipo kutahiriwa na ambao wamehesabiwa haki.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they are not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed to them also:
12 Vivyo hivyo awe baba wa wale waliotahiriwa ambao si kwamba wametahiriwa tu, bali pia wanafuata mfano wa imani ambayo Baba yetu Abrahamu alikuwa nayo kabla ya kutahiriwa.
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 Kwa maana ile ahadi kwamba angeurithi ulimwengu haikuja kwa Abrahamu au kwa wazao wake kwa njia ya sheria bali kwa njia ya haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 Kwa maana ikiwa wale waishio kwa sheria ndio warithi, imani haina thamani na ahadi haifai kitu,
For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect:
15 kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu. Mahali ambapo hakuna sheria hakuna makosa.
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Kwa hiyo, ahadi huja kwa njia ya imani, ili iwe ni kwa neema, na itolewe kwa wazao wa Abrahamu, si kwa wale walio wa sheria peke yao, bali pia kwa wale walio wa imani ya Abrahamu. Yeye ndiye baba yetu sisi sote.
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Yeye ni baba yetu mbele za Mungu, ambaye yeye alimwamini, yule Mungu anaye fufua waliokufa, na kuvitaja vile vitu ambavyo haviko kana kwamba vimekwisha kuwako.
As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, ) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth those things which are not as though they were.
18 Akitarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, Abrahamu akaamini, akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama alivyoahidiwa kwamba, “Uzao wako utakuwa mwingi mno.”
Who against hope believed with hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 Abrahamu hakuwa dhaifu katika imani hata alipofikiri juu ya mwili wake, ambao ulikuwa kama uliokufa, kwani umri wake ulikuwa unakaribia miaka mia moja, au alipofikiri juu ya ufu wa tumbo la Sara.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:
20 Lakini Abrahamu hakusitasita kwa kutokuamini ahadi ya Mungu, bali alitiwa nguvu katika imani yake na kumpa Mungu utukufu,
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 akiwa na hakika kabisa kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kutimiza lile aliloahidi.
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 Hii ndio sababu, “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 Maneno haya “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki,” hayakuandikwa kwa ajili yake peke yake,
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 bali kwa ajili yetu sisi pia ambao Mungu atatupa haki, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu kutoka kwa wafu.
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Alitolewa afe kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, naye alifufuliwa kutoka mauti ili tuhesabiwe haki.
Who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.
