< Matthai 23 >

1 Te phoeiah Jesuh loh hlangping rhoek neh a hnukbang rhoek te a voek tih,
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 “Cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee rhoek tah Moses kah ngoltlang dongah ngol uh.
“Moses was the [renowned] teacher who taught [the people the laws that God gave him] [MTY]. Now, the Pharisees and the men who teach our [Jewish] laws have made themselves the ones who interpret those laws [IDM].
3 Te dongah nangmih taengah a thui uh sarhui te boeih vai uh lamtah tuem uh. Tedae amih kah khoboe bangla saii uh boeh, a thui uh tih a vai uh haew moenih.
Consequently, you should do whatever they tell you that you must do. But do not do what they do, because they themselves do not do what they tell [you that you must do].
4 Te phoeiah hno te a rhih la a boep uh tih phueihtloel la hlang kah laengpang dongah a tloeng uh dae amamih tah a kutdawn nen khaw tat sak ham ngaih uh pawh.
They [require you to obey many rules that are difficult to obey]. But they themselves [do not help anyone obey those rules. It is] as if they are tying up loads that are hard to carry and putting them on your shoulders [MET] [for you to carry. But they] themselves [do not desire to help anyone obey those laws. They are like] people who do not want to lift [even the slightest load] that they [could lift] [MET]
5 A khoboe te khaw hlang kah a hmuh la boeih a saii uh. A cacimbu te a kaa uh tih salaw te oep uh.
[with] one finger. Whatever they do, they do it to be seen by other people {so that other people will see them doing that}. [For example], they make extra wide the tiny boxes containing portions of Scripture that they wear on their arms. They enlarge the tassels on their robes, [to make others think that they are pious].
6 Buhkung ah hmuensang, tunim ah ngolhmuen then neh,
[They want people to honor them. For example], at dinner parties they sit in the seats where the most important people sit. In the places of worship [they want to sit] in the seats where the most honored people sit.
7 Hnoyoih hmuen kah toidalnah uh neh hlang loh Rhabbi la a khue te a lungnah uh.
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 Tedae nangmih tah Rhabbi la n'khue boel saeh. Nangmih kah saya tah pakhat ni aka om tih nangmih boeih te boeinaphung la na om uh.
But you [who are my disciples] should not allow people to address you [honorably] as ‘Rabbi’, [which means ‘teacher]’. I [am the] only one who is [really] your teacher, which means that you are all [equal, like] brothers and sisters, [and none of you should act superior to another, as the Pharisees do].
9 Te dongah diklai hmankah he pa la na khue uh mahpawh, vaan kah pa pakhat ni nangmih ham a om.
Do not [honor anyone] on earth [by] addressing him as ‘Father’, because God, your Father in heaven, is the only [spiritual] father of all of you.
10 Mawtkung la n'khue uh boel saeh, Khrih tah nangmih mawtkung la rhenten om coeng.
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 Nangmih khuikah aka tanglue tah nangmih kah tueihyoeih la om ni.
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 Tedae amah aka pomsang te tah tlarhoel vetih amah aka tlarhoel te tah a pomsang ni.
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek, hlang kah hmaiah vaan ram te na khaih uh tih, namamih khaw na kun uh pawh, aka kun rhoek te khaw kun ham na hlah pa uh pawh.
[Then Jesus said to the religious leaders], “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for [you, because by teaching what is false], you [prevent people] [MTY/HYP] [who are thinking about letting] God rule their lives [from doing that] [MET]. [What you are doing is like] closing a gate [MET] [so that people who] are wanting to enter [a city cannot go in]. As for you, [you do not let] God [rule your lives. Neither do you allow] other people [to let God rule their lives. What you do is like] not going into a [house] yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it [either] [MET].”
14 Nuhmai kah imlo te na yoop uh phoeiah a hmanhu ah puet na thangthui uh. Te dongah nangmih kah laitloekkung la om uh ni.
