1
Basi, tusemeje juu ya Ibrahimu, baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili?
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered?
2
Kwa maana ikiwa Ibrahimu alihesabiwa haki kwa ajili ya matendo yake, analo la kujisifia; lakini si mbele za Mungu.
If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
3
Maana maandiko yasemaje? Ibrahimu alimwamini Mungu, ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4
Lakini kwa mtu afanyaye kazi, ujira wake hauhesabiwi kuwa ni neema, bali kuwa ni deni.
Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.
5
Lakini kwa mtu asiyefanya kazi, bali anamwamini yeye ambaye amhesabia haki asiyekuwa mtauwa, imani yake mtu huyo imehesabiwa kuwa haki.
However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6
Kama vile Daudi aunenavyo uheri wake mtu yule ambaye Mungu amhesabia kuwa na haki pasipo matendo,
And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7
Heri waliosamehewa makosa yao, Na waliositiriwa dhambi zao.
“Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8
Heri mtu yule ambaye Bwana hamhesabii dhambi.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
9
Basi je! Uheri huo ni kwa hao waliotahiriwa, au kwa hao pia wasiotahiriwa? Kwa kuwa twanena ya kwamba kwake Ibrahimu imani yake ilihesabiwa kuwa ni haki.
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.
10
Alihesabiwaje basi? Alipokwisha kutahiriwa, au kabla hajatahiriwa? Si baada ya kutahiriwa, bali kabla ya kutahiriwa.
In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.
11
Naye aliipokea dalili hii ya kutahiriwa, muhuri ya ile haki ya imani aliyokuwa nayo kabla hajatahiriwa; apate kuwa baba yao wote waaminio, ijapokuwa hawakutahiriwa, ili na wao pia wahesabiwe haki;
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.
12
tena awe baba ya kutahiriwa, kwa wale ambao si waliotahiriwa tu, bali pia wanazifuata nyayo za imani yake baba yetu Ibrahimu aliyokuwa nayo kabla hajatahiriwa.
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.
13
Kwa maana ahadi ile ya kwamba atakuwa mrithi wa ulimwengu alipewa Ibrahimu na uzao wake, si kwa sheria bali kwa haki aliyohesabiwa kwa imani.
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.
14
Maana ikiwa wale wa sheria ndio warithi, imani imekuwa bure, na ahadi imebatilika.
For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,
15
Kwa sababu sheria ndiyo ifanyayo hasira; maana pasipokuwapo sheria, hapana kosa.
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16
Kwa hiyo ilitoka katika imani, iwe kwa njia ya neema, ili kwamba ile ahadi iwe imara kwa wazao wote; si kwa wale wa torati tu, ila na kwa wale wa imani ya Ibrahimu; aliye baba yetu sisi sote;
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.
17
(kama ilivyoandikwa, Nimekuweka kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi); mbele zake yeye aliyemwamini, yaani Mungu, mwenye kuwahuisha wafu, ayatajaye yale yasiyokuwako kana kwamba yamekuwako.
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.
18
Naye aliamini kwa kutarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, ili apate kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama ilivyonenwa, Ndivyo utakavyokuwa uzao wako.
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.”
19
Yeye asiyekuwa dhaifu wa imani, alifikiri hali ya mwili wake uliokuwa umekwisha kufa, (akiwa amekwisha kupata umri wa kama miaka mia), na hali ya kufa ya tumbo lake Sara.
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.
20
Lakini akiiona ahadi ya Mungu hakusita kwa kutokuamini, bali alitiwa nguvu kwa imani, akimtukuza Mungu;
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21
huku akijua hakika ya kuwa Mungu aweza kufanya yale aliyoahidi.
being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
22
Kwa hiyo ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa ni haki.
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
23
Walakini haikuandikwa kwa ajili yake tu kwamba ilihesabiwa kwake;
Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,
24
bali na kwa ajili yetu sisi mtakaohesabiwa vivyo hivyo, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu katika wafu;
but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
25
ambaye alitolewa kwa ajili ya makosa yetu, na kufufuliwa ili mpate kuhesabiwa haki.
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.