Waroma 7
Kielelezo kutokana na maisha ya ndoa
1 Ndugu zangu, bila shaka mtaelewa yafuatayo, maana ninawazungumzia watu wanaojua sheria. Sheria humtawala mtu wakati akiwa hai. 2 Mathalani: Mwanamke aliyeolewa anafungwa na sheria muda wote mumewe anapokuwa hai; lakini mumewe akifa, hiyo sheria haimtawali tena huyo mwanamke. 3 Hivyo mwanamke huyo akiishi na mwanamume mwingine wakati mumewe yungali hai, ataitwa mzinzi; lakini mumewe akifa, mwanamke huyo yu huru kisheria, na akiolewa na mwanamume mwingine, yeye si mzinzi. 4 Hali kadhalika nyinyi ndugu zangu: Nyinyi pia mmekufa kuhusu sheria kwa kuwa nyinyi ni sehemu ya mwili wa Kristo; sasa mmekuwa wake yeye aliyefufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu ili tupate kuzaa matunda mema kwa ajili ya Mungu. 5 Maana, tulipokuwa tukiishi kimaumbile tu, tamaa mbaya zikichochewa na sheria, zilifanya kazi katika miili yetu, na kuchuma pato la kifo. 6 Lakini sasa tumekuwa huru kutoka vifungo vya sheria, kwa sababu tumekufa kuhusu lile jambo lililotufanya sisi watumwa. Sasa tunatumikia kufuatana na maisha mapya ya Roho, na si kufuatana na hali ile ya kale ya sheria iliyoandikwa.
Sheria na dhambi
7 Je, tuseme basi, kwamba sheria ni dhambi? Hata kidogo! Lakini bila sheria, mimi nisingalijua dhambi ni kitu gani. Maana, nisingalijua ni nini hasa kutamani mabaya, kama sheria isingalikuwa imesema: “Usitamani.” 8 Kwa kuitumia hiyo amri, dhambi ilipata fursa ya kuamsha kila aina ya tamaa mbaya ndani yangu. Maana, bila sheria dhambi ni kitu kilichokufa. 9 Wakati mmoja mimi nilikuwa hai mbali na sheria; lakini amri ilipokuja, dhambi ilifufuka, 10 nami nikafa. Hiyo amri ambayo shabaha yake ilikuwa kuleta uhai, kwangu imeleta kifo. 11 Maana, dhambi ilichukua fursa iliyopatiwa na amri hiyo, ikanidanganya na kuniua.
12 Basi, sheria yenyewe ni takatifu, na amri yenyewe ni takatifu, ni ya haki na nzuri. 13 Je, hii inamaanisha kwamba kile kilicho kizuri kimesababisha kifo changu? Hata kidogo! Ilivyo ni kwamba, dhambi, ili ionekane dhahiri kuwa ni dhambi, imekitumia kile kilicho kizuri na kusababisha kifo changu. Hivyo dhambi, kwa njia ya ile amri, ilijionesha kikamilifu jinsi ilivyo mbaya mno.
Vita ndani ya mtu
14 Tunajua kwamba sheria ni ya kiroho, lakini mimi ni wa kidunia, mimi nimeuzwa kuwa mtumwa wa dhambi. 15 Sielewi nifanyacho, maana kile ninachotaka sikifanyi, bali kile ninachokichukia ndicho nikifanyacho. 16 Ikiwa basi, ninatenda kinyume cha matakwa yangu, hii inamaanisha kwamba nakubali kuwa ile sheria ni nzuri. 17 Basi, si mimi hasa ninayefanya kitu hicho, bali ile dhambi inayokaa ndani yangu. 18 Najua kwamba hamna jema lolote ndani yangu mimi, kadiri ya ubinadamu wangu. Kwa maana, ingawa nataka kufanya jambo jema, siwezi kulitekeleza. 19 Yaani, badala ya kufanya lile jambo jema ninalotaka, nafanya lile baya nisilotaka. 20 Basi, kama ninafanya kinyume cha matakwa yangu, hii inamaanisha kwamba si mimi ninayefanya hayo, bali ni ile dhambi inayokaa ndani yangu.
21 Basi, nimegundua kanuni hii: Ninataka kufanya jema, lakini najikuta kwamba lile lililo baya ndilo ninalochagua. 22 Ndani kabisa katika moyo wangu naifurahia sheria ya Mungu. 23 Lakini naona kwamba kuna sheria nyingine inayofanya kazi mwilini mwangu, sheria ambayo inapingana na ile inayokubaliwa na akili yangu. Hiyo inanifanya niwe mtumwa wa sheria ya dhambi ifanyayo kazi mwilini mwangu. 24 Maskini miye! Nani atakayeniokoa kutoka mwili huu unaonipeleka kifoni? 25 Shukrani kwa Mungu afanyaye hivyo kwa njia ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo! Hii basi, ndiyo hali yangu: Mimi binafsi, kwa akili yangu, ninaitumikia sheria ya Mungu, lakini kwa mwili wangu ninaitumikia sheria ya dhambi.
Romans 7
1 Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?2 For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband.3 So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:8 but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.9 And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;10 and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:11 for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.12 So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.13 Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; --that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.15 For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.16 But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good.17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.19 For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise.20 But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me.21 I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present.22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.24 Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.