Romans 3

1 What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

1 Basi kuna faida gani kuwa Myahudi? Au kuna thamani gani katika tohara?

2 Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

2 Kuna faida kubwa kwa kila namna! Kwanza kabisa, Wayahudi wamekabidhiwa lile Neno halisi la Mungu.

3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

3 Ingekuwaje kama wengine hawakuwa na imani? Je, kutokuamini kwao kungebatilisha uaminifu wa Mungu?

4 Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”

4 La hasha! Mungu na aonekane mwenye haki, na kila mwanadamu kuwa mwongo, kama ilivyoandikwa: “Ili uthibitike kuwa wa kweli unaponena, na ukashinde utoapo hukumu.”

5 But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

5 Ikiwa uovu wetu unathibitisha haki ya Mungu waziwazi, tuseme nini basi? Je, Mungu kuileta ghadhabu yake juu yetu ni kwamba yeye si mwenye haki? (Nanena kibinadamu.)

6 Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

6 La hasha! Kama hivyo ndivyo ilivyo, Mungu angehukumuje ulimwengu?

7 However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?

7 Mtu aweza kuuliza, “Kama uongo wangu unasaidia kuonyesha kweli ya Mungu na kuzidisha utukufu wake, kwa nini basi mimi nahukumiwa kuwa mwenye dhambi?”

8 Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!

8 Nasi kwa nini tusiseme, kama wengine wanavyotusingizia kuwa tunasema, “Tutende maovu ili mema yapate kuja?” Wao wanastahili hukumu yao.

9 What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

9 Tusemeje basi? Je, sisi ni bora kuwaliko wao? La hasha! Kwa maana tumekwisha kuhakikisha kwa vyovyote kwamba Wayahudi na watu wa Mataifa wote wako chini ya nguvu ya dhambi.

10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.

10 Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Hakuna mwenye haki, hakuna hata mmoja.

11 There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

11 Hakuna hata mmoja mwenye ufahamu, hakuna hata mmoja amtafutaye Mungu.

12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

12 Wote wamepotoka, wote wameoza pamoja; hakuna atendaye mema, naam, hakuna hata mmoja.”

13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”

13 “Makoo yao ni makaburi wazi; kwa ndimi zao wao hufanya udanganyifu.” “Sumu ya nyoka iko midomoni mwao.”

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

14 “Vinywa vyao vimejaa laana na uchungu.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

15 “Miguu yao ina haraka kumwaga damu;

16 ruin and misery lie in their wake,

16 maangamizi na taabu viko katika njia zao,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

17 wala njia ya amani hawaijui.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

18 “Hakuna hofu ya Mungu machoni pao.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

19 Basi tunajua ya kwamba chochote sheria inachosema, inawaambia wale walio chini ya sheria ili kila kinywa kinyamazishwe na ulimwengu wote uwajibike kwa Mungu.

20 Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

20 Kwa hiyo hakuna binadamu hata mmoja atakayehesabiwa haki mbele za Mungu kwa matendo ya sheria, kwa maana sheria hutufanya tuitambue dhambi.

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

21 Lakini sasa, haki itokayo kwa Mungu imedhihirishwa pasipo sheria, ambayo Sheria na Manabii wanaishuhudia.

22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

22 Haki hii itokayo kwa Mungu hupatikana kwa Yesu Kristo kwa wote wamwaminio. Kwa maana hapo hakuna tofauti,

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

23 kwa kuwa wote wametenda dhambi na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu,

24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

24 wanahesabiwa haki bure kwa neema yake kwa njia ya ukombozi ulio katika Kristo Yesu.

25 God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

25 Yeye ambaye Mungu alimtoa awe dhabihu ya upatanisho kwa njia ya imani katika damu yake. Alifanya hivi ili kuonyesha haki yake, kwa sababu kwa ustahimili wake aliziachilia zile dhambi zilizotangulia kufanywa.

26 He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

26 Alifanya hivyo ili kuonyesha haki yake wakati huu, ili yeye awe mwenye haki na mwenye kumhesabia haki yule anayemwamini Yesu.

27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.

27 Basi, kujivuna kuko wapi? Kumewekwa mbali. Kwa sheria gani? Je, ni kwa ile ya matendo? La hasha, bali kwa ile sheria ya imani.

28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

28 Kwa maana twaona kwamba mwanadamu huhesabiwa haki kwa njia ya imani wala si kwa matendo ya sheria.

29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

29 Je, Mungu ni Mungu wa Wayahudi peke yao? Je, yeye si Mungu wa watu wa Mataifa pia? Naam, yeye ni Mungu wa watu wa Mataifa pia.

30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

30 Basi kwa kuwa tuna Mungu mmoja tu, atawahesabia haki wale waliotahiriwa kwa imani na wale wasiotahiriwa kwa imani iyo hiyo.

31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

31 Je, basi ni kwamba tunaibatilisha sheria kwa imani hii? La, hasha! Badala yake tunaithibitisha sheria.