The Divine Purpose in It
1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Basi, nauliza, Je! Mungu aliwasukumia mbali watu wake? Hasha! Kwa kuwa mimi nami ni Mwisraeli, mmoja wa wazao wa Ibrahimu, mtu wa kabila ya Benyamini.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Mungu hakuwasukumia mbali watu wake aliowajua tokea awali. Au hamjui yale yaliyonenwa na maandiko juu ya Eliya? Jinsi anavyowashitaki Waisraeli mbele za Mungu,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
Bwana, wamewaua manabii wako, wamezibomoa madhabahu zako, nami nimesalia peke yangu, nao wananitafuta roho yangu.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Lakini ile jawabu ya Mungu yamwambiaje? Nimejisazia watu elfu saba wasiopiga goti mbele ya Baali.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Basi ni vivi hivi wakati huu wa sasa, yako mabaki waliochaguliwa kwa neema.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Lakini ikiwa ni kwa neema, haiwi kwa matendo tena, au hapo neema isingekuwa neema.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Imekuwaje basi? Kitu kile ambacho Israeli alikuwa akikitafuta hakukipata; lakini wale waliochaguliwa walikipata, na wengine walitiwa uzito.
8 (according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
Kama ilivyoandikwa, Mungu aliwapa roho ya usingizi, macho hata wasione, na masikio hata wasisikie, hata siku hii ya leo.
9 And David saith,
Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
And a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
Na Daudi asema, Meza yao na iwe tanzi na mtego, Na kitu cha kuwakwaza, na malipo kwao;
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see,
And bow down their back alway.
Macho yao yatiwe giza ili wasione, Ukawainamishe mgongo wao siku zote.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Basi nasema, Je! Wamejikwaa hata waanguke kabisa? Hasha! Lakini kwa kosa lao wokovu umewafikilia Mataifa, ili wao wenyewe watiwe wivu.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Basi, ikiwa kosa lao limekuwa utajiri wa ulimwengu, na upungufu wao umekuwa utajiri wa Mataifa, je! Si zaidi sana utimilifu wao?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Lakini nasema na ninyi, mlio watu wa Mataifa. Basi, kwa kadiri nilivyo mtume wa watu wa Mataifa, naitukuza huduma iliyo yangu,
14 if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
nipate kuwatia wivu walio damu moja na mimi na kuwaokoa baadhi yao.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be , but life from the dead?
Maana ikiwa kutupwa kwao kumeleta upatanisho kwa ulimwengu, je! Kukubaliwa kwao kutakuwa nini kama si uhai baada ya kufa?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy : and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Tena malimbuko yakiwa matakatifu, kadhalika na donge lote; na shina likiwa takatifu, matawi nayo kadhalika.
The Grafted Tree
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Lakini iwapo matawi mengine yamekatwa, na wewe mzeituni mwitu ulipandikizwa kati yao, ukawa mshirika wa shina la mzeituni na unono wake,
18 boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
usijisifu juu ya matawi yale; au ikiwa wajisifu, si wewe ulichukuaye shina, bali ni shina likuchukualo wewe.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Basi utasema, Matawi yale yalikatwa kusudi ili nipandikizwe mimi.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Vema. Yalikatwa kwa kutokuamini kwao, na wewe wasimama kwa imani yako. Usijivune, bali uogope.
21 for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Kwa maana ikiwa Mungu hakuyaachia matawi ya asili, wala hatakuachia wewe.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Tazama, basi, wema na ukali wa Mungu; kwa wale walioanguka, ukali, bali kwako wewe wema wa Mungu, ukikaa katika wema huo; kama sivyo, wewe nawe utakatiliwa mbali.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Na hao pia, wasipokaa katika kutokuamini kwao, watapandikizwa; kwa kuwa Mungu aweza kuwapandikiza tena.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches , be graffed into their own olive tree?
Kwa maana ikiwa wewe ulikatwa ukatolewa katika mzeituni, ulio mzeituni mwitu kwa asili yake, kisha ukapandikizwa, kinyume cha asili, katika mzeituni ulio mwema, si zaidi sana wale walio wa asili kuweza kupandikizwa katika mzeituni wao wenyewe?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Kwa maana, ndugu zangu, sipendi msiijue siri hii, ili msijione kuwa wenye akili; ya kwamba kwa sehemu ugumu umewapata Israeli, mpaka utimilifu wa Mataifa uwasili.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,
There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer,
And shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Hivyo Israeli wote wataokoka; kama ilivyoandikwa, Mwokozi atakuja kutoka Sayuni; Atamtenga Yakobo na maasia yake.
27 For this is my covenant unto them,
When I shall take away their sins.
Na hili ndilo agano langu nao, Nitakapowaondolea dhambi zao.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Basi kwa habari ya Injili wamekuwa adui kwa ajili yenu; bali kwa habari ya kule kuchaguliwa wamekuwa wapenzi kwa ajili ya baba zetu.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Kwa sababu karama za Mungu hazina majuto, wala mwito wake.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Kwa maana kama ninyi zamani mlivyomwasi Mungu, lakini sasa mmepata rehema kwa kuasi kwao;
31 even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
kadhalika na hao wameasi sasa, ili kwa kupata rehema kwenu wao nao wapate rehema.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Maana Mungu amewafunga wote pamoja katika kuasi ili awarehemu wote.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Jinsi zilivyo kuu utajiri na hekima na maarifa ya Mungu! Hukumu zake hazichunguziki, wala njia zake hazitafutikani!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Maana ni nani aliyeijua nia ya Bwana? Au ni nani aliyekuwa mshauri wake?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Au ni nani aliyempa yeye kitu kwanza, naye atalipwa tena?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Kwa kuwa vitu vyote vyatoka kwake, viko kwa uweza wake, tena vinarejea kwake. Utukufu una yeye milele. Amina.
