Hukumu Ya Mungu

Kwa hiyo huna udhuru wo wote, hata ukiwa nani, unapowahu kumu wengine. Kwa maana unapowahukumu wengine unajihukumu mwe nyewe, kwa kuwa wewe uliye hakimu unafanya mambo hayo hayo. Tunajua kwamba hukumu ya Mungu huwafikia kwa halali wote wanaotenda mambo haya. Je, wewe uliye binadamu tu, unapowahuku mu watu wanaofanya mambo hayo na huku wewe mwenyewe pia unafanya hayo hayo, unadhani utaepuka hukumu ya Mungu? Au labda unad harau wingi wa huruma, uvumilivu na subira ya Mungu, ukasahau kwamba wema wake una shabaha ya kukufanya utubu?

Lakini kwa sababu ya ugumu na ukaidi wa moyo wako usioku bali kutubu, unajiwekea ghadhabu kwa siku ile ambapo ghadhabu ya Mungu na hukumu yake ya haki itadhihirishwa. Siku hiyo, Mungu atamlipa kila mtu kulingana na matendo yake. Wale ambao hutenda wema wakati wote na kutafuta utukufu, heshima na maisha yasiyo haribika, Mungu atawapa uzima wa milele. Lakini wote watafu tao kujinufaisha, wanaokataa kweli na kufuatauovu, watapokea ghadhabu na hasira ya Mungu. Kwa maana kila binadamu atendaye uovu atapata mateso na shida, kuanzia kwa Myahudi na kisha kwa mtu wa mataifa mengine. 10 Lakini Mungu atawapa utukufu, heshima na amani wote watendao mema; Wayahudi kwanza na kisha watu wa mataifa mengine. 11 Kwa maana Mungu hana upendeleo.

12 Watu wote waliotenda dhambi pasipokuwa na sheria ya Musa wataangamia pasipo sheria; na wale wote waliotenda dhambi chini ya sheria ya Musa watahukumiwa kwa sheria iyo hiyo. 13 Kwa maana wanaohesabiwa haki mbele ya Mungu si wale wanaosikia bali ni wal ewanaotii maagizo ya sheria. 14 Watu wa mataifa mengine ambao hawana sheria ya Musa, wanapoamua kutenda yale ambayo yameagizwa na sheria kwa kuongozwa na dhamiri zao, wao wenyewe wanakuwa wamejiwekea sheria, ingawa hawana sheria ya Musa. 15 Kwa jinsi hii matendo yao yanaonyesha kwamba yale yaliyoagizwa katika she ria ya Musa yameandikwa ndani ya mioyo yao. Dhamiri zao pia hush uhudia hivyo; kwa maana mawazo yao mara nyingine huwashtaki na mara nyingine huwatetea. 16 Kwa hiyo, kama Habari Njema ninay ohubiri inavyosema, hivyo ndivyo itakavyokuwa siku ile ambayo Mungu, kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo, atayahukumu mawazo ya siri ya wanadamu.

Wayahudi Na Sheria Ya Musa

17 Na wewe je? Wewe unayejiita Myahudi: unaitegemea sheria ya Musa na kujisifia uhusiano wako na Mungu; 18 unajua mapenzi ya Mungu na unatambua lililo bora kutokana na hiyo sheria. 19 Kama unatambua kuwa wewe ni kiongozi wa vipofu na mwanga kwa wale walioko gizani; 20 mkufunzi wa wajinga na mwalimu wa watoto wachanga, kwa kuwa una hakika kwamba ndani ya hiyo sheria mna maarifa na kweli yote: 21 wewe unayewafundisha wengine, mbona hujifunzi mwenyewe? Wewe unayehubiri kwamba watu wasiibe, wewe huibi? 22 Wewe unayewaambia watu wasizini, wewe huzini? Wewe uchukiaye miungu ya sanamu, huibi katika mahekalu? 23 Wewe unayejisifia sheria, humwaibishi Mungu kwa kuvunja sheria? 24 Kwa maana Maandiko yanasema, “Kwa ajili yenu ninyi Wayahudi, jina la Mungu linatukanwa miongoni mwa mataifa ya watu wasiom jua Mungu.”

25 Kutahiriwa kuna thamani tu iwapo unatii sheria, lakini kama unavunja sheria, umekuwa kama hukutahiriwa. 26 Kwa hiyo kama watu ambao hawakutahiriwa wanatimiza maagizo ya she ria, je, Mungu hatawahesabu kuwa kama waliotahiriwa? 27 Ndipo wale ambao kimwili hawakutahiriwa lakini wanatii sheria watawa hukumu ninyi mlio na Maandiko ya sheria nakutahiriwa lakini mna vunja sheria. 28 Kwamaana Myahudi wa kweli si yule anayeonekana kwa dalili za nje, wala tohara ya kweli si kitu cha kimwili. 29 Myahudi wa kweli ni yule aliye Myahudi kwa ndani, na tohara ya kweli ni jambo la moyoni, jambo la kiroho, wala si la sheria iliyoandikwa. Mtu wa jinsi hii anapata sifa kutoka kwa Mungu, wala si kutoka kwa wanadamu.

God’s Righteous Judgment

You, therefore, have no excuse,(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.(B) Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches(C) of his kindness,(D) forbearance(E) and patience,(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(G)

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(H), when his righteous judgment(I) will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a](J) To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor(K) and immortality,(L) he will give eternal life.(M) But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,(N) there will be wrath and anger.(O) There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:(P) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;(Q) 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.(R) 11 For God does not show favoritism.(S)

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law(T) will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey(U) the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,(V) they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets(W) through Jesus Christ,(X) as my gospel(Y) declares.

The Jews and the Law

17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;(Z) 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?(AA) 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?(AB) 23 You who boast in the law,(AC) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b](AD)

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law,(AE) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.(AF) 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements,(AG) will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?(AH) 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you(AI) who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,(AJ) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.(AK) 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,(AL) by the Spirit,(AM) not by the written code.(AN) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12
  2. Romans 2:24 Isaiah 52:5 (see Septuagint); Ezek. 36:20,22
  3. Romans 2:27 Or who, by means of a