Romans 3

1 [Someone may object to this, saying], “[If being circumcised does not cause God to accept us Jews], (there is no advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]./is there any advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]?) [RHQ] Being circumcised does not benefit [us Jews at all]!”

Lanwani Jufinba pia be ke li teni ke be cie yaa nibuolu n sieni, ki kua ku koanciagu mo pia be fuome?

2 [I would reply that being Jews] benefits [us] in many ways [HYP]. First of all, it benefits us because it was to [our ancestors] that God’s words, [words that contain his promises], were given {that [God] gave his words, [words that contain his promises]}.

Lankuli pia mayuli boncianla li bonla kuli po, li bonkpiala tie ke U TIENU den piani Jufinba yo O maama.

3 Many [Jews did not obey God as they promised that they would. So someone might ask], “Does their not being faithful mean that God will not [bless us Jews] as he promised [that he would]?”

Ba ke bi siiga bi tianba ki tie dugikaaba, nani li ba teni ke U TIENU kaa tie dugikoa?

4 [I would reply], “No, it certainly does not mean that! God always does [what he has promised], even though [people do not]. All those who accuse God [of not keeping his promises to us Jews] are very mistaken.” [What King David wrote about God’s justly saying that he would punish him for his sins is also true of those who accuse God of not keeping his promises. What he said to God was], “So everyone must acknowledge that what you [(sg)] have said [about them] (OR, [their sin]) is true, and you will always win the case when you are accused {when [people] accuse you}.”

Lani ki ye U TIENU tie moamoandaano, nisaalo kuli mo tuofaadaano nani lan diani maama: li tie tiladi ban bandi ke a tiegi a maama nni, a ya buni leni bi niba mo, a ba paadi.

5 So if we [Jews’] being wicked [PRS] shows that it is right that God [does not bless us], what shall we say/conclude? Shall we conclude that it is not right for God to be angry [and punish us Jews] [MTY]? I [should not be saying these things], [but] I am speaking as ordinary humans [speak].

Lanwani ti biadima ya teni ke U TIENU teginma doagidi, ti ba yedi lede? Naani U TIENU ki tiegi o pali ya beni kelima ti biadima yeni po bii? N maadi nani bi nisaaliba n nua maama.

6 We should certainly not [conclude that God should not judge us], because if God [did not judge us Jews], (it would not possibly be right for him to judge [anyone in] the world [MTY]!/how could he judge [anyone in] the world?) [MTY, RHQ]

Yeni ka! U TIENU ya ki tiegi, O ba ga lede ki jia ti buudi leni ŋanduna yaaba?

7 But [someone might object and say to me], “The fact that God truly [keeps his promises] becomes very clear/evident because of my not doing [what God has commanded]. But the result is that people praise God! So (God should no longer say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned!/why should God still say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned?) [RHQ]

Li ya tie ke n faama teni ke U TIENU moamoani doagidi ki tie O kpiagidi po, be yaa po ke O ba bu ki cuo nni nani n tie tuonbiadi daano yeni?

8 [If what you, Paul, say is true], then (we might as well/it is all right for us to) do evil things in order that good things [like that] will result! For example, [then people will praise God]!” Some people speak evil about me by their [falsely] saying that I say [such things. God] will fairly/justly punish [people who say such things about me]!

Nani bi nitianba yaaba n maadi mi mabiadima ki yieni ke ti tua, be yaapo ke ti ka tiendi yaala n bia ke yaala n ŋani n yuandi ki cua? Laa niba ya cuonu tiegi.

9 [If someone would ask], “[Shall we conclude that God] will treat us [Jews] more favorably [and will treat] the non-Jews less [favorably] [RHQ]?” [I would reply that we can] certainly not [conclude that]! I have already shown you that all people, the Jews and also the non-Jews, have sinned and [so they deserve to be punished] {[that God will punish them]} [PRS].

Lanwani lede! ti tie nimoanba ki cie nibuotoe bii? Baa waamu. Kelima ti maadi ki doagidi ke grekinba leni Jufinba kuli tie ti tuonbiadi n die yaaba.

10 [The following words] that are written {prophets have written} [in the Scriptures support this], No person is righteous. There is not even one righteous person!

Nani lan diani maama: oba kuli ki tiegi, baa niyendo.

11 There is no one who understands [how to live properly] (OR, [about God]). There is no one who seeks/desires [to know] God!

Oba ki tie yanfodaano, nilo ba ki lingi U TIENU.

12 Absolutely everyone has turned away [MET] [from God]. God considers them depraved (OR, Everyone has become useless [to God]). There is no one who acts righteously; no, there is not even one!

Bi kuli yaadi, ki taani ki biidi bi yula, yua n tiendi yaala n ŋani naa ye, ba niyendo.

13 What people say [MTY] [is foul/bad, like the smell that comes from] a grave that has been {that [people] have} opened [MET]. [By what people say] [MTY], they deceive people. [By what they say] [MTY] [they injure people, just like] the poison of snakes [injures people] [MET].

Bi niabonma kuli tie nani ya kula n yaa yeni, bi boandi bi niba leni bi landi, ya maama n ña bi noacuuna nni bia nani o duduuno loabidi yeni.

14 They are continually (cursing/asking God to do harmful things to) others and saying (cruel/harsh/hateful) things [MTY].

Bi ñoana gbie leni ti solindi leni ki nanga.

15 They (go quickly/are eager) to murder people [MTY].

Bi pia ya taana n jaligi mi soawulima po,

16 Wherever they go, they ruin everything and make [people] miserable [MTY].

ban tagini naani kuli, bi ŋa dagbendi leni falabiado.

17 They have not/never known how [to live] peacefully [with other people].

Baa bandi mi yanduanma sanu,

18 They absolutely refuse to fear/reverence God [SYN]!

baa nua U TIENU leni li fangili.

