Philippians 3
1 [Now there are] other things [that I want to write about]. My fellow believers, continue to rejoice because [you belong to] the Lord. [Though] I will [now] write to you about those same matters [that I mentioned to you before, this is] not tiresome for me, and it will protect you [from those who would harm you spiritually].
Mlɔeba la, nɔvi lɔlɔ̃awo, mikpɔ dzidzɔ le Aƒetɔ la me. Meɖe fu nam be maŋlɔ nu mawo ke aɖo ɖe mi o, elabena wonyo na miaƒe dedinɔnɔ.
2 Beware of those [people who are dangerous] [MET] [like wild] dogs. They are [dangerous] evildoers [DOU]. Beware of them [since they are like people who] cut [other people’s] bodies [MET]. [They will harm you spiritually by insisting that you must let someone circumcise you in order for you to become God’s people] [MTY, MET].
Minɔ ŋudzɔ na avu mawo, ŋutsu mawo, ame siwo wɔa funyafunya ŋutilã,
3 [Those people think that they are God’s people because someone has circumcised them]. But we, [not they], are [truly God’s people] [MET], [whether or not someone has] circumcised [us]. God’s Spirit [enables us to] [MTY] worship [God]; we praise Christ Jesus [because he has enabled us to become the people of God]. We do not believe [that God will consider/make us his people as a result of what someone has done to our] bodies [MTY, SYN].
elabena mí ame siwo subɔna le Mawu ƒe gbɔgbɔ me lae nye aʋatsotso nyuitɔ, ame siwo kpɔa dzidzɔ le Kristo Yesu me, eye womeɖoa dzi ɖe ŋutilã ŋu o,
4 [We do not trust in those rituals to make us acceptable to God], although I could very well do that [if it would be useful for me]. Philippians 3:4b-6 [In fact], [if I could benefit from it for my salvation], I could rely upon what I have done and who I am [MTY, SYN] more than anyone else could! I will tell you why.
evɔ nye ya susu si ta wòle be maɖo dzi ɖe ŋutilã ŋu la le asinye hafi. Ne ame aɖe bu be yeate ŋu aɖo dzi ɖe ŋutilã ŋu la, nye la mewui,
5 I [was circumcised] {[Someone] circumcised me} when I was one week old. I am from the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am completely Hebrew in every way. [While I was] a member of the Pharisee [sect], I [strictly obeyed] the laws [that God gave Moses].
elabena wotso aʋa nam le ŋkeke enyia gbe, metso Israel dukɔ kple Benyamin ƒe to la me, Hebritɔ tso Hebritɔwo me, le sea nu la, Farisitɔ menye.
6 I was [so] zealous [to make people obey those laws that] I caused the people who believe in Christ to suffer [because I thought they were trying to abolish those laws. Indeed], as far as my obeying those laws is concerned, no [one could] have accused [me by] saying that I had disobeyed any of those laws.
Ke le hamea yometiti me la, ame aɖeke mewum o, eye le dzɔdzɔenyenye si tso sea me nu la, mokakamanɔŋutɔ menye.
7 Nevertheless, all such things as those, which I used to [consider to] be useful to me, those [very] things I now consider worthless, because I [want to know] Christ (OR, in order that I [may know] Christ).
Gake meɖe asi le nu siwo katã mebuna tsã be wonye viɖenuwo la ŋu, eye metsɔ wo katã ƒu gbe be mate ŋu atsɔ nye xɔse kple mɔkpɔkpɔ ana Kristo ɖeka ko.
8 More than that, I consider all things to be worthless, compared to how great it is to know Christ Jesus my Lord. Because I [want to know] him [better] (OR, In order that I [may know] him [better]), I have rejected all things as worthless. I consider them [as useless as] [MET] rubbish, in order that I may have [a close relationship with] Christ [MET],
Ɛ̃, azɔ la, ne metsɔ nu siawo katã sɔ kple viɖe gã si mekpɔ le Kristo Yesu, nye Aƒetɔ nyanya me la, womegaɖi naneke le ŋkunyeme o. Esia ta metsɔ nu mawo katã ƒu gbe, eye mebu wo aɖukpodzinuwoe, be nye asi nasu Kristo dzi,
9 and in order that I may completely belong to him. It was not as a result of [my obeying] the laws [he gave Moses] that God erased the record of my sins. Instead, it is because I have trusted in Christ [that God] has declared that I am no longer guilty for my sins, and he enables me to act righteously. [It is] God [himself who] has erased the record of my sins, and he enables me to act righteously, [only] because I have trusted [in Christ].
eye mawɔ ɖeka kplii. Azɔ la, nyemegaɖoa ŋu ɖe nye dɔ nyui wɔwɔ ŋuti alo Mawu ƒe seawo dzi wɔwɔ ŋuti be woaɖem o, ke boŋ meɖoa dzi ɖe Kristo ŋuti be aɖem; elabena mɔ nyuitɔ si dzi míato awɔ ɖeka kple Mawu lae nye xɔse kple ŋuɖoɖo ɖe Kristo ɖeka hɔ̃ɔ ko ŋu.
