2 Corinthians 4
1 So, because God has acted so kindly [toward me], enabling [me to teach] this great [message to people], I never get [so] discouraged [that I stop teaching it].
Onyankopɔn nam nʼadom so de saa asɛm yi abrɛ yɛn na ɛno nti ɛmma yɛn koma ntutu.
2 And I have determined that we [(exc)] will be honest [LIT] in everything that we do. We will not [do anything that would cause] us to be ashamed [if people found out about it]. We never try to deceive [you with clever arguments, as some other people do]. We never [try to deceive you] by changing God’s message, [as those same people do]. Instead, we always teach [people only] the truth [about Christ], and we teach it clearly. Knowing that God is watching what we do, we [teach his message in an honest way, with the result that] no one can [accuse] us [(exc) of being deceitful].
Yɛagyae kokoamsɛm ne aniwu nneyɛe nyinaa. Yɛnnaadaa na yentwa Onyankopɔn asɛm no ho nkontompo. Yɛnnaadaa obi mma onnye nea Kyerɛwsɛm no nkae no nni. Yegyaee saa aniwude no nyinaa. Yegyina Onyankopɔn anim kasa nti yɛka nokware ma wɔn a wonim yɛn no nyinaa gye di.
3 And if, [as some of you say, some people are] not able to understand the message [that we teach about Christ, it is not because we do not teach it clearly]. It is because those people [do not want to believe it]. They are going to perish eternally.
Sɛ Asɛmpa a yɛka no yɛ ahintasɛm a, ɛyɛ ahintasɛm ma wɔn a wɔreyera.
4 [Satan, who is] the one [who rules] this world, controls the thoughts of those unbelievers. He prevents them from understanding the message about how wonderful Christ is. [They are not able to understand that] Jesus is like God [in every way]. (aiōn g165)
Wonnye nni, efisɛ ɔbonsam asɛe wɔn adwene. Ɔtwe wɔn fi hann a ɛhyerɛn wɔ wɔn so no ho; hann a efi Asɛmpa no mu a ɛfa Kristo a ɔte sɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyam no ho no. (aiōn g165)
5 That is why, [when we(exc) teach people], we do not boast about ourselves, [as some people say that we do]. Instead, [we teach you] that Jesus Christ is our Lord. We ourselves are [only] your servants. [We want to honor and obey] Jesus.
Ɛnyɛ yɛn ankasa ho na yɛka asɛm no fa. Yɛka Yesu Kristo ho asɛm sɛ ɔno ne Awurade no na yɛn nso Yesu nti, yɛyɛ mo asomfo.
6 When God [created the world], he commanded the light to shine [where there was nothing but] darkness. He is the one who has [made his message about Jesus to be like] [MET] a light shining into our [(inc)] minds. [God] has done that [for all of us who believe in Jesus. He has done that so that we will understand that when people saw] Christ, they saw how awesome God himself was.
Onyankopɔn a ɔkae se, “Hann mfi sum mu nhyerɛn” no, ɔno na wahyerɛn wɔ yɛn koma mu ama yɛanya Onyankopɔn anuonyam ho nimdeɛ wɔ Yesu Kristo mu.
7 [This work that God has given to] us [(exc)] is [MET] [like] a very valuable treasure. But we who have that treasure [are as weak as fragile] [MET] clay pots. [God has planned it like that] in order that [people] will know that the power [that changes lives] is God’s power, and not any power of our own.
Yɛte sɛ nkuku a wɔde agyapade asie mu. Tumi ankasa no fi Onyankopɔn na emfi yɛn.
8 We are continually oppressed {[People] continually oppress us} in many ways, but [we have] not been prevented {[God has] not [allowed them to] prevent us} [from teaching the message about Jesus Christ]. We often do not know what to do [in difficult situations], but we never say, “God has abandoned us.”
Yɛtaa hu amane, nanso wɔnsɛee yɛn. Mpo sɛ yenhu nea yɛnyɛ a yɛmpa abaw.
9 [We are frequently] persecuted {[People frequently] cause us to suffer}, but [God] never abandons us. [Sometimes we are] badly wounded {[people] badly wound us}, but [God does] not [allow] us [to] be killed {[them to] kill us}.
