Matthew 23
1 Then, Jesus spake unto the multitudes and unto his disciples,
Afei, Yesu ka kyerɛɛ nnipadɔm no ne nʼasuafo no se,
2 saying—Upon Moses’ seat, have sat down, the Scribes and the Pharisees:
“Kyerɛwsɛm no Akyerɛkyerɛfo ne Farisifo no na wɔkyerɛ Mose mmara no ase.
3 All things, therefore, whatsoever they tell you, do and observe, —but, according to their works, do ye not, for they, say, and do not, perform.
Eyi nti, ɛsɛ sɛ mutie wɔn, na moyɛ biribiara a wɔkyerɛ mo. Nanso monnyɛ nea wɔyɛ no bi efisɛ nea wɔka no, ɛnyɛ ɛno na wɔyɛ.
4 But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men’s shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them.
Wɔhyɛ mo ma mudi mmara a ɛyɛ den so a wɔn ankasa mpɛ sɛ wodi so.
5 But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men, —for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes,
“Biribiara a wɔyɛ no yɛ ɔyɛkyerɛ. Wɔde sɛbɛ a kyerɛw nsɛm bi hyɛ mu sɛn wɔn nsa, hyɛ ntade yuu kyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ atreneefo.
6 And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
Na wɔkɔ aponto ase nso a, wɔpɛ sɛ daa wɔtena mpanyin tenabea; wɔkɔ asɔre nso a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔtena mpanyin tenabea pa.
7 And the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi.
Sɛ wode obu kyia wɔn wɔ abɔnten so na wofrɛ wɔn ‘Rabi’ anaa ‘Owura’ a ɛyɛ wɔn dɛ.
8 But, ye, —do not be called Rabbi, —for, one, is your Teacher, and, all ye, are brethren;
“Mommma obiara mmfrɛ mo sa. Efisɛ Onyankopɔn nko ara na ɔyɛ Owura. Mo nyinaa moyɛ pɛ sɛ anuanom.
9 And, father, be none of you called, upon the earth, for, one, is your Father, the Heavenly;
Mommfrɛ obiara wɔ asase so ha sɛ ‘Agya,’ efisɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔwɔ ɔsoro no nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔfrɛ no saa.
10 Neither be called leaders, for, your leader, is one, the Christ;
Na mommma wɔmmfrɛ mo ‘Owura,’ efisɛ ɔbaako pɛ na ɔyɛ mo wura a ɔne Agyenkwa no.
11 And, the greatest of you, shall be to you, a minister;
Wobrɛ wo ho ase som afoforo a, wobɛyɛ ɔkɛse. Wopɛ sɛ woyɛ ɔkɛse a, yɛ ɔsomfo.
12 And, whoever shall exalt himself, shall be, abased, and, whoever shall abase himself, shall be, exalted,
Na obiara a ɔbɛma ne ho so no, wɔbɛbrɛ no ase; saa ara nso na obiara a ɔbɛbrɛ ne ho ase no, wɔbɛma no so.
13 But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye are locking up the kingdom of the heavens before men, —for, ye, are not entering, neither, them who are entering, suffer ye to enter.
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo nyaatwomfo, efisɛ musiw afoforo Ɔsoro Ahenni ho kwan. Mo a, monkɔ mu. Mo nso a, momma afoforo a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔkɔ mu no kwan.
Nyaatwomfo! Mobɔ mpae atenten wɔ mmɔnten so de kyerɛ sɛ moyɛ atreneefo wɔ bere a mutu akunafo fi wɔn afi mu.
15 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because ye compass sea and dry land, to make one convert—and, when it is done, ye make him a son of gehenna, twofold more than ye. (Geenna g1067)
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo nyaatwomfo! Mokɔ wiase afanan nyinaa sɛ mubenya onipa baako abɛfra mo mu. Na sɛ munya obi saa a, mosɛe no ma ɔyɛ ɔbonsam ba sen sɛnea mote no. (Geenna g1067)
16 Alas for you, blind guides! that say—Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, is bound:
“Munnue! Akwankyerɛfo anifuraefo a moka se, sɛ obi de asɔredan ka ntam a, ɛno de, ɛnyɛ hwee. Na sɛ ɔde sikakɔkɔɔ a ɛwɔ asɔredan no mu ka ntam de a, ɛno de, ntam no kyekyere onii no.
17 Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold?
Anifuraefo nkwaseafo! Asɔredan no ne emu sikakɔkɔɔ no mu nea ɛwɔ he na ɛsom bo; sikakɔkɔɔ no anaa asɔredan no a ɛtew sikakɔkɔɔ no ho no?
18 And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is bound:
Na moka se, ‘Sɛ obi ka afɔremuka no ntam a, ɛnyɛ hwee. Na mmom, sɛ ɔka ayɛyɛde a egu afɔremuka no so ntam de a, ɛkyekye onii! no’
19 Blind! for which is greater, The gift, or the altar that halloweth the gift?
Anifuraefo! Afɔremuka a ɛtew ayɛyɛde a egu so no ho no, ne ayɛyɛde a egu so no mu nea ɛwɔ he na ɛsom bo?
