Romawa 3

1 Ahi ngye ha fifikon wa Bayahude he niwu? Naki ahi ngye hi mah yo gji?

[Someone may object to this, saying], “[If being circumcised does not cause God to accept us Jews], (there is no advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]./is there any advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]?) [RHQ] Being circumcised does not benefit [us Jews at all]!”

2 Akwai muhimanci ba ninkon bari. Ni mumla de ana Yahudawa irji bu tre ni bawu.

[I would reply that being Jews] benefits [us] in many ways [HYP]. First of all, it benefits us because it was to [our ancestors] that God’s words, [words that contain his promises], were given {that [God] gave his words, [words that contain his promises]}.

3 Inde mbru Yahudawa bana kpanyime ni njanji na fa? Wa ba na kpa njani na ani zu ndindi ndu Irji?

Many [Jews did not obey God as they promised that they would. So someone might ask], “Does their not being faithful mean that God will not [bless us Jews] as he promised [that he would]?”

4 Ana he naki ma na, maimako naki, Irji ka kma ti u njanji, na ndji ba wawu ba bi tiche, na ndji ba han hla don duba tsro ndi wu u ndindi ni mi tre me la wu kpaka ni toh wa banji u hi ni shishi tron.

[I would reply], “No, it certainly does not mean that! God always does [what he has promised], even though [people do not]. All those who accuse God [of not keeping his promises to us Jews] are very mistaken.” [What King David wrote about God’s justly saying that he would punish him for his sins is also true of those who accuse God of not keeping his promises. What he said to God was], “So everyone must acknowledge that what you [(sg)] have said [about them] (OR, [their sin]) is true, and you will always win the case when you are accused {when [people] accuse you}.”

5 Ama inde meme bu a tsro ndindi Irji, naki ki tre ngye? ki ya tre ndi Irji hi meme nda nji nfu ma ni tu mbu? (Misi ti ni sen nyu u ndji).

So if we [Jews’] being wicked [PRS] shows that it is right that God [does not bless us], what shall we say/conclude? Shall we conclude that it is not right for God to be angry [and punish us Jews] [MTY]? I [should not be saying these things], [but] I am speaking as ordinary humans [speak].

6 Ana taba he naki na. Naki Irji ni tron gbugbu'a ni he?

We should certainly not [conclude that God should not judge us], because if God [did not judge us Jews], (it would not possibly be right for him to judge [anyone in] the world [MTY]!/how could he judge [anyone in] the world?) [MTY, RHQ]

7 Inde njanji u Irji ni ti gbugbu ce mu ani kara ninkon ni nyu'u, angye sa mi hai ni tron na'u lah tre?

But [someone might object and say to me], “The fact that God truly [keeps his promises] becomes very clear/evident because of my not doing [what God has commanded]. But the result is that people praise God! So (God should no longer say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned!/why should God still say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned?) [RHQ]

8 Angye sa kina tre, ki yba shishi, ndi tre, bari ba krie nda tre, du ta tie meme, ndi du ndindi ye? Hukunci ba a ndindima.

[If what you, Paul, say is true], then (we might as well/it is all right for us to) do evil things in order that good things [like that] will result! For example, [then people will praise God]!” Some people speak evil about me by their [falsely] saying that I say [such things. God] will fairly/justly punish [people who say such things about me]!

9 Angye naki, ki no tumbu sen nyu'u? Ana he naki na don ki guchi tre Yahuda baba Hllinawa ye ndi tre ndi wawu mbawu ba he ni mi lahtre.

[If someone would ask], “[Shall we conclude that God] will treat us [Jews] more favorably [and will treat] the non-Jews less [favorably] [RHQ]?” [I would reply that we can] certainly not [conclude that]! I have already shown you that all people, the Jews and also the non-Jews, have sinned and [so they deserve to be punished] {[that God will punish them]} [PRS].

10 Na ba nha, ba ndji u njanji, iriri na he na.

[The following words] that are written {prophets have written} [in the Scriptures support this], No person is righteous. There is not even one righteous person!

11 Ba ndji wa a toh kpie, ba wa'a ni wa Irji.

There is no one who understands [how to live properly] (OR, [about God]). There is no one who seeks/desires [to know] God!

12 Wawu mbawu ba kankon don, wawu mbawu ba kma tibi wa bana he ni anfani na. Ba wa ani tie ndu ndindima, a'an iriri na he na.

Absolutely everyone has turned away [MET] [from God]. God considers them depraved (OR, Everyone has become useless [to God]). There is no one who acts righteously; no, there is not even one!

13 Gbugbran mba he ni ho na be, Ilbe mba a ban lilo, Itso wan a he ni mi lbe mba.

What people say [MTY] [is foul/bad, like the smell that comes from] a grave that has been {that [people] have} opened [MET]. [By what people say] [MTY], they deceive people. [By what they say] [MTY] [they injure people, just like] the poison of snakes [injures people] [MET].

14 Inyu mba a shu ni la'ah ni ri gberjerje me.

They are continually (cursing/asking God to do harmful things to) others and saying (cruel/harsh/hateful) things [MTY].

15 Izah mba ni tsutsu gbagbla ni ka yi hle

They (go quickly/are eager) to murder people [MTY].

16 Inkon mba ahi yah ni tie meme.

Wherever they go, they ruin everything and make [people] miserable [MTY].

