¹Ndugu zangu, ninataka na kutazamia kwa moyo wangu wote hao wananchi wenzangu wakombolewe. Tena nawaombea kwa Mungu daima.

¹Brethren, the pleasure indeed of my heart, and my supplication that [is] to God for Israel, is — for salvation;

²Maana naweza kuthibitisha kwa niaba yao kwamba wanayo bidii ya kumtafuta Mungu; lakini bidii hiyo haikujengwa juu ya ujuzi wa kweli.

²for I bear them testimony that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,

³Maana hawakufahamu jinsi Mungu anavyowafanya watu wawe waadilifu, na wamejaribu kuanzisha mtindo wao wenyewe, na hivyo hawakuikubali njia hiyo ya Mungu ya kuwafanya wawe waadilifu.

³for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit.

⁴Maana kwa kuja kwake Kristo, Sheria imefikia kikomo chake, ili kila mtu anayeamini akubaliwe kuwa mwadilifu.

⁴For Christ is an end of law for righteousness to every one who is believing,

⁵Kuhusu kukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa kuitii Sheria, Mose aliandika hivi: "Mtu yeyote anayetimiza matakwa ya Sheria ataishi."

⁵for Moses doth describe the righteousness that [is] of the law, that, `The man who did them shall live in them,`

⁶Lakini, kuhusu kukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa njia ya imani, yasemwa hivi: "Usiseme moyoni mwako: Nani atapanda mpaka mbinguni? (yaani, kumleta Kristo chini);

⁶and the righteousness of faith doth thus speak: `Thou mayest not say in thine heart, Who shall go up to the heaven,` that is, Christ to bring down?

⁷wala usiseme: Nani atashuka mpaka Kuzimu (yaani, kumleta Kristo kutoka kwa wafu)."

⁷or, `Who shall go down to the abyss,` that is, Christ out of the dead to bring up.

⁸Maandiko Matakatifu yesema hivi, "Ujumbe huo wa Mungu uko karibu nawe, uko kinywani mwako na moyoni mwako" nao ndio ile imani tunayoihubiri.

⁸But what doth it say? `Nigh thee is the saying — in thy mouth, and in thy heart:` that is, the saying of the faith, that we preach;

⁹Kama ukikiri kwa kinywa chako kwamba Yesu ni Bwana na kuamini moyoni mwako kwamba Mungu alimfufua kutoka wafu, utaokoka.

⁹that if thou mayest confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and mayest believe in thy heart that God did raise him out of the dead, thou shalt be saved,

¹⁰Maana tunaamini kwa moyo na kukubaliwa kuwa waadilifu; na tunakiri kwa midomo yetu na kuokolewa.

¹⁰for with the heart doth [one] believe to righteousness, and with the mouth is confession made to salvation;

¹¹Maandiko Matakatifu yasema: "Kila amwaminiye hatakuwa na sababu ya kuaibika."

¹¹for the Writing saith, `Every one who is believing on him shall not be ashamed,`

¹²Jambo hili ni kwa wote, kwani hakuna tofauti kati ya Wayahudi na wasio Wayahudi; Bwana wa wote ni mmoja, naye ni mkarimu sana kwao wote wamwombao.

¹²for there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord of all [is] rich to all those calling upon Him,

¹³Maana Maandiko Matakatifu yasema: "Kila mtu atakayeomba kwa jina la Bwana, ataokolewa."

¹³for every one — whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.`

¹⁴Basi, watamwombaje yeye ambaye hawamwamini? Tena, watamwaminije kama hawajapata kusikia habari zake? Na watasikiaje habari zake kama hakuna mhubiri?

¹⁴How then shall they call upon [him] in whom they did not believe? and how shall they believe [on him] of whom they did not hear? and how shall they hear apart from one preaching?

¹⁵Na watu watahubirije kama hawakutumwa? Kama yasemavyo Maandiko Matakatifu: "Ni jambo la kupendeza mno kuja kwa wale wanaohubiri Habari Njema!"

¹⁵and how shall they preach, if they may not be sent? according as it hath been written, `How beautiful the feet of those proclaiming good tidings of peace, of those proclaiming good tidings of the good things!`

¹⁶Lakini wote hawakuipokea hiyo Habari Njema. Maana Isaya alisema: "Bwana, ni nani aliyeamini ujumbe wetu?"

¹⁶But they were not all obedient to the good tidings, for Isaiah saith, `Lord, who did give credence to our report?`

¹⁷Hivyo basi, imani inatokana na kuusikiliza ujumbe, na huo ujumbe unatokana na neno la Kristo.

¹⁷so then the faith [is] by a report, and the report through a saying of God,

¹⁸Lakini nauliza: je, hawakuusikia huo ujumbe? Naam, waliusikia; kama Maandiko Matakatifu yasemavyo: "Sauti yao imeenea duniani kote; maneno yao yamefika mpaka kingo za ulimwengu."

¹⁸but I say, Did they not hear? yes, indeed — `to all the earth their voice went forth, and to the ends of the habitable world their sayings.`

¹⁹Tena nauliza: je, yawezekana kwamba watu wa Israeli hawakufahamu? Mose mwenyewe ni kwa kwanza kujibu: "Nitawafanyeni mwaonee wivu watu ambao si taifa; nitawafanyeni muwe na hasira juu ya taifa la watu wapumbavu."

¹⁹But I say, Did not Israel know? first Moses saith, `I will provoke you to jealousy by [that which is] not a nation; by an unintelligent nation I will anger you,`

²⁰Tena Isaya anathubutu hata kusema: "Wale ambao hawakunitafuta wamenipata; nimejionyesha kwao wasiouliza habari zangu."

²⁰and Isaiah is very bold, and saith, `I was found by those not seeking Me; I became manifest to those not inquiring after Me;`

²¹Lakini kuhusu Israeli anasema: "Mchana kutwa niliwanyoshea mikono yangu watu waasi na wasiotii."

²¹and unto Israel He saith, `All the day I did stretch out My hands unto a people unbelieving and gainsaying.`