15 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek, pakhat te poehlip sak ham tuili neh rhamrhae na hil uh. Tedae a om tanglai vaengah tah anih te namamih laklah rhaepnit la hell kah a ca la na poeh sak uh. (Geenna g1067)
“You are hypocrites, you men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees! Your punishment will be terrible, because you exert yourselves very much to get [even] one person to believe what you teach. For instance, you travel across seas and lands [to distant places] in order to do that. And [as a result], when one person [believes what you teach], you make that person much more deserving to go to hell than you yourselves [deserve to].” (Geenna g1067)
16 Anunae nangmih mawtkung mikdael rhoek, 'Bawkim neh aka toemngam te tah a toemngam phu om pawh, tedae bawkim kah sui neh a toemngam te man a kuek nah mako,’ aka ti rhoek
“You [Jewish leaders], your punishment will be terrible! You are [like people who are] blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘[In the case of] those who promise to [do] something and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what] they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], they must do what they promised.’
17 Mikdael neh hlang ang rhoek, melae tanglue la aka om? Sui a? Sui aka ciim bawkim a?
You are fools, and you are [like people who are] blind [MET]! The gold [that is in the Temple] is important, but [the Temple] is even more important [RHQ], because it is the Temple that the gold is in that sets the gold apart for a special use for God.
18 Te phoeiah, 'Hmueihtuk neh aka toemngam te tah a phu om pawh, tedae hmueihtuk dongkah hmueih neh aka toemngam te aaitlaeng nah mako aka ti, rhoek.
Also [you say], ‘In the case of those who promise to [do] something and then ask [the altar to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what they have promised]. But if they ask the gift [that] they have put on the altar [to support what they have promised], they must do [what they promised].’
19 Mikdael rhoek aw melae a tanglue? Kutdoe a? Kutdoe aka ciim hmueihtuk a?
[You are like people who are] blind [MET]. The gift [that is offered] on the altar is important, but the altar is even more important [RHQ] because it is the altar on which the offering is offered that sets it apart for a special use for God.
20 Te dongah hmueihtuk neh aka toemngam tah hmueihtuk neh a sokah boeih boeih neh a toemngam coeng.
So, those who promise to do something, and then ask the altar [to affirm what they have promised] are asking everything on the altar [to support what they promised].
21 Te phoeiah Bawkim neh aka toemngam tah Bawkim neh a tolvael te a toemngam coeng.
Those who promise to do something, and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they promised], are asking that [God], to whom the Temple belongs, [will affirm what they have promised].
22 Te phoeiah vaan neh aka toemngam tah Pathen kah ngolkhoel neh te dongah aka ngol neh a toemngam coeng.
Those who promise to do something and then ask heaven [to affirm what they promised] are asking the throne of God and [God], who sits on that throne, [to affirm what they promised].”
23 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek aw, sungii, sungsing neh sungkueng te na paek uh. Tedae olkhueng khuikah olpuei la aka om tiktamnah, rhennah, tangnah te na hlahpham uh. Tedae he rhoek he saii ham a kuek atah te rhoek khaw hlahpham boeh.
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites because, [even though] you give [to God] a tenth of [the herbs you produce, such as] mint, dill, and cummin, you do not [obey God’s] laws that are more important. [For example, you do not act] justly toward others, you do not act mercifully toward people, and you are not trustworthy. It is good to [give a tenth of your herbs] to God, but you should also [obey] these other [more important laws].
24 Mawtkung mikdael rhoek, pildik pataeng na soih u dae kalauk na dolh uh.
You [leaders are like] blind people [who are trying to lead others. According to your laws you say that touching gnats and camels makes you unacceptable to God. What you are doing is like] straining a gnat [out of a jar of water so that you do not swallow it and thereby become unacceptable to God], and [at the same time] swallowing a camel [with the water] [MET]!”
25 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek, boengloeng neh baelphaih te a hmanhu ah na silh uh dae a khuikah halhkanah dongah khoeihveetnah neh na bae uh.
“You men who teach people the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are greedy and selfish, but you [make yourselves appear holy. You are like] cups and plates that have been cleaned on the outside, but on the inside [they are very filthy].
26 Pharisee mikdael rhoek boengloeng kah a khui te lamhma la cilpoe dae. Te daengah ni poeng ben khaw a caih la a om eh.
You blind Pharisees! First you must [stop being greedy and selfish]. [Then you will be able to do what] is [righteous. That will be like] cleaning the inside of a cup first. Then when you clean [MET] the outside [of the cup], [the cup will truly be clean].”
