1 Thessalonians 5
1 My fellow believers, [I want to tell you more] about the time or period [when the Lord Jesus will come back. Really], you do not need me to you about that,
Anuanom, ɛho nhia sɛ mɛtwerɛ akyerɛ mo nna ne ɛberɛ a saa nsɛm yi bɛsisi.
2 because you yourselves know accurately [what will happen! You know] that the Lord [Jesus will return] [MTY] [unexpectedly] (OR, [when some people are unprepared]). [People will not expect him, just like no one knows when] a thief [comes unexpectedly] at night [SIM].
Ɛfiri sɛ, mo ankasa monim yie sɛ ɛda a Awurade bɛba no bɛyɛ sɛ ɔkorɔmfoɔ a ɔreba anadwo.
3 [At a future time] many people will say, “[All is] peaceful and [we are] safe!” Then suddenly the Lord Jesus will come to punish people severely! Just like a pregnant woman who [experiences] birth pains [cannot stop those pains], those people will definitely not [have any way to] escape [their punishment].
Ɛberɛ a nnipa bɛka sɛ, “biribiara yɛ asomdwoeɛ” no, saa ɛberɛ no na adesɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so. Na wɔrentumi nnwane. Ɛbɛyɛ te sɛ yea a ɛba ɔpemfoɔ a ɔrewoɔ so no.
4 [Just like people] in the dark [are unaware of what is happening around them, most people will not be aware of what is about to happen to them] [MET, PRS]. Just like a thief [comes unexpectedly for people who are unaware, that time of punishment will come when people are not expecting it] [SIM]. But you, my fellow believers, are people who are very much aware [LIT] of what is going to happen. As a result, you will be expecting [LIT] those things [MTY] to happen [PRS]. All of us [believers] are people [IDM] [who do what is right, as people usually do in] the daytime [MET] [when their actions can be seen]. We are not [people who do evil things, as some people do when it is] dark [MET].
Nanso, mo anuanom yi deɛ, monte esum mu enti ɛnsɛ sɛ saa da no fu mo mu sɛ ɔkorɔmfoɔ.
Mo nyinaa moyɛ hann ne adekyeeɛ mma. Yɛnyɛ anadwo ne sum mma.
6 So we believers must be aware of what is happening. We must be watching carefully, [as people who are awake watch for a thief] [MET]. We must be self-controlled, as people who are (sober/not drunk) are able to control what they do [MET]. People who sleep [MET] [are unaware of what is happening, and unbelievers are like that].
Ɛno enti, ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛdeda sɛ afoforɔ no. Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛwɛn na yɛbrɛ yɛn ho ase.
7 It is at night when people become drunk [and they do very wrong actions/things, and are unaware of what is happening because they] are asleep.
Anadwo na nnipa da. Anadwo na nnipa boro nsã.
8 But we believers are people who [should do what is right] [MET], so we must be self-controlled, [as people] in the daytime [are usually not drunk and are able to control what they do] [MET]. [As Roman soldiers protect themselves by] putting on breastplates and helmets [MET], we [believers] must [protect ourselves by continuing to] trust and love [the Lord Jesus] and by continuing to confidently expect that he will save [us from God’s punishing us at the time when he will punish other people].
Nanso yɛyɛ adekyeeɛ mma enti ɛsɛ sɛ yɛbrɛ yɛn ho ase. Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛhyɛ gyidie ne ɔdɔ nkataboɔ ne yɛn nkwagyeɛ anidasoɔ sɛ dadeɛ kyɛ.
9 When God chose us, he did not plan for us to [be people whom he will severely] punish [MTY]. On the contrary, [he decided] that he would save us because of [our trusting in what] our Lord Jesus Christ [has done for us].
Onyankopɔn anyi yɛn sɛ yɛmmɛhunu amane wɔ nʼabufuo ano, na mmom, ɔyii yɛn sɛ yɛbɛnya nkwagyeɛ wɔ Awurade Yesu Kristo mu.
10 Jesus died [to atone/pay] for our [sins] in order that we might be able to live together with him, whether we are alive [MET] or whether we are dead [EUP] [when he returns to earth].
Kristo wu maa yɛn, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, sɛ yɛanyane anaa sɛ yɛawu oo, yɛne no bɛtena ase wɔ nkwa mu.
11 Because [you know that this is true], continue to encourage/comfort each other, as indeed you now are doing.
Esiane saa enti, monhyɛ mo ho nkuran na mommoaboa mo ho mo ho sɛdeɛ mogu so reyɛ yi.