20 He therefore that hath sworn by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it;
Sɛ woka afɔremuka no ntam a, woka afɔremuka no ne ɛso ayɛyɛde no nyinaa ntam,
21 And, he that hath sworn by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein;
na sɛ woka asɔredan no ntam a, woka asɔredan no ne Onyankopɔn a ɔte mu no nyinaa ntam.
22 And, he that hath sworn by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereupon.
Na sɛ woka ɔsoro ntam a, na woreka Onyankopɔn ahengua ne Onyankopɔn no ankasa ntam.
23 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin, —and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law—the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss.
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo nyaatwomfo! Muyi ntotoso du du wɔ afifide a ɛwɔ mo mfikyifuw mu no ho, nanso mugyaw nneɛma a ɛsom bo te sɛ atɛntrenee, ahummɔbɔ ne nokwaredi. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ muyiyi ntotoso du du no de, nanso ɛnsɛ sɛ mugyaw nneɛma a ɛsom bo no.
24 Blind guides! Straining out the gnat, but, the camel, swallowing.
Akwankyerɛfo anifuraefo! Mosɔn nea monom so, yi mu nwansena nanso momene yoma!
25 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, —while, within, they are full of plunder and intemperance.
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo nyaatwomfo! Mutwiw mo kuruwa ne mo asanka ho fɛfɛɛfɛ nanso emu no de, amim ne pɛsɛmenkominya ahyɛ no ma tɔ.
26 Blind Pharisee! cleanse, first, the inside, of the cup [and of the dish], that, the outside thereof, may become, clean.
Farisifo anifuraefo! Muntwiw kuruwa no mu kan, na kuruwa no ho nyinaa bɛtew!
27 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye make yourselves like sepulchres whitewashed, which, outside, indeed, appear, beautiful, but, within, are full, of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, —
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo! Mote sɛ ɔda a wɔasra ho fɛfɛɛfɛ nanso awufo nnompe ne nneɛma funu ahyɛ mu ma tɔ.
28 Thus, ye also, outside, indeed, appear to men, righteous, but, within, are full, of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Moyɛ mo anim sɛ atreneefo, nanso bɔne ahorow ahyɛ mo mu ma tɔ.
29 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
“Munnue! Mo Farisifo ne Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo nyaatwomfo! Musisi ada akɛse ma adiyifo a mo ara mo agyanom kunkum wɔn, na mode nhwiren gugu atreneefo a wokunkum wɔn no nna so,
30 and say—If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets:
na mutwa mo ho ka se, ‘Sɛ na yɛte ase saa bere no a, anka yɛrenyɛ bɔne a yɛn agyanom yɛe no.’
31 So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets.
Sɛ moka saa a, mubu mo ho fɔ sɛ moyɛ atirimɔdenfo mma.
32 And, ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers!
Munni wɔn anammɔn akyi nyɛ saa bɔne koro no ara bi pɛpɛɛpɛ.
“Awɔ! Nhurutoa mma! Mobɛyɛ dɛn aguan amanehunu gya mu atemmu no? (Geenna g1067)
34 For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes, —some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will—scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city:
Mɛsoma adiyifo ne anyansafo ne akyerɛkyerɛfo aba mo nkyɛn. Mobɛbɔ wɔn mu bi asennua mu akum wɔn. Mobɛbɔ ebinom akyi mmaa wɔ mo asɔredan mu, na moataa bi afi nkurow so akɔ nkurow so.
35 That there may come upon you—all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
Na atreneefo mogya a moahwie agu asase so nyinaa, efi Habel so de kosi Barakia ba Sakaria a mukum no asɔredan ne afɔremuka ntam no, bɛba mo so.
36 Verily, I say unto you—All these things, will have come, upon this generation.
Mereka akyerɛ mo se, atemmu a wɔaboaboa ano no nyinaa bɛba nnɛmma yi so.
37 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that slayeth the prophets, and stoneth them that have been sent unto her, —how often, would I have gathered thy children, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, —and ye would not!
“Ao Yerusalem, Yerusalem, wo a wukum adiyifo, na wusiw wɔn a wɔasoma wɔn wo nkyɛn abo, mpɛn ahe na anka mepɛɛ sɛ meboaboa wo mma ano, sɛnea akokɔbeatan boaboa ne mma ano wɔ ne ntaban ase, nanso moampɛ!
38 Lo! your house is left to you;
Wobegyaw mo fi ofituw ama mo.
39 For I say unto you—in no wise, may ye see me, henceforth, until ye say, Blessed, is he that cometh, in the name of the Lord!
Na mise mo sɛ, efi sesɛɛ morenhu me bio kosi sɛ mobɛka se, ‘Nhyira ne nea ɔnam Awurade din mu reba no.’”