27 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek, hlan a bok neh na loo uh. Te te ahmanhu ah sawtthen la tueng dae aka duek kah a rhuh neh rhongingnah boeih neh bae.
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs [SIM] that are painted white [so that people can see them and avoid touching them]. The outside surfaces are beautiful, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and filth.
28 Nangmih khaw a hmanhu ah tah hlang dueng la na phoe uh tangloeng ngawn, tedae a khuiah thailatnah neh olaeknah a bae la om.
You are [like those tombs]. When people look at you, they think that you are righteous, but in your (inner beings/hearts) you are hypocrites and you disobey [God’s] commands.”
29 Anunae nangmih cadaek rhoek neh Pharisee hlangthai palat rhoek, tonghma rhoek kah hlan te na saii uh tih hlang dueng rhoek kah phuel te na thoeihcam uh.
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! Your punishment will be terrible! You rebuild the tombs of the [prophets whom others killed long ago]. You decorate the monuments [that honor] righteous [people].
30 Te phoeiah, 'A pa rhoek kah a tue vaengah ng'om uh koinih tonghma rhoek kah a thii dongah amih kah pueipo la ng'om pawt sue,’ na ti uh.
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 Te dongah tonghma rhoek aka ngawn kah a ca rhoek la na om uh te na oep uh.
Thus [you recognize that you should honor the prophets, but you disregard the word of God that other men whom God has sent teach you. In that way] you testify against yourselves that you are descendants and disciples [MET] of those who killed the prophets.
32 Nangmih long khaw na pa rhoek kah a hmatoeng ni na koei uh.
You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
33 Rhul rhoek, rhulthae cadil rhoek, laitloeknah hell lamkah metlam na rhaelrham uh eh? (Geenna g1067)
[You people are so wicked] You are [as dangerous as poisonous] snakes [DOU, MET]! (You [foolishly] think that you will escape being punished in hell!/Do you [foolishly] think that you will escape when [God] punishes [wicked people] in hell?) [RHQ] (Geenna g1067)
34 He dongah ni kai loh tonghma rhoek, hlangcueih rhoek neh cadaek rhoek te nangmih taengah kan tueih he. Amih te na ngawn uh vetih na tai uh bal veh. Amih te namamih kah tunim ah na boh uh vetih khopuei lamkah khopuei la na hnaemtaek uh veh.
Take note that this is why I will send prophets, wise men, and other men who will teach you [my message]. You will kill some of them by nailing them to crosses, and you will kill some in other ways. You will whip some of them in the places where you worship, and [you will] chase them from city to city.
35 Te dongah hlang dueng Abel kah thii lamloh bawkim neh hmueihtuk lakloah na ngawn uh Berikhiah kah capa Zekhriah kah thii duela, diklai hmanah hlang dueng rhoek kah thii a hawk te nangmih soah boeih thoeng.
As a result, God will consider that you are guilty for killing [SYN] all the righteous [people], including killing [MTY] [Adam’s son] Abel, who was a righteous man [SYN], and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you [are guilty of] killing [in the holy place] between the Temple and the altar, and for killing [all the prophets] who lived between [the times that those two men lived].
36 Nangmih taengah rhep kan thui, he rhoek tah tahae kah cadil soah boeih thoeng ni.
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, tonghma rhoek aka ngawn neh a taengla a tueih rhoek te aka dae, ainu loh aicahui ke a phae hmuiah a hluembael vaengkah a longim bangla na ca rhoek te hluembael ham ka ngaih taitu dae na ngaih uh pawh.
“O [people of] Jerusalem [MTY, APO], you killed the prophets [who lived long ago], and you killed others whom [God] sent to you. You killed them by throwing stones at them [DOU]! Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you], like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings [MET]. But you did not want [me to do that].
38 Na im tah namamih taengah khosoek la a hlahpham coeng he.
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 Te dongah nangmih taengah kan thui, 'Boeipa ming neh aka pawk tah a yoethen pai, 'tila na ti uh hlan atah tahae lamkah loh kai muei na hmuh uh loeng loeng mahpawh,” a ti nah.
Keep this in mind: You will see me again only when I [return], and you say [about me], ‘[God] is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY].’”

< Matthai 23 >