Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
Mme Jesu a raya bontsintsi le barutwa ba gagwe a re,
2 “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].
“Lo ne lo ka gopola gore baeteledipele ba ba Sejuda le Bafarasai ba, ke BoMoshe, ka tsela e ba e tshegeditseng go dira melao e mentsi!
3 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].
Mme go ntse fela jalo lo tshwanetse go reetsa sengwe le sengwe se ba se buang! Go ka ne go siame go dira se ba se buang, mme mo godimo ga tsotlhe fela, se nneng jaaka bone. Gonne ga ba dire se ba lo rayang ba re lo se dire.
4 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]
Ba lo imetsa ka dilo tse di sa kgonegeng tse bone ba sa lekeng le fa e le go di tshegetsa.
5 [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].
“Sengwe le sengwe se ba se dirang ba se direla go bonwa. Ba dira boitshepo ka go apara diaparo tse di maburabura di kwadilwe ditemana tsa dikwalo tsa Modimo ka fa teng, le ka go lelefatsa makgabe a diaparo tsa bone tsa segopotso.
6 [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.
Gape ba rata thata jang go nna kwa pele fa lomating lwa bojelo lwa tlotlo e kgolo mo medirong, le mo ditilong tse di faphegileng tsa phuthego mo tlong ya thuto!
7 Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
Ba itumelela jang tlotlo e ba e newang mo mebileng, le go bidiwa ‘Rabi’ le ‘Morena’.
8 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].
Lo se ka lwa ba lwa letla le fa e le mang go lo bitsa jalo. Gonne ke Modimo o o leng Rabi wa lona, mme lotlhe lo mo selekanyong se se tshwanang, jaaka bakaulengwe.
9 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.
Mme lo seka lwa bitsa ope fano mo lefatshing ‘Rara,’ ka gore Modimo fela, kwa legodimong ke one o tshwanetseng go bidiwa jalo.
10 Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
Le gone lo seka lwa bidiwa ‘Morena’, ka gore a le nosi fela ke Morena wa lona, ebong Mesia.
11 In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
“Fela ka go direla ba bangwe ka boingotlo ga lona, lo tlaa nna bagolo. Gore o nne yo mogolo thata, nna modiredi wa ba bangwe.
12 [God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
Mme ba ba ikgopolang ba le bagolo ba tlaa tlhabisiwa ditlhong ba bo ba ngotlafadiwa; mme ba ba ingotlafatsang ba tlaa godisiwa.
13 [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].”
“A bo go latlhega lona Bafarasai le baeteledipele ba tumelo. Baitimokanyi! Gonne ga lo letle ba bangwe gore ba tsene mo Bogosing jwa Legodimo, gonne lona ka bolona ga lo tsene. Mme lo ipaya jaaka ekete lo boitshepo ka dithapelo tsa lona tse di telele tsa go itshupa fa pele ga batho mo mebileng, etswa lo leleka batlholagadi mo matlong a bone. Baitimokanyi ke lona!
15 “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)
Ee, a bo go latlhega baitimokanyi. Gonne lo tsamaya sekgala se se telele gore lo sokolole motho a le mongwe, mme lo bo lo mo fetola gore a nne ngwana wa molete go menaganye go lo gaisa. (Geenna g1067)
16 “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.’
A bo go latlhega lona! Bagogi ba lo foufetseng! Molao wa lona wa re go ikana ka ‘Tempele,’ ga go reye gore, lo ka roba ikano eo, mme go ikana ka ‘Gouta e e mo Tempeleng’ go a golega.
17 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.
Dieleele ke lona tsa difofu! Go go golo eng, gouta kgotsa Tempele e e itshepisang gouta?!
18 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].’
Gape lwa re go ikana ‘Ka Sebeso’ go ka dirololwa, mme go ikana ‘Ka dimpho mo sebesong,’ go a golega.
19 [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.
Difofu ke lona! Go go golo eng, mpho mo sebesong, kgotsa sebeso ka bosone se se itshepisang?
20 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].
Fa o ikana ‘Ka sebeso,’ o ikana ka sone le sengwe le sengwe se se mo go sone,
21 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].
gape fa o ikana ‘Ka Tempele’ o ikana ka yone, le ka Modimo o o nnang mo go yone.
22 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].”
