Warumi 9
1 Nasema ukweli mtupu; nimeungana na Kristo nami sisemi uongo. Dhamiri yangu ikiongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu inanithibitishia jambo hili pia.
I am speaking the truth in Christ, it is no lie. My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have deep sorrow
2 Nataka kusema hivi: nina huzuni kubwa na maumivu yasiyopimika moyoni mwangu
and incessant anguish in my heart.
3 kwa ajili ya watu wangu, walio damu moja nami! Kama ingekuwa kwa faida yao, ningekuwa radhi kulaaniwa na kutengwa na Kristo.
For I was on the point of praying to be accursed from Christ on behalf of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
4 Hao ndio watu wa Israeli ambao Mungu aliwateua wawe watoto wake, akawashirikisha utukufu wake; aliagana nao, akawapa Sheria yake, imani ya kweli na ahadi zake.
For they are Israelites; to them belong the sonship, the Shekinah glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law; the service of the temple, and the promises;
5 Wao ni wajukuu wa mababu, naye Kristo, kadiri ya ubinadamu wake, ametoka katika ukoo wao. Mungu atawalaye juu ya yote, na atukuzwe milele! Amina. (aiōn g165)
theirs are the patriarchs, and of them, as concerning the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God, blessed forever, Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Sisemi kwamba ahadi ya Mungu imebatilika; maana si watu wote wa Israeli ni wateule wa Mungu.
It is not, however, as though God’s word had failed! For they are not all Israel who have sprung from Israel;
7 Wala, si wazawa wote wa Abrahamu ni watoto wake wa kweli. Ila, kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Wazao wake watatokana na Isaka.”
they are not all children of Abraham because they are Abraham’s descendants. The promise was, In Isaac shall thy posterity be called.
8 Nido kusema, wale waliozaliwa kimaumbile ndio watoto wa Mungu, bali wale waliozaliwa kutokana na ahadi ya Mungu ndio watakaoitwa watoto wake.
That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as his posterity.
9 Maana ahadi yenyewe ni hii: “Nitakujia wakati maalum, naye Sara atapata mtoto.”
For thus is the word of promise, According to this season I will come, and Sarah shall bear a son.
10 Tena si hayo tu ila pia Rebeka naye alipata mapacha kwa baba mmoja, yaani Isaka, babu yetu.
And not only so, but when Rebecca was pregnant by our forefather Isaac, though one man was the father of both children,
11 Lakini, ili Mungu aonekane kwamba anao uhuru wa kuchagua, hata kabla wale ndugu hawajazaliwa na kabla hawajaweza kupambanua jema na baya,
and even though they were still unborn, and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that the purpose of God might stand according to election, not of works, but of Him who called,
12 Rebeka aliambiwa kwamba yule mtoto wa kwanza atamtumikia yule wa nyuma. Hivyo uchaguzi wa Mungu unategemea jinsi anavyoita mwenyewe, na si matendo ya binadamu.
it was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Yakobo nilimpenda, lakini Esau nilimchukia.”
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 Basi, tuseme nini? Je, Mungu amekosa haki? Hata kidogo!
What shall we say then? that there is injustice with God? No indeed.
15 Maana alimwambia Mose: “Nitamhurumia mtu yeyote ninayetaka kumhurumia; nitamwonea huruma mtu yeyote ninayetaka.”
His words to Moses are. I will have mercy on whom I choose to have mercy; I will have compassion on whom I choose to have compassion.
16 Kwa hiyo, yote hutegemea huruma ya Mungu, na si bidii au mapenzi ya mtu.
So then it is not a question of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.
17 Maana Maandiko Matakatifu yasema hivi kwa Farao: “Nilikufanya mfalme ili kwa njia yako, uwezo wangu ujulikane, na jina langu litangazwe popote duniani.”
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, It is for this very purpose that I have raised you up, To show in you my power, And to proclaim my name far and wide, in all the earth.
18 Ni wazi, basi, kwamba Mungu humhurumia yeyote anayetaka kumhurumia, na akipenda kumfanya mtu awe mkaidi, hufanya hivyo.