17 Ndji biyi bana toh nkon sun u si na.

They have not/never known how [to live] peacefully [with other people].

18 Bana he ni klu sissri Irji ni shishi mba na.

They absolutely refuse to fear/reverence God [SYN]!

19 Naki ki toh ndi du kpie wa itron a tre, itro ani tre ni bawu wa ba he ni mi ma, don duba ka iyu mba wawu, naki gbungblu a wawu'u ka no amsa ni shishi Irji.

Furthermore, we know that it is to [Jewish] people, [who are] required to obey [God’s] laws, that Moses wrote those laws [PRS]. [We can infer from this that] there are no [Jews or non-Jews] [SYN] who are able to say anything [in reply to God’s saying that he will punish them for having sinned]. God has declared everyone in the world [MTY] guilty!

20 Naki ni shishi ba ndji wa ba kpa chuwo ni tu ndu tron. Nitu tron, toh lah tre aye.

It is not because people have done the things that God’s laws [require] that [God] will (erase the record of their sins/declare them no longer guilty for sin), [because no one has done those things completely]. In fact, the result of [our knowing God’s] laws is that we know clearly that we have sinned (OR, are sinful).

21 Naki zizan'a nitu tron ba tsro toh njanji Irji wa itron ni annabawa basi hla.

But God’s (erasing the record of our sins/declaring us no longer guilty) does not depend on [our obeying] the laws [that he gave Moses]. It has now been {[God] has now} revealed [to us] how he erases the record of our sins [by a different way]. It was written about [by Moses] {[Moses] wrote about it} in the laws [PRS] [God gave] him, and it was also written about by the prophets {the prophets also wrote about it}.

22 Naki ndindi Irji ahi njanji nimi Yesu Almasihu hi ni biwa ba kpa nyime ni njanji. Naki, kakan na he na.

God erases the record of our sins because we trust in [what] Jesus Christ [has done for us]. God does this for every person who trusts [in Christ], because [he considers] that there is no difference [between Jews and non-Jews].

23 Naki, wawu'u mbawu ba lah tre, bana ya ka hi ni daraja Irji,

All people have done evil, and all people have failed to accomplish the glorious [goals] that God [set for them].

24 ni ndindima ba kpa ta chuwo ni tu kpachuwo wa'a he ni mi Yesu Almasihu.

Our record of sins has been erased {God erased the record of our sins} by God acting kindly [to forgive our sins], without our doing anything to earn it. Christ Jesus accomplished this [by dying for us].

25 Aman Irji a ban Yesu Almasihu no wa ahi hadaya u kpachuwo u njanji nimi iyi ma. A ban Almasihu na nimatsayi tabbacin hukunci ma, nitu ketarewa lah tre mbu wu kogon'a.

God showed that Christ was the one who would atone for (OR, forgive) our sins [with the] blood [that flowed from his body when he died. God redeems/forgives] us because of our trusting [in Christ’s having died for us. God wanted] to show that he acts justly. [He wanted to do that] because, before [Jesus came, God] did not punish [everyone who sinned. So it seemed as though he was not being just]. But he was overlooking people’s sins during [that time],

26 Nimi vu suron ma, naki i wa yi ati ndu tsro ndindima nimi toh i du kpanyime ni tuma u hukunci, nda tsro wawu hi u kpa konha chuwo saboda, njanji wa ahe nimi Yesu.

because he is patient. [God arranged for Jesus to die for us]. By doing that, God now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts/believes in Jesus.

27 To, i wru wo ni san he ni ntsen? Ba chu'u rju. Nitu ngye? Nitu ndu? Aman nitu ndu? Ama nitu njanji.

It is not at all [RHQ] because of [our obeying the] laws [of Moses that God erases the record of our sins]. So, (there is no way that we can boast [that God does that because of our obeying those laws]./how can we boast [about God erasing the record of our sins because of our obeying those laws]?) [RHQ] Instead, [it is because of our] believing/trusting [in Christ that God erases the record of our sins].

28 Nakima kikle tre a ndi ba kpa ndji chuwo, ana he nitu ndu tron na.

[We cannot boast about that], because we conclude that the record of our sins is erased {God erases the record of our sins} because of our trusting [in Christ]. God does not erase the record of our sins because of our obeying the laws [that he gave to Moses, because it is impossible for us to completely obey them].

29 Ko naki Irji ahi Irji Yahudawa ni kankrji? Ana Irji bi kora ngame na? i ahi bi kora ngame.

(You who are Jews certainly should not [think that you] are the only ones whom God [will accept]!/Do you Jews [think it is you] alone whom God [will accept]?) [RHQ] You certainly should [realize that he will accept] non-Jews, too. [RHQ] Of course, [he will accept] non-Jews also,

30 Nakima inde gbigbi ahi Irji riri, ani kpa biwa ba yo nji ni bawu chuwo nitu njani.

because, [as you firmly believe], there is only one God, who will erase the record of Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in what Christ has done], and who will similarly erase the record of non-Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in Christ].

31 Ki ka tron hlega nitu njanji? Ana taba he nakima na, nakima kisi hu gon tro kena.

So, [if someone should ask concerning the laws that God gave Moses], “By saying [that God erases the record of our sins because of our] trusting [in Christ], does that mean that those laws now are useless?”, [I would reply], “Certainly not. Instead, we truly fulfill the laws [that God gave Moses].”