The Example of Abraham
1 Well then, what can we say about our ancestor Abraham? 2 If he became acceptable to God because of what he did, then he would have something to brag about. But he would never be able to brag about it to God. 3 The Scriptures say, “God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him.”
4 Money paid to workers isn't a gift. It is something they earn by working. 5 But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him. 6 In the Scriptures David talks about the blessings that come to people who are acceptable to God, even though they don't do anything to deserve these blessings. David says,
7-8 “What a blessing
when God forgives our sins
and our evil deeds.
What a blessing
when the Lord erases our sins
from his book.”
9 Are these blessings meant for circumcised people or for those who are not circumcised? Well, the Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him. 10 But when did this happen? Was it before or after Abraham was circumcised? Of course, it was before.
11 Abraham let himself be circumcised to show he had been accepted because of his faith even before he was circumcised. This makes Abraham the father of all who are acceptable to God because of their faith, even though they are not circumcised. 12 This also makes Abraham the father of everyone who is circumcised and has faith in God, as Abraham did before he was circumcised.
The Promise Is for All Who Have Faith
13 God promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them the world. This promise wasn't made because Abraham had obeyed a law, but because his faith in God made him acceptable. 14 If Abraham and his descendants were given this promise because they had obeyed a law, then faith would mean nothing, and the promise would be worthless.
15 God becomes angry when his Law is broken. But where there isn't a law, it cannot be broken. 16 Everything depends on having faith in God, so that God's promise is assured by his gift of undeserved grace. This promise isn't only for Abraham's descendants who have the Law. It is for all who are Abraham's descendants because they have faith, just as he did. Abraham is the ancestor of us all. 17 The Scriptures say that Abraham would become the ancestor of many nations. This promise was made to Abraham because he had faith in God, who raises the dead to life and creates new things.
18 God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God and became the ancestor of many nations. 19 Abraham's faith never became weak, not even when he was nearly 100 years old. He knew he was almost dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. 20 But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God.
21 Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised. 22 So God accepted him, 23 just as we read in the Scriptures. But these words were not written only for Abraham. 24 They were written for us, since we will also be accepted because of our faith in God, who raised our Lord Jesus to life. 25 God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God.
Oshiholelwa shaAbraham
1 Otatu ti ngiini ano kombinga yatatekulu Abraham pazimo? Oye okwa mono shike? 2 Ngele Abraham okwa ningi omuyuuki koshipala shaKalunga molwaashoka e shi ningi, nena ota vulu oku shi itangela, ihe hakoshipala shaKalunga. 3 Oshoka enyolo otali ti: “Abraham okwi itaale Kalunga, nomolweitaalo ndika Kalunga okwe mu tala ihe omuyuuki.” 4 Omuntu ngoka ta longo, oha futwa, nondjambi ye itayi talwa kutya oshinima sha gandjwa omagano, aawe, otayi talwa oshinima e shi ilongele ye mwene. 5 Omuntu ngoka iti ilongele sha, ihe okwi itaala Kalunga, ngoka ta taamba omulunde a kale kee na oondjo, ota talwa omuyuuki koshipala shaKalunga omolweitaalo lye. 6 Shika osho naanaa shoka David e shi popi, sho a ti kutya omuumentu omunelago oye ngoka Kalunga te mu tala omuyuuki pwaa na iilonga:
7 “Aanelago aantu mboka Kalunga e ya dhimina po omayono gawo,
oomboka oondjo dhawo dha siikilwa.
8 Omuntu omunelago oye ngoka Omuwa itaa yalula we oondjo dhe.”
9 Ano elago ndino tali popiwa kuDavid olyaamboka ya fukalekwa ayeke? Aawe, olyaamboka wo inaa fukalekwa. Oshoka otwa ti: “Abraham okwi itaale Kalunga, nomolweitaalo ndika Kalunga okwe mu tala ihe omuyuuki.” 10 Shika osha ningwa uunake? Ndishi omanga Abraham a li inaa fukalekwa. 11 Tango okwi itaale, opo ihe okwa fukalekwa, nokufukalekwa kwe okwa ningi ihe endhindhiliko tali koleke kutya Kalunga okwa tala Abraham omuyuuki koshipala she, sho i itaala. Ngashingeyi Abraham oye he yopambepo yaayehe mboka yi itaala Kalunga noya taambwa aayuuki koshipala she, nonando inaa fukalekwa. 12 Oye wo he yaamboka ya fukalekwa, hamolwaasho owala ya fukalekwa, ihe omolwaasho ye li meitaalo ndyoka tate Abraham a li e li na, manga inaa fukalekwa.
Eitaalo otali taamba euvaneko lyaKalunga
13 Kalunga oku uvanekele Abraham, uuyuni u ninge we nowoluvalo lwe. Euvaneko ndika inali ningwa ando molwaasho Abraham a gwanitha ompango, ihe omolwaasho i itaala, naKalunga okwe mu tala omuyuuki. 14 Oshoka ngele omauvaneko gaKalunga otaga pewa mboka taa gwanitha ompango, nena eitaalo lyomuntu itali kwatha sha nomauvaneko gaKalunga kage na oshilonga. 15 Ano ompango otayi etelele ondjahi yaKalunga; ihe hoka kwaa na ompango, kaku na wo eyono lyompango.
16 Euvaneko olya gandjwa molweitaalo, opo li kolekwe nawa kutya olyo esilohenda lyaKalunga koluvalo aluhe lwaAbraham, hakwaamboka haa vulika kompango, ihe nokwaamboka wo yi itaala ngaashi Abraham. Oshoka Abraham oye tate yopambepo atuhe mbaka. 17 Ongaashi enyolo tali ti: “Ngame onde ku ningi he yiigwana oyindji.” Euvaneko oli na oshilonga oshinene koshipala shaKalunga, ngoka i itaalwa kuAbraham. Oye Kalunga ngoka ta yumudha aasi, naangoka ta popi, iinima mbyoka ya li yaa ko e tayi holoka. 18 Abraham okwi itaale nokwa tegamene, manga pwaa na sha shokutegamenwa, onkee okwa ningi he yiigwana oyindji. Ongaashi enyolo tali ti: “Oluvalo lwoye otalu ka ningwa wo olwindji.” 19 Oomvula dhaAbraham odha li lwopethele, ihe ina nengena meitaalo lye, nando e wete kutya olutu lwe kalu na we oonkondo dholuvalo, naSara ita vala we. 20 Oye okwi itaale ye ina limbililwa shoka e shi uvanekelwa kuKalunga, onkee eitaalo lye olye mu koleke e ta hambelele Kalunga. 21 Oshoka Abraham okwa li e shi shi nawa kutya shoka Kalunga e shi uvaneke, ota vulu oku shi gwanitha. 22 Onkee ano Kalunga okwa tala Abraham omuyuuki koshipala she, sho i itaala.
23 Oohapu ndhika: “Kalunga e mu tala omuyuuki koshipala she,” inadhi nyolwa molwaAbraham awike, 24 ihe odha nyolwa wo molwetu, mboka tatu talwa aayuuki, sho twi itaala Kalunga ngoka a yumudha Omuwa gwetu Jesus kuusi.
25 Kalunga okwa gandja Jesus omolwoondjo dhetu nokwe mu yumudha kuusi, e tu ninge aayuuki koshipala she.
