Warumi 6
1 Tuseme nini basi? Tuendelee katika dhambi ili neema iongezeke?
Someone might [RHQ] say [in reply to what I have written] that [since God acted kindly toward us] in a way we did not deserve [because we sinned], perhaps we should continue to sin in order that he may continue to act even more kindly toward us [and keep on forgiving us]! [RHQ]
2 La hasha. Sisi tuliokufa katika dhambi, tunawezaje tena kuishi katika hiyo?
[I would reply], No, certainly not! We [ought to consider that] our sinful desires [MET] [cannot make us do what they want us to do], [just like we cannot make] a corpse do what we want it to do. So it is not right that we continue to sin! [RHQ]
3 Je hamjui ya kuwa wale waliobatizwa katika Kristo walibatizwa katika mauti yake?
When we were baptized {[asked someone to] baptize us} in order to show that we have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Jesus Christ, our [being baptized was to declare that it was as though] we died with Christ. ([I want] you to remember that!/Do you not know that?) [RHQ]
4 Tulikuwa tumezikwa pamoja naye kupitia ubatizo katika kifo. Hii ilifanyika ili kwamba kama vile Kristo alivyoinuliwa kutoka mauti kupitia utukufu wa Baba, ili kwamba nasi tuweze kutembea katika upya wa maisha.
So, when we were baptized {someone baptized us}, [it was as though] we were buried with Christ. [We were baptized] in order to indicate that [we would not let our sinful desires make us do what they want us to do, just like people cannot make] a corpse [do what they want it to] do [MET]. We [were baptized] to [signify that we would] continually conduct our lives in a new way, just like Christ was caused to live again in a new way by the great [power] of [God his] Father.
5 Maana ikiwa tumeunganishwa pamoja naye katika mfano wa kifo chake, pia tutaunganishwa katika ufufuo wake.
Because of our close relationship with Christ, we have [separated ourselves from the former way in which we conducted our lives], just like he [was separated from his physical life when he] died [MET]. But God will also certainly [enable us to live in a new way, just like he] enabled Christ to live again.
6 Sisi tunajua hivi, utu wetu wa zamani ulisulubiwa pamoja naye, ili kwamba mwili wa dhambi uharibiwe. Hii ilitokea ili kwamba tusiendelee kuwa watumwa wa dhambi.
We must keep remembering that when Christ died on the cross [MET], [it was as though] our sinful nature [died with him. It has] lost its power to make us do what it wants us to do [MET]. That happened in order that we would not do the sinful [things that our bodies] [MET], which desire to sin, want us to do, and in order that we would no longer have to sin [MET], as slaves [have to do what their masters want].
7 Yeye aliyekufa amefanywa mwenye haki kulingana na dhambi.
[We are, as it were, freed] {[free]} [from] sinful [desires] [MET] [controlling us, just like] those who have died are free [from anything controlling them].
8 Lakini kama tumekufa pamoja na Kristo, tunaamini kwamba tutaishi pamoja naye pia.
Since [it is as though] we died with Christ, we believe that we will continue to live with him.
9 Tunajua kwamba Kristo amefufuliwa kutoka katika wafu, na kwamba si mfu tena. Kifo hakimtawali tena.
We know that since [God] enabled Christ to live again after he died, Christ will never die again. Nothing will ever be able to make him die again [PRS].
10 Maana kwa habari ya kifo alichokufa kwa dhambi, alikufa mara moja kwa ajili ya wote. Hata hivyo, maisha anayoishi, anaishi kwa ajili ya Mungu.
When he died, he died once for [people] who had sinned, and he will never die again; but in regard to his living [again now], he lives in order to [serve/honor] God.
11 Kwa njia iyo hiyo, nanyi pia mnapaswa kujihesabu kuwa wafu katika dhambi, bali hai kwa Mungu katika Kristo Yesu.
Similarly, you must consider that [it is as though] you have become [unable to do what your] sinful [desires] [MET] want, as a corpse [is not able to do what anyone wants it to do]. You must also consider that because of your relationship to Christ Jesus you are living [in a new way] in order to [serve/honor] God.
12 Kwa sababu hiyo usiruhusu dhambi itawale mwili wako ili kusudi uweze kuzitii tamaa zake.
So, do not let the [desire to] sin [PRS] control your bodies [MET] with the result that you do the sinful things that you desire to do. [Remember that] your bodies will surely die, [but your spirits will never die].
13 Usitoe sehemu za mwili wako katika dhambi kama vyombo visivyo na haki, bali jitoeni wenyewe kwa Mungu, kama walio hai kutoka mautini. Na zitoeni sehemu za miili yenu kama vyombo vya haki kwa Mungu.