19 Furthermore, we know that it is to [Jewish] people, [who are] required to obey [God’s] laws, that Moses wrote those laws [PRS]. [We can infer from this that] there are no [Jews or non-Jews] [SYN] who are able to say anything [in reply to God’s saying that he will punish them for having sinned]. God has declared everyone in the world [MTY] guilty!

To, ti bani ke U TIENU balimaama n yedi yaala kuli tie li balimaama n die yaaba po, ki ba teni nilo kuli ñoabu n mubini, ke bi niba kuli n tuo ke bi pia i tagili U TIENU nintuali.

20 It is not because people have done the things that God’s laws [require] that [God] will (erase the record of their sins/declare them no longer guilty for sin), [because no one has done those things completely]. In fact, the result of [our knowing God’s] laws is that we know clearly that we have sinned (OR, are sinful).

Kelima nilo ba kan baa li moamoansaali U TIENU kani kelima o tiendi li balimaama n yedi yaala, kelima li balimaama n teni ke o nisaalo bandi ti tuonbiadi.

21 But God’s (erasing the record of our sins/declaring us no longer guilty) does not depend on [our obeying] the laws [that he gave Moses]. It has now been {[God] has now} revealed [to us] how he erases the record of our sins [by a different way]. It was written about [by Moses] {[Moses] wrote about it} in the laws [PRS] [God gave] him, and it was also written about by the prophets {the prophets also wrote about it}.

Ama moala, U TIENU n saa i moamoani maama ke bi nisaaliba doagidi, ke li naa ŋoadi li balimaama kubima nani li balimaama leni bi sawalipuaba kuli tieni li po siedi.

22 God erases the record of our sins because we trust in [what] Jesus Christ [has done for us]. God does this for every person who trusts [in Christ], because [he considers] that there is no difference [between Jews and non-Jews].

Bani Yaaba n tuo ki daani kuli ya po, U TIENU saagi i moamoani ke bi tiegi kelima li dandanli JESU kilisiti nni yaa po.

23 All people have done evil, and all people have failed to accomplish the glorious [goals] that God [set for them].

Mi gagidima ki ye bi niba leni bi yaba siiga, bi kuli tieni ti tuonbiadi ki poadi U TIENU kpiagidi.

24 Our record of sins has been erased {God erased the record of our sins} by God acting kindly [to forgive our sins], without our doing anything to earn it. Christ Jesus accomplished this [by dying for us].

Ama kelima U TIENU ŋanbili paabu yaa po, bi nisaaliba baa li moamoansaali kelima JESU Kilisiti daafaabima yaa po.

25 God showed that Christ was the one who would atone for (OR, forgive) our sins [with the] blood [that flowed from his body when he died. God redeems/forgives] us because of our trusting [in Christ’s having died for us. God wanted] to show that he acts justly. [He wanted to do that] because, before [Jesus came, God] did not punish [everyone who sinned. So it seemed as though he was not being just]. But he was overlooking people’s sins during [that time],

U TIENU den tuodi ki bili ke wani JESU baa tua i candanbaani padili yaaba n pia li dandanli o soama po kuli yaa po. U TIENU tieni yeni ke wan fidi ki doagidi O teginma, kelima O den juuni leni bi niba n den tieni ya tuonbiadi u yogunkpelu kaa cuo ba ti po.

26 because he is patient. [God arranged for Jesus to die for us]. By doing that, God now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts/believes in Jesus.

O den bua ki doagidi O teginma moala po, ke bi niba n bandi ke o tiegi ki go tie yua n puuni li moamoansaali yua n daani Jesu kuli.

27 It is not at all [RHQ] because of [our obeying the] laws [of Moses that God erases the record of our sins]. So, (there is no way that we can boast [that God does that because of our obeying those laws]./how can we boast [about God erasing the record of our sins because of our obeying those laws]?) [RHQ] Instead, [it is because of our] believing/trusting [in Christ that God erases the record of our sins].

Lanwani o nisaalo ba kpiagi o yuli kelima be yaa po? Waa go pia li sanu. Mi laa balimaama po? A tuona po bii? A-a, ama li dandanli yaa po.

28 [We cannot boast about that], because we conclude that the record of our sins is erased {God erases the record of our sins} because of our trusting [in Christ]. God does not erase the record of our sins because of our obeying the laws [that he gave to Moses, because it is impossible for us to completely obey them].

Kelima ti sua ke o nilo baa li moamoansaali kelima lio dandanli yaa po, ke laa tie li balimaama kubima po.

29 (You who are Jews certainly should not [think that you] are the only ones whom God [will accept]!/Do you Jews [think it is you] alone whom God [will accept]?) [RHQ] You certainly should [realize that he will accept] non-Jews, too. [RHQ] Of course, [he will accept] non-Jews also,

UTIENU tie TIENU jufinba bebe po bii? naani waa tie UTIENU bi nilamba mo ko yaa po? O tie UTIENU bi lamba moko po saa.

30 because, [as you firmly believe], there is only one God, who will erase the record of Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in what Christ has done], and who will similarly erase the record of non-Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in Christ].

Kelima Tienyendu bebe n ye, yua nba saa i moamoani yaaba n kua ku koanciagu po kelima bi dandanli po, ki go saa yaaba ntie jifola po moamoani kelima bi moko yaa dandanli yaa po.

31 So, [if someone should ask concerning the laws that God gave Moses], “By saying [that God erases the record of our sins because of our] trusting [in Christ], does that mean that those laws now are useless?”, [I would reply], “Certainly not. Instead, we truly fulfill the laws [that God gave Moses].”

Naani ti ba bolini li balimaama kelima li dandanli po bii? Kalam, ti doagidi li bali maama n pia yaa ma yuli moamoani.