Efesotɔwo 2
1 Miawo la, miezu ame kukuwo ɖe miaƒe vodadawo kple nu vɔ̃
Formerly, because you were habitually sinning [DOU], you were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as a] corpse [MET] is).
2 siwo me mienɔ, esi miedze xexea me kple yame ƒe dziɖula yome, gbɔgbɔ si le dɔ wɔm fifia le ame siwo gbe toɖoɖo Aƒetɔ la ƒe dziwo me la ta. (aiōn g165)
You were acting in the same [evil] way as those who oppose Christ [MTY] act. That is, you were behaving in the [evil] ways [that Satan wanted you to behave]. He rules over evil spiritual beings that no person can see [MTY]. He is the spirit who now powerfully controls the people who disobey God. (aiōn g165)
3 Mí katã míenɔ ko abe ame mawo ene tsã, míaƒe agbe ɖea nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo le mía me la fiana, eye míewɔa nu vɔ̃ siwo me míaƒe ŋutilã ƒe nudzodzrowo kple susu vɔ̃wo kplɔa mí denae. Míedze agbe baɖa nɔnɔ gɔme, elabena wodzi mí kple dzɔdzɔme vɔ̃ɖi, ale míenɔ Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoe la te abe ame bubu ɖe sia ɖe ene.
Formerly, we all used to disobey God as they do. We did the things that our self-centered nature wanted us to do. We habitually did those [evil] deeds that our bodies and our minds wanted to do. When we were acting like that, it was certain that [God] would punish [MTY] us, just like he will certainly punish all other [evil people].
4 Gake ɖe lɔlɔ̃ gã si wòtsɔ na mí ta la, Mawu, ame si nye nublanuikpɔla la
But God always acts very mercifully, and he loves us very much.
5 na agbe mí le Kristo me, togbɔ be míenye nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo hã la, amenuveve wòtsɔ ɖe mie.
As a result, even when we were ([spiritually] dead/[as unable to please God as] a corpse [MET] is) because we were habitually sinning, he enabled us to receive [spiritual]/[eternal] life because of our relationship with Christ. [Do not forget this: It is only] because God has acted so kindly toward you, in a way that you did not deserve, that you are saved {that [he] saved you} [from the guilt of your sin]
6 Eye Mawu fɔ mi ɖe tsitre kple Kristo, eye wòna míenɔ anyi kplii le dziƒonutowo me le Kristo Yesu me,
And [it is as though] God gave us spiritual life when he caused Christ Jesus to be alive again after he died [MET]. And [it is as though] God caused us to sit [and rule] [MTY] with him in heaven,
7 be le ɣeyiɣi siwo ava me la, yeaɖe yeƒe kesinɔnu kple amenuveve sɔ gbɔ si wòɖe fia to eƒe dɔmenyonyo me la afia mí le Kristo Yesu me. (aiōn g165)
in order that he might show to everyone at all times in the future that he has acted toward us in an extremely kind way because of what Christ Jesus [did for us]. (aiōn g165)
8 Le eƒe amenuveve sɔ gbɔ la ta la, miekpɔ ɖeɖe to Kristo dzixɔse me, menye nu siwo tso míawo ŋutɔ gbɔ o; ke boŋ enye Mawu ƒe nunana,
It is [only] by [God] acting [PRS] [toward you] in a way that you did not deserve that you have been saved {that he has saved you} as a result of your trusting [in Christ]. You did not save yourselves. His saving you was his gift to you.
9 menye le dɔ siwo miewɔ la ta o, be ame aɖeke naƒo adegbe o.
He did not save any of you because of anything you yourselves did. Because you have done nothing [to save yourselves], you cannot be proud of your efforts to save yourselves.
10 Elabena Mawu ƒe nuwɔwɔwo míenye, ame siwo wowɔ le Kristo Yesu me hena dɔ nyuiwo wɔwɔ, dɔ siwo Mawu dzra ɖo ɖi na mí be míawɔ la.
It is God who has made us what we are now. Because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, he has enabled us to receive [spiritual/eternal] life in order that we should conduct our lives habitually doing the good deeds that God previously planned for us to do.
11 Eya ta miɖo ŋku edzi be tsã la, mi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo tso dzidzime o, eye ame siwo yɔa wo ɖokuiwo be “aʋatsotsotɔwo” (nu si amewo tsɔa asi wɔnɛ) la yɔa mi be “aʋamatsomatsotɔwo” la,
You [Ephesians] have been non-Jews from the time that you were born. The Jews ([insult you/say that you are not God’s people]) [by] calling you ‘those who are not circumcised’. They [proudly] call themselves ‘we [(exc)] who are circumcised’. [They have allowed people to] circumcise [them to indicate that they are God’s people, but] that has [only] changed their bodies, [not their] ([inner beings/hearts]).
