Warumi 4
1 Tutasema nini tena kwamba Abrahamu, baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili, amepatikana?
What then shall we say concerning Abraham the patriarch, that by the flesh he obtained?
2 Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, angekuwa na sababu ya kujisifu, lakini si mbele za Mungu.
But if Abraham was justified by works, he had ground of glorying; yet not before God.
3 Kwani maandiko yanasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”
For what saith the scripture? That Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
4 Sasa kwa mtu afanyaye kazi, malipo yake hayahesabiwi kuwa ni neema, bali kuwa ni deni.
But to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as a debt to him.
5 Lakini kwa mtu asiyefanya kazi bali anamwamini yeye ambaye amhesabia haki asiyekuwa mtaua, imani yake mtu huyo imehesabiwa kuwa haki.
Whereas, to him that worketh not, but only believeth in him that justifieth sinners, his faith is accounted to him for righteousness.
6 Daudi pia hunena baraka juu ya mtu ambaye Mungu amhesabia haki pasipo matendo.
As David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man, to whom God reckoneth righteousness without works,
7 Alisema, “Wamebarikiwa wale ambao maovu yao yamesamehewa na ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.
saying: Blessed are they, whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered up:
8 Amebarikiwa mtu yule ambaye Bwana hamhesabii dhambi.”
and, Blessed is the man, to whom God will not reckon his sin.
9 Basi je baraka hizi ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa tu, au pia kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Kwa maana twasema, “kwa Abrahamu imani yake ilihesabiwa kuwa ni haki.”
This blessedness, therefore, is it on the circumcision? or on the uncircumcision? For we say, that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.
10 Hivyo ilihesabiwaje basi? Wakati Abrahamu alikuwa katika tohara, au kabla hajatahiriwa? Haikuwa katika kutahiriwa, bali katika kutotahiriwa.
How then was it reckoned to him? In circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 Abrahamu alipokea alama ya kutahiriwa. Huu ulikuwa muhuri wa ile haki ya imani aliyokuwa nayo tayari kabla hajatahiriwa. Matokeo ya ishara hii ni kwamba alifanyika kuwa baba wa wote waaminio, hata kama wapo katika kutotahiriwa. Hii ina maana kwamba haki itahesabiwa kwao.
For he received circumcision, as the sign and the seal of the righteousness of his faith while in uncircumcision: that he might become the father of all them of the uncircumcision who believe; and that it might be reckoned to them also for righteousness:
12 Hii pia ilimaanisha kuwa Abrahamu alifanyika baba wa tohara si tu kwa wale wanaotokana na tohara, bali pia wale wanaozifuata nyayo za baba yetu Abrahamu. Na hii ndiyo imani aliyokuwa nayo kwa wasiotahiriwa.
and the father of the circumcision; not to them only who are of the circumcision, but to them also who fulfill the steps of the faith of our father Abraham in his uncircumcision.
13 Kwa maana haikuwa kwa sheria kwamba ahadi ilitolewa kwa Abrahamu na uzao wake, ahadi hii ya kwamba watakuwa warithi wa dunia. isipokuwa, ilikuwa kupitia haki ya imani.
For the promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he should become the heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of his faith.
14 Kwa maana kama wale wa sheria ndio warithi, imani imekuwa bure, na ahadi imebatilika.
For if they who are of the law were heirs, faith would be made void, and the promise of no force.
15 Kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu, lakini pale ambapo hakuna sheria, pia hakuna kutotii.
For the law is a worker of wrath; because where no law is, there is no transgression of law.
16 Kwa sababu hii hili hutokea kwa imani, ili iwe kwa neema. Matokeo yake, ahadi ni dhahiri kwa uzao wote. Na wazawa hawa si tu wale wanaojua sheria, bali pia wale ambao ni wa imani ya Abrahamu. Kwa maana yeye ni baba yetu sisi sote,
Wherefore, it is by the faith which is by grace, that we are justified: so that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all:
17 kama ilivyoandikwa, “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Abrahamu alikuwa katika uwepo wa yule aliyemwamini, yaani, Mungu ambaye huwapa wafu uzima na kuyaita mambo ambayo hayapo ili yaweze kuwepo.
as it is written: " I have constituted thee a father to a multitude of nations;" namely before God, in whom thou hast believed; who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which are not, as if they were.
18 Licha ya hali zote za nje, Abrahamu kwa ujasiri alimuamini Mungu kwa siku zijazo. Hivyo akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kulingana na kile kilichonenwa,”... Ndivyo utakavyokuwa uzao wako.”
And without hope, he confided in the hope of becoming the father of a multitude of nations; (as it is written: So will thy seed be.)
19 Yeye hakuwa dhaifu katika imani. Abrahamu alikiri kwamba mwili wake mwenyewe ulikwisha kufa - alikuwa na umri wa karibu miaka mia moja. Pia alikubaliana na hali ya kufa ya tumbo la Sara.
And he was not sickly in his faith, while contemplating his inert body, (for he was a hundred years old, ) and the inert womb of Sarah.
20 Lakini kwa sababu ya ahadi ya Mungu, Abrahamu hakusita katika kutokuamini. Bali, alitiwa nguvu katika imani na alimsifu Mungu.
And he did not hesitate at the promise of God, as one lacking faith; but he was strong in faith, and gave glory to God;
21 Alikuwa akijua hakika ya kuwa kile ambacho Mungu ameahidi, alikuwa pia na uwezo wa kukikamilisha.
and felt assured, that what God had promised to him, he was able to fulfill.
22 Kwa hiyo hii pia ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa ni haki.
And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.
23 Sasa haikuandikwa tu kwa faida yake, kwamba ilihesabiwa kwake.
And not for his sake alone, was it written, that his faith was accounted for righteousness;
24 Iliandikwa kwa ajili yetu pia, kwa waliowekewa kuhesabiwa, sisi ambao tunaamini katika yeye aliyemfufua Bwana wetu Yesu kutoka wafu.
but for our sakes also; because it is to be accounted so to us, who believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Messiah from the dead;
25 Huyu ni yule ambaye alitolewa kwa ajili ya makosa yetu na kufufuliwa ili tupate kuhesabiwa haki.
who was delivered up, on account of our sins; and arose, that he might justify us.
