Waroma 3

1 Basi, Myahudi ana nini zaidi kuliko watu wengine? Au kutahiriwa kuna faida gani? 2 Naam, iko faida kwa kila upande. Kwanza, Mungu aliwakabidhi Wayahudi ujumbe wake. 3 Lakini itakuwaje iwapo baadhi yao hawakuwa waaminifu? Je, jambo hilo litaondoa uaminifu wa Mungu? 4 Hata kidogo! Mungu hubaki mwaminifu daima, ingawaje kila binadamu ni mwongo. Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Kila usemapo, maneno yako ni ya kweli; na katika hukumu, wewe hushinda.”

5 Lakini, ikiwa uovu wetu unathibitisha kwamba Mungu anatenda kwa haki, tutasema nini? Je, tutasema kwamba anakosa haki akituadhibu? (Hapa naongea kibinadamu). 6 Hata kidogo! Ingekuwa hivyo, Mungu angewezaje kuuhukumu ulimwengu?

7 Labda utasema: “Ikiwa ukosefu wa uaminifu kwa upande wangu unamdhihirisha Mungu kuwa mwaminifu zaidi na hivyo kumpatia utukufu, basi singepaswa kuhukumiwa kuwa mwenye dhambi!” 8 Ni sawa na kusema: Tufanye maovu ili tupate mema! Ndivyo wengine walivyotukashifu kwa kutushtaki kwamba tumefundisha hivyo. Watahukumiwa wanavyostahili!

Hakuna mtu yeyote aliye mwadilifu

9 Tuseme nini, basi? Je, sisi Wayahudi ni bora kuliko wengine? Hata kidogo! Kwa maana nimekwisha bainisha hapo mwanzoni kwamba Wayahudi na watu wa mataifa mengine wote wako chini ya utawala wa dhambi. 10 t Kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: “Hakuna hata mmoja aliye mwadilifu!

11 Hakuna mtu anayeelewa, wala anayemtafuta Mungu.

12 Wote wamepotoka wote wamekosa; hakuna atendaye mema, hakuna hata mmoja.

13  t Makoo yao ni kama kaburi wazi, ndimi zao zimejaa udanganyifu, midomoni mwao mwatoka maneno yenye sumu kama ya nyoka.

14  t Vinywa vyao vimejaa laana chungu. 15 Miguu yao iko mbioni kumwaga damu, 16 popote waendapo husababisha maafa na mateso; 17 njia ya amani hawaijui. 18  t Hawajali kabisa kumcha Mungu.” 19 Tunajua kwamba sheria huwahusu walio chini ya sheria hiyo, hata hawawezi kuwa na kisingizio chochote, na ulimwengu wote uko chini ya hukumu ya Mungu. 20 t Maana hakuna binadamu yeyote anayekubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu mbele yake Mungu kwa kushika sheria; kazi ya sheria ni kumwonesha tu mtu kwamba ametenda dhambi.

Kukubaliwa na Mungu kwa imani

21 Lakini sasa, njia ya Mungu ya kuwakubali watu kuwa waadilifu imekwisha dhihirishwa, tena bila kutegemea sheria. Sheria na manabii hushuhudia jambo hili. 22 Mungu huwakubali watu kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya imani yao kwa Yesu Kristo; Mungu hufanya hivyo kwa wote wanaoamini; hakuna ubaguzi wowote. 23 Watu wote wametenda dhambi na wametindikiwa utukufu wa Mungu. 24 Lakini kwa zawadi ya neema ya Mungu, watu wote hukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo anayewakomboa. 25 Mungu alimtoa Yesu kusudi, kwa damu yake, awe njia ya kuwaondolea watu dhambi zao kwa imani yao kwake. Alifanya hivyo ili apate kuonesha kwamba yeye ni mwadilifu. Hapo zamani Mungu alikuwa mvumilivu bila kuzijali dhambi za watu; 26 sasa, wakati huu, anazikabili dhambi za watu apate kuonesha uadilifu wake. Kwa namna hiyo Mungu mwenyewe huonesha kwamba yeye ni mwadilifu na kwamba humfanya kuwa mwadilifu mtu yeyote anayemwamini Yesu.

27 Basi, tunaweza kujivunia nini? Hakuna! Kwa nini? Je, kwa sababu ya kutimiza sheria? La! Bali kwa sababu tunaamini. 28 Maana Mungu humkubali mtu kuwa mwadilifu kwa imani, wala si kwa kutimiza matakwa ya sheria. 29 Au je, Mungu ni Mungu wa Wayahudi tu, ama pia wa watu wa mataifa mengine? Naam, wa watu wa mataifa mengine pia. 30 Mungu ni mmoja, naye atawafanya Wayahudi kuwa waadilifu kwa imani yao, na watu wa mataifa mengine pia kwa imani yao. 31 Je, tunaitumia imani kuibatilisha sheria? Hata kidogo; bali tunaipa sheria thamani yake kamili.

Romans 3

1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?2 Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God?4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

5 But if our righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?7 But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?8 and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;10 as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;

11 There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;

12 They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not, so much as one:

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:20 because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.21 But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction;23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:25 whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;26 for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.27 Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith.28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.29 Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also:30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.31 Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law.