Gape fa o ikana ‘Ka magodimo’ o ikana ka Setilo sa Modimo le Modimo ka sebele.
23 “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].
“Ee, a bo go latlhega lona Bafarasai, le lona bangwe ba baeteledipele ba tumelo, baitimokanyi ke lona! Gonne lo ntsha ditsabolesome mo lo e tleng lo bo lo ntshe letlhare la bofelo la menta mo tshimong ya lona, mme lo tlhokomologe dilo tsa botlhokwa ebong, tshiamo le kutlhwelobotlhoko le tumelo. Ee, lo tshwanetse go ntsha ditsabolesome, mme lo seka lwa tlogela dilo tsa botlhokwa di sa dirwa.
24 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]!”
“Bagogi ba lo foufetseng! Lo ntshetsa montsana kwa ntle mme lo metsa kammela.
25 “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].
“A bo go latlhega Bafarasai le lona baeteledipele ba tumelo, baitimokanyi! Lo kelotlhoko mo go ntlafatseng bokafantle jwa senwelo, mme bokafateng jwa sone bo le leswe la patiko le bohula!
26 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].”
Bafarasai ke lona ba difofu! Pele tlhatswang bo ka-fa-teng jwa senwelo, hong ke gone senwelo sotlhe se nnang phepa.
27 “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.
“A bo go latlhega lona Bafarasai le baeteledipele ba tumelo! Lo tshwana le mabitla a mantle a a tletseng marapo a baswi le boitshekologo le makgapha.
28 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.”
Lo leka go nna jaaka ba ba itshepileng mme ka fa teng ga diaparo tseo tsa lona tsa kobamelo Modimo, go dipelo tse di marilweng ka mofuta mongwe le mongwe wa boitimokanyi le dibe.
29 “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].
“Ee, a bo go latlhega lona baeteledipele ba tumelo le baitimokanyi! Gonne lo agela baporofiti ba ba bolailweng ke borraeno dihikantswe, lo bo lo baya dithunya mo mabitleng a batho ba ba boifang Modimo ba ba bolailweng, mme lo re ‘Ruri re ka bo re sa dira jaaka bo rraetsho ba dirile.’
30 You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 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.
“Ka go bua jalo, lo ipaya molato wa go nna bomorwa batho ba ba maswe.
32 You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
Mme lo tsamaya mo dikgatong tsa bone lo tlatsa dikgato tse di tletseng bosula jwa bone.
33 [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)
Dinoga ke lona! Bomorwa shaushawane! Lo tlaa falola jang katlholo ya molete? (Geenna g1067)
34 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.
Ke tlaa lo romelela baporofiti, le banna ba ba botlhale, le batho ba ba tletseng mowa, le bakwadi ba ba tlhotlheleditsweng ka mowa o o galalelang, mme lo tlaa bolaya bangwe ka go ba bapola lo tlaa ba fatola mekwatla ka go ba kgwathisa mo matlong a thuto a lona, lo bo lo ba leleka mo motsing mongwe le mongwe.
35 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].
Gore lo tle lo nne molato wa go tsholola madi a batho ba ba boifang Modimo ba ba bolailweng go simologa ka mosiami Abele go fitlhelela ka Sakaria (morwa Barakia), yo o bolailweng ke lona mo Tempeleng fa gare ga sebeso le felo ga boitshepo Ee, Katlholo yotlhe e e kgobokantsweng mo makgolong a dingwaga e tlaa wela mo ditlhogong tsa losika.
36 Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
Jerusalema wee Jerusalema wee! Motse o o bolayang baporofiti, e bile o kgobotletsa ka maje ba Modimo o ba romang kwa go wena! Ga ke bolo go rata jang go phutha bana ba gago jaaka koko e phuthela bana ba yone ka fa tlase ga diphuka tsa yone, mme o ganne.
37 “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].
Mme jaanong ntlo ya gago o e tlogeletswe e sena le fa e le sepe.
38 So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
Gonne ke go boleletse se gore, ga o kitla o tlhola o mpona go fitlhelela o ipaakanyetsa go amogela yo o romilweng kwa go wena a tswa kwa Modimong.”
39 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].’”
“Gonne ke go boleletse se gore ga o kitla o tlhola o mpona go fitlhelela o ipaakanyetsa go amogela yo o romilweng kwa go wena a tsa Modimong.”
