Wagalatia 3

Imani na sheria

1 Enyi Wagalatia, mmekuwa wajinga kweli! Ni nani aliyewaroga? Habari juu ya kusulubiwa kwake Yesu Kristo ilielezwa waziwazi mbele ya macho yenu. 2 Napenda kujua tu kitu kimoja kutoka kwenu: Je, mlipokea Roho wa Mungu kwa sababu ya kutimiza matakwa ya sheria ama kwa sababu ya kuisikia na kuiamini Injili? 3 Je, nyinyi ni wajinga kiasi hicho? Nyinyi mlianza yote kwa msaada wa Roho, je, mnataka sasa kumaliza kwa nguvu zenu wenyewe? 4 Je, mambo yale yote yaliyowapata nyinyi yamekuwa bure tu? Haiwezekani! 5 Je, Mungu huwajalia Roho na kutenda miujiza kati yenu ati kwa sababu mnatimiza yanayotakiwa na sheria, ama kwa sababu mnasikia Injili na kuiamini?

6 Chukueni kwa mfano habari za Abrahamu: Yeye alimwamini Mungu, naye Mungu akamkubali kuwa mwadilifu. 7 Sasa basi, jueni kwamba watu wenye kumwamini ndio walio watoto halisi wa Abrahamu. 8 Maandiko Matakatifu yalionesha kabla kwamba Mungu atawafanya watu wa mataifa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani. Hivyo Maandiko Matakatifu yalitangulia kumtangazia Abrahamu Habari Njema: “Katika wewe mataifa yote yatabarikiwa.” 9 Basi, wale walio na imani wanabarikiwa pamoja na Abrahamu aliyeamini.

10 Lakini wote wanaotegemea tu kutimiza yanayotakiwa na sheria, wako chini ya laana. Maana, Maandiko Matakatifu yasema: “Yeyote asiyeshika na kutimiza yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha sheria, yuko chini ya laana.” 11 Ni dhahiri kwamba sheria haiwezi kumfanya mtu kuwa mwadilifu; maana Maandiko yasema: “Mwadilifu kwa imani ataishi.” 12 Lakini sheria haitegemei imani, ila Maandiko yasema: “Mwenye kutimiza yanayotakiwa na sheria ataishi.”

13 Kristo alitukomboa kutoka katika laana ya sheria kwa kujitwalia laana hiyo kwa ajili yetu; maana Maandiko yanasema: “Yeyote aliyetundikwa msalabani amelaaniwa.” 14 Jambo hili lilifanyika kusudi ile baraka aliyopewa Abrahamu iwashukie watu wa mataifa mengine kwa njia ya Kristo, na ili kwa imani, tumpokee yule Roho ambaye Mungu alituahidia.

Sheria na ahadi

15 Ndugu, nitawapeni mfano kutoka maisha yetu ya kila siku. Fikirini juu ya mkataba kati ya watu wawili. Mkataba ukisha fanyika na kutiwa sahihi hapana mtu anayeuweka kando au kuuongezea kitu. 16 Basi, Abrahamu alipewa ahadi, yeye pamoja na mzawa wake. Maandiko hayasemi: “Na wazawa wake,” yaani wengi, bali yasema, “Na mzawa wake,” yaani mmoja, naye ndiye Kristo. 17 Ninachotaka kusema ni hiki: Mungu alifanya agano lake, akalithibitisha; sheria ambayo ilitokea miaka 430 baadaye, haiwezi kulitangua hilo agano wala kuibatilisha hiyo ahadi. 18 Maana, kama zawadi ya Mungu inategemea sheria, basi, haiwezi kutegemea tena ahadi ya Mungu. Kumbe, lakini Mungu alimkirimia Abrahamu kwa sababu aliahidi. 19 Ya nini basi, sheria? Iliongezwa hapo ili kuonesha uhalifu ni kitu gani, mpaka atakapokuja yule mzawa wa Abrahamu aliyepewa ile ahadi. Sheria ililetwa na malaika kwa mkono wa mpatanishi. 20 Ama hakika, mpatanishi hahitajiwi ikiwa jambo lenyewe lamhusu mtu mmoja; na Mungu ni mmoja.

Madhumuni ya sheria

21 Je, sheria inapingana na ahadi za Mungu? Hata kidogo! Maana, kama kungalitolewa sheria ambayo ingeweza kuwapa watu uhai, basi, tungeweza kufanywa waadilifu kwa njia ya sheria. 22 Lakini sivyo; Maandiko Matakatifu yamekwisha sema kwamba ulimwengu wote upo chini ya utawala wa dhambi; na hivyo, wenye kuamini watimiziwe ile ahadi aliyotoa Mungu, kwa kumwamini Yesu Kristo.

23 Kabla ya kujaliwa imani, sheria ilitufanya wafungwa, tukingojea imani hiyo ifunuliwe. 24 Basi, hiyo sheria ilikuwa kama mlezi wetu mpaka alipokuja Kristo, ili kwa njia ya imani tufanywe waadilifu mbele yake Mungu. 25 Lakini kwa vile ile imani imekwisha fika, sisi hatuko tena chini ya mlezi.

26 Kwa njia ya imani, nyinyi nyote mmekuwa watoto wa Mungu kwa kuungana na Kristo. 27 Nyinyi nyote mliobatizwa mkaungana na Kristo ni kama vile mmemvaa Kristo. 28 Hivyo, hakuna tena tofauti kati ya Myahudi na Mgiriki, mtumwa na mtu huru, mwanamume na mwanamke. Nyote ni kitu kimoja kwa kuungana na Kristo Yesu. 29 Ikiwa nyinyi ni wa Kristo, basi ni wazawa wa Abrahamu, na mtapokea yale aliyoahidi Mungu.

Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?2 This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;12 and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.17 Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.29 And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.