12 miɖo ŋku edzi be ɣe ma ɣi la, miete ɖa tso Kristo gbɔ, mienye Israeltɔwo o, eye mienye amedzrowo na nubabla si wowɔ tso ŋugbedodo la me, mɔkpɔkpɔ kple Mawu menɔ mia si le xexea me o.
You should constantly remember these things: Formerly you did not have any relationship with Christ. You did not belong to the people of Israel, [the people whom God chose]. You did not know about the things God promised in his agreements [with his people]. You did not confidently expect to go to heaven after you die (OR, [that God would save you]). You [lived] in this world without knowing God.
13 Gake azɔ la, mienye Kristo Yesu tɔ, eye togbɔ be mienɔ adzɔge ke tsã tso Mawu gbɔ hã la, azɔ wokplɔ mi va egbɔe, to Yesu Kristo ƒe ʋu la me.
But now, because of your relationship with Christ Jesus, God has brought you, who had no relationship with him [MET], into his family [MET]. He did that because [you trusted in what Christ accomplished when] his blood [MTY] [flowed from his body when he died on the cross].
14 Elabena eya ŋutɔe nye míaƒe ŋutifafa. Ewɔ ŋutifafa le mí Yudatɔwo kple mi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la dome, eye wòɖe mɔxenu la ɖa, eye wòɖe mama ƒe gli si nɔ mía dome tsã la ɖa.
Christ himself [has caused us Jewish and non-Jewish believers] to have peace [with each other]. He has made both [of our groups] to become one [group]. [Just like people] (tear down/demolish) a wall that separates [groups of people] [MET], he has destroyed the hatred [between Jews and non-Jews].
15 To eƒe ŋutilã me la, eɖe se la kple eƒe ɖoɖowo ɖa. Eƒe taɖodzinue nye be yeawɔ ame yeye ɖeka tso ame eveawo me le eɖokui me, be ŋutifafa nanɔ wo dome,
By dying [MTY] [for us on the cross] he made it no longer [necessary for us to obey] all the [Jewish] laws and rituals [in order to be saved]. He did that in order to enable the two [groups] to become one new group because of our relationship with him. The result was that he has caused us to have peace [with each other].
16 eye le ŋutilã ɖeka sia me la, wòana woazu ɖeka kple Mawu to atitsoga la dzi, eye wòatsrɔ̃ woƒe fuléle la.
By [dying on] the cross [MTY] he caused both Jews and non-Jews to have a peaceful relationship with God. That is how he caused us to no longer be [MET] enemies [with God] (OR, [with each other]).
17 Eva gblɔ ŋutifafa nyanyui la na mi ame siwo nɔ adzɔge ke tso egbɔ, eye wògblɔ ŋutifafa na ame siwo te ɖe eŋu la.
He came [to earth] and proclaimed that you [non-Jews], who did not have a relationship with [MET] [God], and [us(exc) Jews], who [considered that we(exc) belonged to] [MET] God’s [family], can [all] now have peace [with God].
18 To eya amea me la, mí katã míate ŋu ayi Fofo la gbɔ to Gbɔgbɔ ɖeka ma dzi.
[We know that he has done that] because we both, [Jews and non-Jews], are [now] able to approach God the Father in prayer by the help of his Spirit, because of what Christ [has done].
19 Esia ta mieganye amedzrowo o, ke boŋ mi kple Mawu ƒe amewo mienye ame ɖeka, Mawu ƒe aƒemetɔwo kple Mawu ƒe dumetɔwo,
So [God no longer treats] you [non-Jews] as [people treat] [MET] foreigners and strangers [who live among them] [MET]. Instead, along with all God’s people, [it is as though] you have become citizens of a country that he rules over, and [as though you have become] members of the family [of which he is the father] [MET].
20 siwo wotu ɖe apostolowo kple nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe gɔmeɖokpe la dzi, eye Kristo Yesu ŋutɔ nye dzogoedzikpe gã la.
[Just like] a building is built {[as someone] builds a building} on a foundation, [God has joined you into one group that originated/began] from what the apostles and prophets [taught]. Christ Jesus is the [most important one in that group, just like a] cornerstone [is the most important part of a building]. And
21 Le eya amea me la, wote xɔ la katã ƒo ƒu be wòakɔ azu gbedoxɔ kɔkɔe na Aƒetɔ la.
just like [a builder might] join together all the parts of a building to make it a temple that [people will] dedicate to the Lord [MET], [Christ is continually causing all of] you who have a relationship with [him to be united, in order that you will become one holy group].
22 Le eya amea me la, wowɔ miawo hã ɖekae be miazu nɔƒe si Mawu anɔ to eƒe Gbɔgbɔ la me.
And because of your relationship with Christ, [God] is joining you [non-Jews] together with [Jewish believers] to be [like] one building [MET] in which his Spirit lives.
