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.
Dhuŋun dhina dhiŋir dhina dhuthi Ibraahiim
1 Abi alŋa larakwai gwan Ibraahiim gwina gwiro babo gwega? Gi dhuŋun dha aŋinu gwibujo aŋa? 2 Abi ada Ibraahiim gwima iŋirini ŋiro ŋai, gwuthi dhuŋuna dha dhare ŋamilai; abi dhati gi je ganu ja Kalo no. 3 Kitham garakwai? A Ibraahiim uminyi Kaloŋa, aldhurejo dhuŋuna dhina dhiŋir. 4 Abi gwina gwathapai ŋiro gwati gwaldhurejo ujra yuŋun gi dhuŋun dha niⓐma no, abi gi dhuŋun dha gamju. 5 Abi gwina gwati gwathapai ŋiro no, ŋwubuminyi ŋeduŋw gwina gwathiŋiriye lijo lina lati luminyu dhuŋuna dha Kalo no, a imaan gwuŋun gwadhuredhijo dhuŋuna dhina dhiŋir. 6 Gwiro ŋinena arna Daawud ko gwan baraka gwa kwiji, gwina gwima Kalo dhuredhijo iŋiruŋw gwuŋun gwati gi ŋiro ŋuŋun no. 7 Iŋiriyul dugore lina limal Kalo dhudhanijo ŋida ganu ŋegen ŋina ŋike, a ŋwugiriba ŋida galo ŋegen ŋina ŋike. 8 Kwiji gwiŋir dhugore gwina gwati gwa Kweleny dhurejo ŋida ŋuŋun ŋina ŋike no.
9 A minoŋ baraka ibigwa gwiro gwan liji lina lurtedhinu dogo a? i gwan liji lina lati lurtedhinu ko no. Ŋinena arilnu gwimadhuredhijo Ibraahiimuŋw iŋiruŋw imaan gwai. 10 Abi akwai gwidhuredhijuŋw? Dina muŋw uredhini, i kwereny nanaŋ gwati gwuredhinu no. Gwati gi uredhini no, ŋwubiro gi gwina gwati gwuredhinu no. 11 Gwapo ⓐalaama gwa uredhini, gwina gwiro khithm ga dhuŋun dhina dhiŋir dha imaan gwina gwijo dugun gwina gwati gwuredhinu no; duŋwuro babo gwa liji peth lina luminyu, lina lati lurtedhinu no; dil dhuŋun dhina dhiŋir dhuredhijo iŋiruŋw ko. 12 A babo gwa urtedhini degen lina lati lurtedhinu dogo no, abi lina lathelila ko gi ŋwora ŋwa imaan gwina gwuthi babo gwega gwina gwan Ibraahiim, gwina gwijo dugun kwereny nanaŋ gwoma gwati gwuredhinu no. 13 A minoŋ gwati naamuus gwai dhiro dhuŋun dhina dhabiŋaijuŋwdhai Ibraahiimuŋw, i gi ŋwulaŋ ŋwuŋun no darnu lapai ŋelenya ŋa gidhila, abi dhuŋun dhai dhina dhiŋir dha imaan. 14 Abi ada lina liro la naamuus limapai ŋelenya, a minoŋ imaan gwimarujini tur, a dhuŋun dhina dhabiŋaijildhai dhimarujini tur. 15 Ŋinena naamuus gwathapai kuŋw dhugore; ŋinena ada naamuus gwati gwimaje no, a ŋidi ŋina ŋike ŋati ko no. 16 Gi dhuŋun ibidha imaan gwai, di dhuŋun dhina dhabiŋaijildhai je niⓐma gwai; duŋwuro titiganu di ŋwulaŋ peth; a dhati dhiro gi lina liro la naamuus dogo no, ŋwubiro ko gi lina lijo gi imaan gwa Ibraahiim; gwina gwiro babo gwega peth. 17 (Gwiro ŋinena ulinuŋwna, Nyi gwimaŋa ruje babo gwa Liumam loinyadho,) gi je ganu ja Kalo, gina gimaŋa uminyi gina gathilmidhiye lina laio, a ŋwurnie ŋida ŋina ŋati ŋijo no ŋiro ŋinena ŋijo. 18 Gwina gwati gwuthi dhunijuŋw no gwuminyu dhunijuŋw, duŋwuthi ŋoma ŋwuro babo gwa Liumam loinyadho, gwiro ŋinena arna, A minoŋ ŋwulaŋ ŋwuŋa ŋwaje. 19 A ŋeda gwati gwimulo nono gi imaan no, athuŋw dhuredhi aŋina yuŋun darnu iro ŋinena imai no, dina uthuŋw jidhileo dure‐thudhina, i kwa gwuŋun gwina gwan Saara gwina gwiro ludum. 20 A gwati gwubo galo dina athuŋw uthi imaan gi dhuŋun dhina dhabiŋaijidhai Kalo no; ŋwubibur nono gi imaan, ŋwudhedha Kaloŋa majdh. 21 Gwiliŋidhi momaŋ darnu dhuŋun dhina dhabiŋaijildhai, ŋeda gwuthi ŋoma duŋwapai ko. 22 A minoŋ ko ŋwudhuredhijo iŋiruŋw. 23 Abi dhati dhulinu gwan ŋeda dogo, darnu dhadhuredhijo ŋeduŋw cucun no; 24 abi dhan alŋa ko lina laji lalidhuredhijo lina luminyi ŋeduŋw, gwina gwidireyo Yasuuⓐuŋw dai gwina gwiro Kweleny gwega, 25 gwina gwidhedhinu dai gwan ŋidi ŋega ŋina ŋike, ŋwubidirini dai gwan iŋirini gwega.