Amane mu, Onyankopɔn ka yɛn ho, na sɛ wɔbɔ yɛn hwe fam a yɛsɔre bio.
10 [Wherever we(exc) go], we continually [realize that because people killed] Jesus, [people may] kill us [for teaching his message. But we are willing to go on living this way] in order that [people] will know that Jesus is alive and [that he is directing] us [SYN].
Mmere nyinaa yɛn nipadua no soa Yesu wu a owui no, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nʼabrabɔ bɛda adi wɔ yɛn mu.
11 [So, although] we are [still] alive, we always realize that we may be killed {that [people some day] may kill us} because [we teach about] Jesus. [God allows us to suffer] in order that [people] will see that Jesus is alive and that he is [strengthening] our bodies that are some day going to die.
Yɛn asetena mu nyinaa, Yesu nti, yɛte hɔ ma owu, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nʼabrabɔ bɛda adi wɔ yɛn nipadua a ewu no mu.
12 So [I conclude that although] we [apostles] are constantly [suffering and may soon] die, [the result of that is that all of] you [have now received eternal] life.
Eyi kyerɛ sɛ owu di ne dwuma wɔ yɛn mu na nkwa nso di ne dwuma wɔ mo mu.
13 We are not discouraged. We are like [the person who] wrote [in the Scriptures], “[God], I trusted [in you] and so I continue speaking [your message].” We [(exc)] also trust [in God], so we continue speaking [his message].
Kyerɛwsɛm no ka se, “Mekasae, efisɛ na migye di.” Saa honhom mu gyidi no ara so na ɛma yɛn nso yɛkasa, efisɛ yegye di.
14 [We do this] because we [(exc)] know that [although people might kill us, God], who caused the Lord Jesus to live again after he died, will also cause us [(exc)] to live again [after we die. God will do this because we belong to] Jesus. [And then God] will bring us [(exc)], together with you, to be with him.
Yenim sɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔmaa Awurade Yesu sɔre fii awufo mu no bɛma yɛne Yesu asɔre na ɔde yɛn abɛka mo ho wɔ nʼanim.
15 [So I say that] all these things [that we(exc) suffer] happen in order to help you. [We have suffered all this] in order that more and more people, [as a result of hearing that God will] kindly/freely [forgive their sins], will thank [him and praise him. Then] they will greatly honor him [and worship him].
Mo nti na eyinom bɛba mu; na sɛnea Onyankopɔn adom no redu nnipa bebree nkyɛn no, saa ara nso na wɔbɛbɔ mpae ada Onyankopɔn ase de ahyɛ no anuonyam.
16 So, [because we know that as a result of our suffering many people will honor God], we [(exc)] never get so discouraged [that we stop teaching his message]. Although our bodies are getting weaker, [God] encourages us every day and strengthens us spiritually.
Esiane eyi nti, yɛn koma ntutu. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ yɛn nipadua no reporɔw nkakrankakra de, nanso yɛn honhom no de, ɛsesa yɛ foforo da biara.
17 [I know that] all these troubles that [happen to us in this life are] not significant and will not last forever. [When we think of] the glorious things [that God is preparing] for us [to enjoy] forever [in heaven], all [our suffering now] is not important. (aiōnios g166)
Na saa ɔhaw kakra a yɛfa mu no de anuonyam a enni awiei a ɛboro saa ɔhaw no so no bɛbrɛ yɛn. (aiōnios g166)
18 That is why we say, “We will not continue thinking about [all the suffering that we] are experiencing now. Even though [we] cannot see [all the things that God has prepared for us in heaven], those are what we should be thinking about.” [That is how we should think], because [all these troubles] that [we(exc)] have [now] will last only a short time. But what [we will have in heaven], what [we] cannot see [now], will last forever. (aiōnios g166)
Yɛmfa yɛn adwene nkɔ nneɛma a yehu so, na mmom, nneɛma a yenhu so na yɛde yɛn adwene kɔ. Nea wotumi hu no ntena hɔ nkyɛ, nanso nea wontumi nhu no tena hɔ daa. (aiōnios g166)
