Wahebrania 11
1 Sasa imani ni hakika aliyo nayo mtu wakati atarajiapo kitu fulani kwa ujasiri. Ni hakika ya kitu ambacho bado hakijaonekana.
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
2 Kwa sababu hii mababu zetu walithibitika kwa imani yao.
This is why the ancients were commended.
3 Kwa imani tunafahamu kwamba ulimwengu uliumbwa kwa amri ya Mungu, ili kwamba kile kinachoonekana hakikutengenezwa kutokana na vitu ambavyo vilikuwa vinaonekana. (aiōn g165)
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (aiōn g165)
4 Ilikuwa kwa sababu ya imani kwamba Habili alimtolea Mungu sadaka ya kufaa kuliko alivyofanya Kaini. Ilikuwa ni kwa sababu hii kwamba alisifiwa kuwa mwenye haki. Mungu alimsifu kwa sababu ya zawadi alizoleta. Kwa sababu hiyo, Habili bado ananena, ingawa amekufa.
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 Ilikuwa kwa imani kwamba Enoko alichukuliwa juu na hakuona mauti. “Hakuonekana, kwa sababu Mungu alimchukua” kwa vile ilinenwa juu yake kuwa alimpendeza Mungu kabla ya kuchukuliwa juu.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 Pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu, kwa kuwa ajaye kwa Mungu lazima aamini kwamba Mungu anaishi na kwamba huwapatia zawadi wale wamtafutao.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
7 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Nuhu, akiwa ameonywa na Mungu kuhusiana na mambo ambayo hayakuwa yameonekana, kwa heshima ya ki Mungu alitengeneza safina kwa ajili ya kuiokoa familia yake. Kwa kufanya hivi, aliuhukumu ulimwengu na akawa mrithi wa haki ambayo huja kupitia imani.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, alipoitwa alitii na kwenda mahali ambapo alipaswa kupokea kama urithi. Alitoka bila kujua mahali gani alikuwa anakwenda.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
9 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishi katika nchi ya ahadi kama mgeni. Aliishi katika mahema pamoja na Isaka na Yakobo, warithi wenzake wa ahadi ile ile.
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10 Hii ni kwa sababu alitarajia kuupata mji ambao mwenye kuubuni na mjenzi wake angelikuwa ni Mungu.
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu, na Sara mwenyewe, walipokea nguvu ya kutunga mimba ingawa walikuwa wazee sana, kwa kuwa walimuona Mungu kuwa mwaminifu, ambaye aliwaahidia mtoto wa kiume.
By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 Kwa hiyo pia kutoka kwa mtu huyu mmoja ambaye alikuwa amekaribia kufa wakazaliwa watoto wasiohesabika. Walikuwa wengi kama nyota za angani na wengi kama mbegu za mchanga katika ufukwe wa bahari.
And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 Hawa wote walikufa katika imani pasipo kupokea ahadi. Isipokuwa, wakiwa wameziona na kuzikaribisha kwa mbali, walikiri kwamba walikuwa wageni na wapitaji juu ya nchi.
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 Kwa wale wasemao mambo kama haya wanaweka bayana kuwa wanatafuta nchi yao wenyewe.
Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.
15 Kwa kweli, kama wangekuwa wakiifikiria nchi ambayo kwayo walitoka, wangelikuwa na nafasi ya kurejea.
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 Lakini kama ilivyo, wanatamani nchi iliyo bora, ambayo, ni ya kimbingu. Kwa hiyo Mungu haoni aibu kuitwa Mungu wao, kwa kuwa ametayarisha mji kwa ajili yao.
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Ibrahimu baada ya kujaribiwa, alimtoa Isaka. Ndiyo, yeye ambaye alipokea kwa furaha ahadi, alimtoa mwanawe wa pekee,
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
18 ambaye juu yake ilinenwa, “Kutoka kwa Isaka uzao wako utaitwa.”
even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
19 IbrahImU alijua kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kumfufua Isaka kutoka katika wafu, na kwa kuzungumza kwa lugha ya maumbo, alimpokea.
Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Isaka alimbariki Yakobo na Esau kuhusu mambo yajayo.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
21 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yakobo alipokuwa katika hali ya kufa, alimbariki kila mmoja wa watoto wa Yusufu. Yakobo akaabudu, akiegemea juu ya fimbo yake.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Yusufu wakati wake wa mwisho ulipokaribia, alinena juu ya kutoka kwa wana wa Israel Misri na akawaagiza kuchukua pamoja nao mifupa yake.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.
23 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipozaliwa, alifichwa kwa miezi mitatu na wazazi wake kwa sababu walimuona kuwa ni mtoto mchanga aliyekuwa mzuri, na hawakutishwa na amri ya mfalme.
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.
24 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa, alipokuwa mtu mzima, alikataa kuitwa mtoto wa binti Farao.
By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 Badala yake, alichagua kushiriki mateso pamoja na watu wa Mungu badala ya kufurahia anasa za dhambi kwa kitambo.
He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.
26 Alifikiri aibu ya kumfuata Kristo kuwa ni utajiri mkuu kuliko hazina za Misri kwa kuwa alikaza macho yake katika zawadi ya wakati wake ujao.
He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Musa alitoka Misri. Hakuhofia hasira ya Mfalme, kwa kuwa alivumilia kwa kutazama kwa asiyeonekana.
By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
28 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba aliishika pasaka na kunyunyiza damu, ili kwamba mharibu wa mzaliwa wa kwanza asiweze kuwagusa wazaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume wa waisrael.
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
29 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba walipita katika bahari ya shamu kama katika nchi kavu. Wakati wamisri walipojaribu kupita, walimezwa.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.
30 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba ukuta wa Yeriko ulianguka chini, baada ya kuuzunguka kwa siku saba.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 Ilikuwa ni kwa imani kwamba Rahabu yule kahaba hakuangamia pamoja na wale ambao hawakuwa watiifu, kwa sababu alikuwa amewapokea wapelelezi na kuwahifadhi salama.
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
32 Na niseme nini zaidi? Maana muda hautoshi kusimulia ya Gideoni, Barak, Samsoni, Yeftha, Daudi, Samwel na za manabii,
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
33 ambao kupitia imani walizishinda falme, walitenda haki, na wakapokea ahadi. Walizuia vinywa vya simba,
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34 walizima nguvu za moto, walikwepa ncha ya upanga, waliponywa kutoka katika magonjwa, walikuwa mashujaa vitani, na walisababisha majeshi wageni kukimbia.
quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
35 Wanawake walipokea wafu wao kwa njia ya ufufuo. Wengine waliteswa, bila kukubali kuachwa huru ili kwamba waweze kupata uzoefu wa ufufuo ulio bora zaidi.
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36 Wengine waliteswa kwa dhihaka na kwa vichapo, naam, hata kwa vifungo na kwa kutiwa gerezani.
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 Walipondwa mawe. Walikatwa vipande kwa misumeno. Waliuawa kwa upanga. Walikwenda kwa ngozi za kondoo na ngozi za mbuzi walikuwa wahitaji, wakiendelea katika maumivu na wakitendewa mabaya
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
38 (ambayo ulimwengu haukustahili kuwa nao), wakitangatanga nyikani, milimani, katika mapango na katika mashimo ya ardhini.
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Ingawa watu wote hawa walikubaliwa na Mungu kwa sababu ya imani yao, hawakupokea alichoahidi.
These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.
40 Mungu alitangulia kutupatia kitu kilichobora, ili kwamba bila sisi wasingeweza kukamilishwa.
God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.
