< Matthew 23 >

1 Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
Ipapo Jesu wakataura kuzvaunga nekuvadzidzi vake,
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].
achiti: Vanyori neVaFarisi vagere pachigaro chaMozisi;
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].
saka zvese chero zvipi zvavanokuudzai kuti muzvichengete, chengetai nekuita; asi musaita semabasa avo; nokuti vanotaura, asi havaiti.
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]
Nokuti vanosunga mitoro inorema uye inorwadza kutakura, vachiisa pamafudzi evanhu, asi havadi kuisudurusa nemunwe wavo.
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].
Asi mabasa avo ese vanoaita kuti vaonekwe nevanhu; nokuti vanofarisa mafirakitera avo, vanorebesa mipendero yenguvo dzavo;
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.
vanoda chinzvimbo chakakwirira pazvirairo, nezvigaro zvemberi mumasinagoge,
7 Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
nekwaziso pamisika, nekunzi nevanhu: Rabhi, Rabhi.
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].
Asi imwi musaidzwa Rabhi, nokuti umwe ndiye mudzidzisi wenyu, Kristu; imwi mese muri hama.
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.
Musaidza munhu panyika baba venyu; nokuti umwe ndiBaba venyu, ivo vari kumatenga.
10 Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
Musaidzwawo vadzidzisi; nokuti umwe ndiye Mudzidzisi wenyu, iye Kristu.
11 In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
Asi mukurusa pamuri achava muranda wenyu.
12 [God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
Zvino ani nani anozvikwiridzira achaderedzwa; uye ani nani anozvideredza, achakwiridzirwa.
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].”
Asi mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri! Nokuti munopfigira vanhu ushe hwekumatenga; nokuti imwi hamupindi, zvekare hamutenderi vanopinda kupinda.
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri, nokuti munodya dzimba dzechirikadzi, uye muchiita mano-mano eminyengetero mirefu; naizvozvo muchagamuchira kutongwa nekupfuurisa.
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)
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri, nokuti munopoteredza gungwa nenyika kuzoita umwe atendeuke kuva muJudha; kana ava saizvozvo, munomuita mwanakomana wegehena kukunda imwi kaviri. (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.’
Mune nhamo, vatungamiriri vakapofumara, munoti: Ani nani anopika netembere, hachisi chinhu, asi ani nani anopika negoridhe yetembere, ane ngava.
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.
Mapenzi nemapofu! Nokuti chikuru ndechipi: Goridhe, kana tembere inoita goridhe rive dzvene?
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].’
Uye: Ani nani anopika nearitari, hachisi chinhu; asi ani nani anopika nechipo chiri pamusoro payo, ane ngava.
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.
Mapenzi nemapofu! Nokuti chikuru ndechipi: Chipo, kana aritari inoita chipo chive chitsvene?
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].
Naizvozvo anopika nearitari, anopika nayo nezvese zviri pamusoro payo.
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].
Neanopika netembere, anopika nayo, neanogara mairi.
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].”
Neanopika nedenga, anopika nechigaro cheushe chaMwari, neanogara pamusoro pacho.
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].
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri, nokuti munopa chegumi cheminte neadhiri nekumini, muchirega zvakakosha zvemurairo zvinoti: Mutongo netsitsi nekutendeka; izvi zvakafanira kuita nekusarega zvimwe.
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]!”
Vatungamiriri vakapofumara, munomimina runyunyu, muchimedza kamera.
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].
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri! Nokuti munonatsa kunze kwemukombe nekwendiro, asi mukati muzere neupambi nekusazvidzora.
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].”
MuFarisi wakapofumara, tanga kunatsa mukati memukombe nendiro, kuti kunze kwazvo kugochenawo.
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.
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri! Nokuti makafanana nemarinda akadzudzurwa kuitwa machena, anoonekwa akanaka zvirokwazvo kunze, asi mukati muzere nemafupa evakafa netsvina yese.
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.”
Saizvozvo nemwi munoonekwa kunze makarurama kuvanhu, asi mukati muzere neunyepedzeri neuipi.
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].
Mune nhamo, vanyori neVaFarisi, vanyepedzeri! Nokuti munovaka marinda evaporofita, nekushongedza makuva evakarurama,
30 You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
muchiti: Dai taiva pamazuva emadzibaba edu, tingadai tisina kugoverana navo paropa revaporofita.
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.
Saka munopupura nezvenyu kuti muri vanakomana vevakauraya vaporofita.
32 You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
Nemwi chizadzisai chiyero chemadzibaba enyu!
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)
Imwi nyoka, zvizvarwa zvezviva, muchatiza sei kutonga kwegehena? (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.
Naizvozvo, tarirai, ini ndinotumira kwamuri vaporofita nevakachenjera nevanyori; vamwe vavo vamuchauraya nekuvaroverera pamuchinjikwa; vamwe vavo vamucharova netyava mumasinagoge enyu, nekushusha muguta nemuguta.
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].
Kuti kuuye pamusoro penyu ropa rese rakarurama, rakateurirwa panyika, kubva paropa raAberi wakarurama, kusvikira paropa raZakaria, mwanakonana waBharakia, wamakauraya pakati petembere nearitari.
36 Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
Zvirokwazvo ndinoti kwamuri: Izvi zvese zvichauya pamusoro pezera iri.
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].
Jerusarema! Jerusarema! Iwe unouraya vaporofita, nekutaka nemabwe avo vanotumwa kwauri! Ndakange ndichida kazhinji sei kuunganidza vana vako, semhambo inounganidza hukwana dzayo muzasi memapapiro, asi hamuna kuda.
38 So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
Tarirai, imba yenyu yasiiwa kwamuri riri dongo.
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].’”
Nokuti ndinoti kwamuri: Hamuchatongondioni kubva zvino, kusvikira muchiti: Wakaropafadzwa anouya muzita raIshe.

< Matthew 23 >