Do not let any of your body parts do wicked things, as [you did] [MET] [when you were spiritually] dead. Instead, present yourselves to God as people who are alive [spiritually]. Present all your body parts to God, [to allow him] to use them to [do] righteous things.
14 Msiiruhusu dhambi iwatawale. Kwa kuwa hamko chini ya sheria, bali chini ya neema.
Do not let a [desire to] sin control you [PRS]. The laws [that God gave Moses] did not enable you [to stop sinning]. But [now] God controls you and kindly helps you [not to sin].
15 Nini basi? Tutende dhambi kwa kuwa hatupo chini ya sheria, bali chini ya neema? La hasha.
[I suppose that certain people might think about what I have just said and they might] say [RHQ], “[You say that] the laws [God gave Moses] did not [enable us to stop sinning, but that God is now] treating us kindly in ways we do not deserve. ([That seems to mean that God permits] us to continue sinning./[Does that mean that God permits] us to continue sinning?) [RHQ]” My reply to that is no, we should certainly not continue [sinning]
16 Hamjui ya kuwa kwake yeye ambaye mnajitoa wenyewe kama watumishi ndiye ambaye ninyi mnakuwa watumishi wake, yeye mnayepaswa kumtii? Hii ni kweli hata kama ninyi ni watumwa katika dhambi ambayo inapelekea mauti, au watumwa wa utii unaopelekea haki.
[Slaves] have to obey [what their masters command] [MET] [them to do]. (I want you to remember this./Do you not know this?) [RHQ] Similarly, if you present yourselves to someone [in order to] obey him, you will be the slaves [MET] of the person you obey. Similarly, [if you have yielded yourselves to do the] sinful things [you desire], you are slaves of your sinful desires [PRS], and you will be eternally separated from God. [If you have yielded yourselves] to obey [God], you are slaves of God and you need to [live] righteously.
17 Lakini ashukuriwe Mungu! Kwa kuwa mlikuwa watumwa wa dhambi, lakini mmetii kutoka moyoni ile namna ya fundisho mliopewa.
You were once slaves [to] your sinful [desires]. But you began to sincerely obey the new teaching [MET] that you were taught {that [people] taught you}. I thank God for that.
18 Mmefanywa huru kutoka kwenye dhambi, na mmefanywa watumwa wa haki.
[I] also [thank God that] you have been freed {[that] he has freed you} from [being controlled by a desire to] sin, and that you have become [as though you were] slaves [MET] to [living] righteously [MET].
19 Ninazungumza kama mtu kwa sababu ya madhaifu ya miili yenu. Kwa maana kama vile mlivyotoa viungo vya miili yenu kuwa watumwa kwa uchafu na uovu, kwa jinsi iyo hiyo, sasa toeni viungo vya miili yenu kuwa watumwa wa haki kwa utakaso.
I am illustrating what I say [by talking about slavery] because your human nature prevents you from understanding [spiritual truth] easily. [In the past] you willingly did the immoral and unlawful things that [your minds compelled] your bodies to do [MET], [just like] slaves [do what their masters compel them to do]. As a result, you did even more unlawful things. Now, [you need to] willingly allow [your minds to compel] your bodies to [act] righteously [MET], in order that you will behave in a holy/pure way.
20 Kwa kuwa mlipokuwa watumwa wa dhambi, mlikuwa huru mbali na haki.
When you were [like] slaves [because your sinful desires compelled you to do] sinful things [MET], you were not [concerned about behaving] righteously [MET].
21 Kwa wakati huo, mlikuwa na tunda lipi kwa mambo ambayo kwa sasa mnaona aibu kwayo? Kwa kuwa matokeo ya mambo hayo ni kifo.
Nevertheless, [doing] those things resulted in your being separated from God, so you did not benefit at all from [doing] the [sinful] things that you are now ashamed of. [RHQ]
22 Lakini kwa kuwa sasa mmefanywa huru mbali na dhambi na mmefanyika watumwa kwa Mungu, mna tunda kwa ajili ya utakaso. Tokeo ni uzima wa milele. (aiōnios g166)
But you have been freed {[God] has freed you} from [letting the desire to] sin control you. You have become [as though you are] [MET] the slaves of God. So now the result is that God has caused you to completely belong to him and, as a result, you will live eternally. (aiōnios g166)
23 Kwa kuwa mshahara wa dhambi ni mauti, bali zawadi ya bure ya Mungu ni uzima wa milele katika Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu. (aiōnios g166)
[What people receive for] sinning [is that they are] eternally separated from God. That is [like] wages that [people receive] [MET]. But what God gives us is a gift. What he gives us is that we live eternally because of [our relationship with] (OR, because [we are united to]) Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōnios g166)