10 I [want] to know Christ [better and better]. Particularly, I [want] to continually experience [his working] powerfully in my life, [just like God worked powerfully when he] caused Christ to become alive after he died. I [also want to be continually willing] to suffer [in order that I may obey God], just like Christ suffered [in order that he might obey God. I also want] to be completely willing to die for [Christ], even as he died for me,
Azɔ la, meva kpɔe be esia koe nye mɔ si dzi míato anya Kristo, eye míanya nu hã tso ŋusẽ si fɔe ɖe agbe tso ame kukuwo dome la ŋu. To esia me la, míate ŋu ase nu si wònye be míakpe fu, aku kplii la hã gɔme.
11 [because I expect that, as a result of God’s goodness], he will cause me to live again after I have died.
Eya ta nu ka kee adzɔ hã la, nye hã manye ame siwo akpɔ gome le ame kukuwo ƒe tsitretsitsi kple woƒe agbe yeye la me la dometɔ ɖeka.
12 I do not claim that I have already become completely like Christ Jesus; that is, I have not already become all that God intends me to be [DOU]. But I earnestly try to become [more and more like Christ], because he chose me [in order that I might become like him].
Menye ɖe mele gbɔgblɔm be nye asi su nu siawo katã dzi xoxo alo wowɔm mede blibo xoxo o, ke boŋ mele ŋusẽ dom nu be nye asi nasu nu si ta Kristo Yesu hã ƒe asi su dzinye ɖo la dzi.
13 My fellow believers, I certainly do not consider that I have already become completely like Christ. But I [am like a runner. A runner does not look backward] [MET]. Instead, he leans/stretches forward as he runs straight toward the goal [in order that he might win the race and get the prize. Similarly], I do not think about what I have already done.
Nɔvi lɔlɔ̃awo, nyemebu ɖokuinye be nye asi su edzi o. Ke nu ɖeka si mewɔna lae nye be meŋlɔa nu siwo le megbenye la be, eye mewɔa nye ŋutete ŋuti dɔ be maɖo nu si le ŋgɔnye la gbɔ.
14 Instead, I concentrate only on [continuing to become more and more like Christ right up to the end of my life] [MET]. As a result, because of my relationship with Christ Jesus, God will call/summon me to receive a reward from him [in heaven].
Mele dzesiɖoƒe la minyam vevie be maxɔ dziɖuɖudzesi si ta Mawu yɔm le Kristo Yesu me ɖo la be manyi agbe mavɔ ƒe dome.
15 So, all of us who are [spiritually] mature should think this [same way]. If any [of you] do not think this same way regarding what I [have written here], God will reveal that to you.
Aleae wòle be mí ame siwo tsi le xɔsea me la, míakpɔ nu siawoe. Ke ne miaƒe susu to vovo le nu siawo dometɔ aɖe ŋu la, Mawu aɖe eya hã afia mi.
16 What is important is that we must conduct our lives according to what [God has already revealed to] us.
Ke mina míanɔ agbe ɖe nu si dzi míaƒe asi su la nu.
17 My fellow believers, [all of] you should follow my example, and observe those people who act as I do, [in order that you may imitate them also].
Nɔvi lɔlɔ̃awo, mikpe ɖe ame bubuwo ŋu ne miasrɔ̃ nye agbe ƒe kpɔɖeŋu, eye mialé ŋku ɖe ame siwo nɔa agbe ɖe ɖoɖo siwo míewɔ na mi la nu.
18 [Keep in mind that] there are many people [who say that they believe in Christ, but] who act [in such a way that shows] that they are opposed to [the teaching about] Christ [dying on] the cross [MTY]. I have told you about those people many times [before], and now I am sad, even crying, as I tell you [about them again].
Elabena megblɔe na mi zi geɖe kpɔ, eye megale egblɔm na mi fifia kple aɖatsi be ame geɖewo le kristotɔwo ƒe mɔ dzi zɔm, gake le nyateƒe me la, wonye Kristo ƒe atitsoga la ƒe futɔwo.
19 [God] will severely punish them. The things their bodies desire [MTY] have become [like] gods to them [MET]. They are proud of the things they should be ashamed of. They think only about what unbelievers [MTY] think about.
Woƒe nuwuwu anye tsɔtsrɔ̃, woƒe ƒodo nye mawu na wo, eye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe nye woƒe ŋukpe. Wobua ta me tso anyigbadzinuwo ko ŋu.
20 [But remember] that we are citizens of heaven. And we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [to return] from there.
Ke míawo la, dziƒoe nye mía de, eye míele mɔ kpɔm na Ɖela si nye Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo be agatso afi ma ava,
21 By the power that enables him to put everything under his own control, he will change our weak bodies to become like his glorious body.
ame si, to ŋusẽ si na wòtsɔ nu sia nu de eƒe ŋusẽ te me la, aɖɔli míaƒe ŋutilã siwo ŋu gbɔdzɔgbɔdzɔ le la be woanɔ abe eƒe ŋutikɔkɔeŋutilã ene.
