Romans 4
1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
Pho sizakuthi kuyini u-Abhrahama, ukhokho wethu, akufumanayo ngokwenyama kule indaba na?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.
Nxa, ngempela, u-Abhrahama walungisiswa ngemisebenzi, wayelakho okokuzincoma ngakho, kodwa hatshi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Kanje umbhalo uthini na? Uthi, “U-Abhrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, njalo kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.”
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.
Nxa umuntu esebenza, umholo wakhe kawubalwa kuye njengesipho, kodwa njengomlandu.
5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
Ikanti emuntwini ongasebenziyo kodwa ethemba uNkulunkulu owenza ababi balunge, ukukholwa kwakhe kubalwa njengokulunga.
6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
UDavida utsho okufanayo lapho ekhuluma ngokubusiseka komuntu uNkulunkulu ambalela ukulunga ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, esithi:
7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
“Babusisiwe labo oziphambeko zabo zithethelelwe, ozono zabo zisibekelwe.
8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”
Ubusisiwe lowo ongasoze abalelwe isono sakhe yiNkosi.”
9 Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
Ukubusiseka lokhu ngokwabasokileyo kuphela, kumbe njalo lakwabangasokanga na? Kade sisithi ukukholwa kuka-Abhrahama kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.
10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Kwabalelwa kusiphi isimo na? Kwakungemva kokuba esesokile, loba ngaphambilini na?
11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
Wamukela isibonakaliso sokusoka, uphawu lokulunga abalalo ngokulunga engakasoki. Ngakho-ke, unguyise wabo bonke abakholwayo, kodwa bengasokanga, ukuze ukulunga kubalelwe kubo.
12 He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
Njalo unguyise wabasokileyo futhi, abangasokanga nje kuphela, kodwa abahamba ezinyathelweni zokholo ubaba u-Abhrahama ayelalo engakasoki.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Akuzanga ngomthetho ukuthi u-Abhrahama lenzalo yakhe amukele isithembiso sokuthi uzakuba yindlalifa yomhlaba, kodwa kweza ngokulunga okuza ngokukholwa.
14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
Ngoba nxa labo abaphila ngomthetho bezindlalifa, ukukholwa kakulasizo lesithembiso siyize,
15 For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
ngoba umthetho uletha ulaka. Njalo lapho okungelamthetho khona akukho ukona.
16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
Ngakho, isithembiso siza ngokukholwa, ukuze sifike ngomusa njalo siqiniseke kuyo yonke inzalo ka-Abhrahama, hatshi kulabo abangabomthetho kuphela, kodwa njalo lakulabo abangabokholo luka-Abhrahama. Ungubaba wethu sonke.
17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “Sengikwenze waba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi.” Ungubaba emehlweni kaNkulunkulu akholwa kuye, yena onika abafileyo ukuphila njalo enze izinto ebezingekho zibe khona.
18 Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”
Kungekho themba, u-Abhrahama ngethemba wakholwa waba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi, njengoba kwakutshiwo kuye ukuthi, “Izakuba njalo inzalo yakho.”
19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
Engekethisanga ekukholweni kwakhe, wamelana lobuqotho bokuthi umzimba wakhe wawusufana lofileyo, njengoba wayeseleminyaka ephosa ibe likhulu ubudala kanye lokuthi isibeletho sikaSara laso sasesifile.
20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
Waqiniswa ekukholweni kwakhe, wapha udumo kuNkulunkulu,
21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
ekholwe ngokupheleleyo ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelamandla okwenza lokho ayekuthembisile.
22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”
Yikho-nje “kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.”
23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
Amazwi athi “kwabalelwa kuye” kawalotshelwanga yena yedwa,
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
kodwa lathi futhi, uNkulunkulu azabalela ukulunga kwethu, thina esikholwa kuye, yena owavusa uJesu iNkosi yethu kwabafileyo.
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Wanikelwa ekufeni ngenxa yezono zethu njalo wavuselwa ekuphileni ukuze silungisiswe.
