Waroma 6
Tunaishi kikamilifu kwa sababu ya Kristo
1 Tuseme nini basi? Je, tuendelee kubaki katika dhambi ili neema ya Mungu iongezeke? 2 Hata kidogo! Kuhusu dhambi sisi tumekufa – tutaendeleaje kuishi tena katika dhambi? 3 Maana, mnajua kwamba sisi tuliobatizwa tukaungana na Kristo Yesu, tulibatizwa na kuungana na kifo chake. 4 Tulipobatizwa tuliungana na kifo chake, tukazikwa pamoja naye, ili kama vile Kristo alivyofufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu kwa kitendo kitukufu cha Baba, sisi pia tuweze kuishi maisha mapya.
5 Maana, kama sisi tumeungana naye katika kufa kama yeye, vivyo hivyo tutaungana naye kwa kufufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu kama yeye. 6 Tunajua kwamba utu wetu wa kale ulisulubiwa pamoja na Kristo, ili hali ya dhambi iharibiwe, tusiwe tena watumwa wa dhambi. 7 Kwa maana, mtu aliyekufa, amenasuliwa kutoka dhambini. 8 Basi, ikiwa tumekufa pamoja na Kristo, tunaamini kwamba tutaishi pia pamoja naye. 9 Maana, tunajua kwamba Kristo amekwisha fufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu na hafi tena; kifo hakimtawali tena. 10 Hivyo, kwa kuwa alikufa – mara moja tu – dhambi haina nguvu tena juu yake; na sasa anaishi maisha yake katika umoja na Mungu. 11 Hali kadhalika nanyi lazima mjione kuwa mmekufa kuhusu dhambi, lakini kama mnaoishi katika umoja na Mungu kwa njia ya Kristo Yesu.
12 Kwa hiyo, dhambi isiitawale tena miili yenu ambayo hufa, na hivyo kuzitii tamaa zake. 13 Wala msitoe hata sehemu moja ya miili yenu iwe chombo cha kutenda uovu na dhambi. Badala yake, jitoleeni nyinyi wenyewe kwa Mungu kama watu waliofufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu; toeni nafsi zenu zote kwa Mungu kwa ajili ya uadilifu. 14 Maana, dhambi haitawatawala tena, kwani hamko chini ya sheria, bali chini ya neema.
Jukumu la kuwa waadilifu
15 Basi, tuseme nini? Je, tutende dhambi ati kwa sababu hatuko chini ya sheria bali chini ya neema? Hata kidogo! 16 Mnajua kwamba mkijitolea nyinyi wenyewe kama watumwa na kumtii fulani, mnakuwa kweli watumwa wake mtu huyo – au watumwa wa dhambi na matokeo yake ni kifo, au wa utii na matokeo yake ni kufanywa kuwa waadilifu. 17 Ingawa mlikuwa watumwa wa dhambi zamani, sasa lakini – namshukuru Mungu – mmetii kwa moyo wote yale maazimio na mafundisho mliyopokea. 18 Mlikombolewa kutoka utumwa wa dhambi, mkawa watumwa wa uadilifu 19 (hapa natumia lugha ya kawaida ya watu kwa sababu ya udhaifu wenu wenyewe). Kama vile wakati fulani mlivyojitolea nyinyi wenyewe kutumikia uchafu na uhalifu kwa ajili ya uovu, vivyo hivyo sasa jitoleeni nafsi zenu wenyewe kutumikia uadilifu kwa ajili ya utakatifu.
20 Mlipokuwa watumwa wa dhambi mlikuwa huru mbali na uadilifu. 21 Sasa, mlipata faida gani siku zile kutokana na mambo yale ambayo mnayaonea aibu sasa? Maana, matokeo ya mambo haya ni kifo! 22 Lakini sasa mmekwisha kombolewa kutoka utumwa wa dhambi na mmekuwa watumishi wa Mungu; faida mliyo nayo sasa ni utakatifu, na matokeo yake ni uhai wa milele. 23 Kwa maana mshahara wa dhambi ni kifo; lakini zawadi anayotoa Mungu ni uhai wa milele katika kuungana na Kristo Yesu, Bwana wetu.
Romans 6
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?2 God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;7 for he that hath died is justified from sin.8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.10 For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God.11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:13 neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.16 Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered;18 and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.20 For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness.21 What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.