Grasped by Faith
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Basi, tusemeje juu ya Ibrahimu, baba yetu kwa jinsi ya mwili?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Kwa maana ikiwa Ibrahimu alihesabiwa haki kwa ajili ya matendo yake, analo la kujisifia; lakini si mbele za Mungu.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Maana maandiko yasemaje? Ibrahimu alimwamini Mungu, ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Lakini kwa mtu afanyaye kazi, ujira wake hauhesabiwi kuwa ni neema, bali kuwa ni deni.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Lakini kwa mtu asiyefanya kazi, bali anamwamini yeye ambaye amhesabia haki asiyekuwa mtauwa, imani yake mtu huyo imehesabiwa kuwa haki.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Kama vile Daudi aunenavyo uheri wake mtu yule ambaye Mungu amhesabia kuwa na haki pasipo matendo,
7 saying ,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered.
Heri waliosamehewa makosa yao, Na waliositiriwa dhambi zao.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Heri mtu yule ambaye Bwana hamhesabii dhambi.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only , or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
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.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Alihesabiwaje basi? Alipokwisha kutahiriwa, au kabla hajatahiriwa? Si baada ya kutahiriwa, bali kabla ya kutahiriwa.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
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;
12 and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
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.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Kwa maana ahadi ile ya kwamba atakuwa mrithi wa ulimwengu alipewa Ibrahimu na uzao wake, si kwa sheria bali kwa haki aliyohesabiwa kwa imani.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Maana ikiwa wale wa sheria ndio warithi, imani imekuwa bure, na ahadi imebatilika.
15 because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Kwa sababu sheria ndiyo ifanyayo hasira; maana pasipokuwapo sheria, hapana kosa.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
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;
17 (as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
(kama ilivyoandikwa, Nimekuweka kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi); mbele zake yeye aliyemwamini, yaani Mungu, mwenye kuwahuisha wafu, ayatajaye yale yasiyokuwako kana kwamba yamekuwako.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Naye aliamini kwa kutarajia yasiyoweza kutarajiwa, ili apate kuwa baba wa mataifa mengi, kama ilivyonenwa, Ndivyo utakavyokuwa uzao wako.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
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.
20 he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Lakini akiiona ahadi ya Mungu hakusita kwa kutokuamini, bali alitiwa nguvu kwa imani, akimtukuza Mungu;
21 and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
huku akijua hakika ya kuwa Mungu aweza kufanya yale aliyoahidi.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Kwa hiyo ilihesabiwa kwake kuwa ni haki.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Walakini haikuandikwa kwa ajili yake tu kwamba ilihesabiwa kwake;
24 but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
bali na kwa ajili yetu sisi mtakaohesabiwa vivyo hivyo, sisi tunaomwamini yeye aliyemfufua Yesu Bwana wetu katika wafu;
25 who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
ambaye alitolewa kwa ajili ya makosa yetu, na kufufuliwa ili mpate kuhesabiwa haki.