12 My fellow believers, we [three] ask that you recognize/honor [as leaders] those people who work hard for you. [Specifically], respect those who lead you as fellow believers who (have a close relationship with/are united to) the Lord [Jesus]. They warn you [to stop doing what is wrong] (OR, they teach you [to do what is right]).
Anuanom, yɛsrɛ mo sɛ, momfa obuo ne anidie mma wɔn a Awurade ayi wɔn sɛ wɔnni mo anim nkyerɛkyerɛ mo no.
13 That is, we [ask that you] consider those leaders to be very important and that you love them, because they work [hard to help you]. We also urge you to live peacefully with each other.
Esiane adwuma a wɔyɛ no enti, mommu wɔn na monnɔ wɔn yie. Montena ase asomdwoeɛ mu.
14 My fellow believers, we urge that you warn [believers] who will not work [in order to] ([obtain/earn the money to buy]) [things that they need to live. Tell them that they are behaving wrongly]. We urge you that you encourage [believers] who are fearful (OR, discouraged), and that you help all people who are weak [in any way]. We also urge you to be patient with everyone.
Anuanom, yɛhyɛ mo sɛ, monkasa nkyerɛ anihafoɔ, monka wɔn a wɔnyɛ hye no hye; mommoa wɔn a wɔyɛ mmerɛ; monto mo bo ase mma wɔn nyinaa.
15 Make sure that none [of you] does evil things to anyone [who has done] evil to you. On the contrary, you must always try to do good [things] for each other (OR, to fellow believers) and to everyone else.
Monhwɛ sɛ obi mmfa bɔne a obi ayɛ no no ho ka ntua no. Ɛberɛ biara, momma ɛnyɛ mo botaeɛ sɛ mobɛyɛ papa ama mo ho mo ho ne obiara.
16 Be joyful (at all times/always),
Momma mo ani nnye da biara
17 pray continually,
na ɛberɛ biara nso, mommɔ mpaeɛ;
18 and thank [God] (in all [circumstances/] [of what happens]). God wants you [to behave] like that [because of what] Christ Jesus [has done for you] (OR, because you have a close relationship with Christ Jesus).
biribiara mu, monna ase. Yei na Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ afiri mo nkyɛn wɔ Kristo Yesu mu.
19 Do not [refuse the urging from God’s] Spirit [when he is working] [MTY] [among you. That would be like] throwing water on [a fire] [MET]!
Monnka Honhom Kronkron no nhyɛ;
20 [Specifically], do not despise messages that the Holy Spirit reveals to someone, [and reject them automatically].
monnsi adiyisɛm atwetwe.
21 On the contrary, evaluate all [such messages]. Accept the [messages that are truly from God, and obey them].
Monsɔ biribiara nhwɛ; momfa deɛ ɛyɛ.
22 Do not obey any kind of evil [message].
Na monkyiri bɔne biara.
23 [We pray to] God that he will change you to become more and more like his people should be. He is the one who causes [his people] to have [inner] peace. [That is, we pray] that he will help you so that in all that you think, in all that you desire, and in all that you do, you will be without fault. We ask him that he will keep doing that [until] our Lord Jesus Christ comes back [to earth].
Na ɔno asomdwoeɛ Onyankopɔn no ara nte mo ho koraa, na ɔnhwɛ mo honhom ne mo ɔkra ne mo onipadua so a ɛho remma asɛm biara kɔsi sɛ yɛn Awurade Yesu Kristo bɛba.
24 [Because God] has invited you [to be his people, you can] certainly trust him to keep on helping you to do that.
Ɔnokwafoɔ ne deɛ ɔfrɛɛ mo no, ɔno nso na ɔbɛyɛ.
25 My fellow believers, pray for me and for Silas and for Timothy.
Anuanom, mommɔ mpaeɛ mma yɛn.
26 [When you gather together as believers], greet each other affectionately, as fellow believers [should].
Momfa mfeano kronkron nkyeakyea anuanom nyinaa.
27 Make certain that you read this letter to all the believers who may be absent when you read it at first, [knowing that] the Lord [Jesus wants you to do it].
Mehyɛ mo wɔ Awurade tumi mu sɛ monkenkan saa nwoma yi nkyerɛ anuanom no nyinaa.
28 [I pray that] our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to act] kindly toward you all.
Yɛn Awurade Yesu Kristo adom nka mo.