So then he has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardens.
19 Labda utaniuliza: “Ikiwa mambo yako hivyo, Mungu anawezaje kumlaumu mtu? Nani awezaye kuyapinga mapenzi yake?”
Then you will say to me. "Why does he still go on finding fault? Who can withstand his will?"
20 Lakini, ewe binadamu, u nani hata uthubutu kumhoji Mungu? Je, chungu chaweza kumwuliza mfinyanzi wake: “Kwa nini umenitengeneza namna hii?”
"Nay, but who are you, O man, that replies to God? Shall the thing formed say unto him who formed it, "Why did you do me like this?"
21 Mfinyanzi anaweza kuutumia udongo apendavyo na kufinyanga vyungu viwili kwa udongo uleule; kimoja kwa matumizi ya heshima, na kingine kwa matumizi ya kawaida.
Or has not the potter power over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for noble, and another for ignoble uses?
22 Hivyo ndivyo ilivyo kwa Mungu. Alitaka kuonyesha ghadhabu yake na kujulisha uwezo wake, Basi, alikuwa na saburi sana, akiwavumilia wale ambao walikuwa lengo la ghadhabu yake, ambao walistahili kuangamizwa.
But what if God, while intending to show forth his wrath, and to make known his power, yet endured, with much long-suffering, vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction?
23 Alitaka pia kudhihirisha wingi wa utukufu wake ambao alitumiminia sisi tulio lengo la huruma yake; sisi ambao alikwisha kututayarisha kuupokea utukufu wake.
And what if he thus purposed to make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory?
24 Maana sisi ndio hao aliowaita, si tu kutoka miongoni mwa Wayahudi bali pia kutoka kwa watu wa mataifa mengine.
Now such are we whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles.
25 Maana ndivyo asemavyo katika kitabu cha Hosea: “Wale waliokuwa Si watu wangu nitawaita: Watu wangu! Naye Sikupendi ataitwa: Mpenzi wangu!
As he also said in Hosea. Those who were not my people I will call "my people," And her "beloved" who was not beloved;
26 Na pale walipoambiwa: Ninyi si wangu hapo wataitwa: Watoto wa Mungu hai.”
And in that very spot where it was told them, "You are not my people," There they shall be called "Sons of the living God."
27 Naye nabii Isaya, kuhusu Israeli anapaaza sauti: “Hata kama watoto wa Israeli ni wengi kama mchanga wa pwani, ni wachache tu watakaookolewa;
And in regard to Israel, Isaiah exclaims. Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sands of the sea, it is but a remnant of those who shall be saved;
28 maana, Bwana ataitekeleza upesi hukumu yake kamili juu ya ulimwengu wote.”
for the Lord will execute his word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.
29 Ni kama Isaya alivyosema hapo awali: “Kama Bwana Mwenye Nguvu asingalituachia baadhi ya watoto wa Israeli, tungalikwisha kuwa kama Sodoma, tungalikwisha kuwa ma Gomora.”
Even as in an earlier passage, Isaiah says, Except the Lord of Sabbath had us some few descendants, we should have become like Sodom, and should have fared like Gomorrah.
30 Basi, tuseme nini? Ni hivi: watu wa mataifa ambao hawakutafuta kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, wamekubaliwa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani,
What then shall we say? That Gentiles who never pursed righteousness have overtaken it, even the righteousness of faith?
31 hali watu wa Israeli waliokuwa wakitafuta Sheria iletayo kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu, hawakuipata.
But that the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law?
32 Kwa nini? Kwa sababu walitegemea matendo yao badala ya kutegemea imani. Walijikwaa juu ya jiwe la kujikwaa
And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but thought to gain it by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
33 kama yesemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: “Tazama! Naweka huko Sioni jiwe likwazalo, mwamba utakaowafanya watu waanguke. Mtu atakayemwamini yeye aliye hilo jiwe, hataaibishwa!”
even as it is written. Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; but he that believes on Him shall not be put to shame.
