Romans 4

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered?

1 Tuseme nini basi, kuhusu Abrahamu baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili: yeye alipataje kujua jambo hili?

2 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.

2 Kwa maana ikiwa Abrahamu alihesabiwa haki kwa matendo, basi, anacho kitu cha kujivunia, lakini si mbele za Mungu.

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

3 Kwa maana Maandiko yasemaje? “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”

4 Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

4 Basi mtu afanyapo kazi, mshahara wake hauhesabiwi kwake kuwa ni zawadi, bali ni haki yake anayostahili.

5 However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

5 Lakini kwa mtu ambaye hafanyi kazi na anamtumaini Mungu, yeye ambaye huwahesabia waovu haki, imani yake inahesabiwa kuwa haki.

6 And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

6 Daudi pia alisema vivyo hivyo aliponena juu ya baraka za mtu ambaye Mungu humhesabia haki pasipo matendo:

7 “Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

7 “Wamebarikiwa wale ambao wamesamehewa makosa yao, ambao dhambi zao zimefunikwa.

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

8 Heri mtu yule Bwana hamhesabii dhambi zake.”

9 Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.

9 Je, huku kubarikiwa ni kwa wale waliotahiriwa peke yao, au pia na kwa wale wasiotahiriwa? Tunasema, “Imani ya Abrahamu ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”

10 In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.

10 Je, ni lini basi ilipohesabiwa kwake kuwa haki? Je, ilikuwa kabla au baada ya kutahiriwa kwake? Haikuwa baada, ila kabla hajatahiriwa.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

11 Alipewa ishara ya tohara kuwa muhuri wa haki aliyokuwa nayo kwa imani hata alipokuwa bado hajatahiriwa. Kusudi lilikuwa kumfanya baba wa wote wale waaminio pasipo kutahiriwa na ambao wamehesabiwa haki.

12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

12 Vivyo hivyo awe baba wa wale waliotahiriwa ambao si kwamba wametahiriwa tu, bali pia wanafuata mfano wa imani ambayo Baba yetu Abrahamu alikuwa nayo kabla ya kutahiriwa.

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

13 Kwa maana ile ahadi kwamba angeurithi ulimwengu haikuja kwa Abrahamu au kwa wazao wake kwa njia ya sheria bali kwa njia ya haki ipatikanayo kwa imani.

14 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

14 Kwa maana ikiwa wale waishio kwa sheria ndio warithi, imani haina thamani na ahadi haifai kitu,

15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.

15 kwa sababu sheria huleta ghadhabu. Mahali ambapo hakuna sheria hakuna makosa.

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

16 Kwa hiyo, ahadi huja kwa njia ya imani, ili iwe ni kwa neema, na itolewe kwa wazao wa Abrahamu, si kwa wale walio wa sheria peke yao, bali pia kwa wale walio wa imani ya Abrahamu. Yeye ndiye baba yetu sisi sote.

17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

17 Kama ilivyoandikwa: “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi.” Yeye ni baba yetu mbele za Mungu, ambaye yeye alimwamini, yule Mungu anaye fufua waliokufa, na kuvitaja vile vitu ambavyo haviko kana kwamba vimekwisha kuwako.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

18 Akitarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, Abrahamu akaamini, akawa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama alivyoahidiwa kwamba, “Uzao wako utakuwa mwingi mno.”

19 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

19 Abrahamu hakuwa dhaifu katika imani hata alipofikiri juu ya mwili wake, ambao ulikuwa kama uliokufa, kwani umri wake ulikuwa unakaribia miaka mia moja, au alipofikiri juu ya ufu wa tumbo la Sara.

20 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

20 Lakini Abrahamu hakusitasita kwa kutokuamini ahadi ya Mungu, bali alitiwa nguvu katika imani yake na kumpa Mungu utukufu,

21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

21 akiwa na hakika kabisa kwamba Mungu alikuwa na uwezo wa kutimiza lile aliloahidi.

22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

22 Hii ndio sababu, “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.”

23 Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

23 Maneno haya “ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa haki,” hayakuandikwa kwa ajili yake peke yake,

24 but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

24 bali kwa ajili yetu sisi pia ambao Mungu atatupa haki, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu kutoka kwa wafu.

25 He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

25 Alitolewa afe kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, naye alifufuliwa kutoka mauti ili tuhesabiwe haki.