Warumi 11
1 Basi nasema, je, Mungu aliwakataa watu wake? Hata kidogo. Kwa kuwa mimi pia ni Mwiisraeli, wa ukoo wa Abrahamu, wa kabila la Benyamini.
I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 Mungu hakuwakataa watu wake, aliowajua tangu mwanzo. Je hamjui andiko linasema nini kuhusu Eliya, jinsi alivyomsihi Mungu juu ya Israeli?
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 “Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako, nao wamebomoa madhabahu zako. Mimi peke yangu nimesalia, nao wanatafuta uhai wangu.”
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?
4 Lakini jibu la Mungu lasema nini kwako? “Nimetunza kwa ajili yangu watu elfu saba ambao hawampigii magoti Baali.”
And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Hata hivyo, wakati huu wa sasa pia kuna walio salia kwa sababu ya uchaguzi wa neema.
In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6 Lakini ikiwa ni kwa neema, si tena kwa matendo. Vinginevyo neema haitakuwa tena neema.
And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
7 Ni nini basi? Jambo ambalo Israeli alikuwa akitafuta, hakukipata, bali wateule walikipata, na wengine walitiwa uzito.
What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
8 Ni kama ilivyoandikwa: “Mungu amewapa roho ya ubutu, macho ili wasione, na masikio ili wasisikie, mpaka leo hii.”
as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
9 Naye Daudi anasema, “Acha meza zao na ziwe wavu, mtego, sehemu ya kujikwaa, na kulipiza kisasi dhidi yao.
And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 Acha macho yao yatiwe giza ili wasiweze kuona. Ukawainamishe migongo yao daima.”
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
11 Basi nasema, “Je, wamejikwaa hata kuanguka?” Isiwe hivyo kamwe. Badala yake, kwa kushindwa kwao, wokovu umefika kwa Mataifa, ili wao wenyewe watiwe wivu.
I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
12 Sasa ikiwa kushindwa kwao ni utajiri wa ulimwengu, na kama hasara yao ni utajiri wa mataifa, ni kiasi gani zaidi itakuwa kukamilika kwao?
But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
13 Na sasa naongea nanyi watu wa Mataifa. Kwa kuwa nimekuwa mtume kwa watu wa Mataifa mengine, najivunia huduma yangu.
I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
14 Labda nitawatia wivu walio mwili mmoja na mimi. Labda tutawaokoa baadhi yao.
in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.
15 Maana ikiwa kukataliwa kwao ni maridhiano ya dunia, kupokelewa kwao kutakuwaje ila uhai toka kwa wafu?
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 Kama matunda ya kwanza ni akiba, ndivyo ilivyo kwa donge la unga. Kama mzizi ni akiba, matawi nayo kadhalika.
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 Lakini kama baadhi ya matawi yamekatwa, kama wewe, tawi pori la mzeituni, ulipandikizwa kati yao, na kama ulishiriki pamoja nao katika mizizi ya utajiri wa mzeituni,
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
18 usijisifu juu ya matawi. Lakini kama unajisifu, si wewe ambaye unaisaidia mizizi, bali mizizi inakusaidia wewe.
do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 Basi utasema, “Matawi yalikatwa ili nipate kupandikizwa katika shina.”
You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
20 Hiyo ni kweli. Kwa sababu ya kutoamini kwao walikatwa, lakini wewe ulisimama imara kwa sababu ya imani yako. Usijifikirie mwenyewe kwa hali ya juu sana, bali ogopa.
That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 Kwa maana ikiwa Mungu hakuyaachia matawi ya asili, hatakuhurumia wewe pia.
For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.
22 Angalia, basi, matendo mema na ukali wa Mungu. Kwa upande mmoja, ukali ulikuja juu ya Wayahudi ambao walianguka. Lakini kwa upande mwingine, wema wa Mungu huja juu yako, kama utadumu katika wema wake. Vinginevyo wewe pia utakatiliwa mbali.
Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
23 Na pia, kama hawataendelea katika kutoamini kwao, watapandikizwa tena. Maana Mungu anao uwezo wa kuwapandikiza tena.
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 Kwa maana ikiwa ninyi mlikatwa nje kwa ulio kwa asili mzeituni mwitu, na kinyume cha asili mlipandikizwa katika mzeituni ulio mwema, si zaidi sana hawa Wayahudi, ambao ni kama matawi ya asili kuweza kupandikizwa tena ndani ya mzeituni wao wenyewe?
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
25 Kwa maana ndugu sitaki msijue, kuhusiana na siri hii, ili kwamba msiwe na hekima katika kufikiri kwenu wenyewe. Siri hii ni kwamba ugumu umetokea katika Israeli, hadi kukamilika kwa mataifa kutakapokuja.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 Hivyo Israeli wote wataokoka, kama ilivyoandikwa: “Kutoka Sayuni atakuja Mkombozi. Atauondoa uovu kutoka kwa Yakobo.
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.
27 Na hili litakuwa agano langu pamoja nao, wakati nitakapoziondoa dhambi zao.”
And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 Kwa upande mmoja kuhusu injili, wanachukiwa kwa sababu yenu. Kwa upande mwingine kutokana na uchaguzi wa Mungu, wamependwa kwa sababu ya mababu.
Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.
29 Kwa kuwa zawadi na wito wa Mungu haubadiliki.
For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.
30 Kwa kuwa awali ninyi mlikuwa mmemwasi Mungu, lakini sasa mmeipokea rehema kwa sababu ya kuasi kwao.
Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,
31 Kwa njia iyo hiyo, sasa hawa Wayahudi wameasi. Matokeo yake ni kwamba kutokana na huruma mliyojaliwa ninyi wanaweza pia kupokea rehema.
so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you.
For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Jinsi zilivyo kuu utajiri na hekima na maarifa ya Mungu! Hazichunguziki hukumu zake, na njia zake hazigunduliki!
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
34 “Maana ni nani aliyeijua nia ya Bwana? Au ni nani amekuwa mshauri wake?
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
35 Au ni nani kwanza aliyempa kitu Mungu, ili alipwe tena?”
“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
