Galatiatɔwo 5

1 Ablɔɖemenɔnɔ ta Kristo wɔ mí ablɔɖeviwoe ɖo. Eya ta minɔ tsitre sesĩe, eye migana kluvinyenye ƒe kɔkuti nagaku kɔ na mi azɔ o.

It is in order that we might live without (being obliged [to/having to]) [obey all the Jewish rituals] that Christ freed us [from God condemning us because of our disobeying those rituals]. So, firmly [reject the false teaching that someone must circumcise you, and] do not [live like] slaves again [MET] [by letting others force you to obey those rules and rituals again].

2 Mide dzesi nye nyawo! Nye Paulo, mele egblɔm na mi be ne mieɖe mɔ wotso aʋa na mi la, ekema viɖe aɖeke manɔ Kristo ŋu na mi o.

Consider very carefully what I, Paul, [an apostle], now tell you: If, [to fulfill Jewish ritual laws], you are permitting yourself to be circumcised {someone to circumcise you}, what Christ [has done for you] will not benefit you at all.

3 Megale egblɔm ake na ame sia ame si lɔ̃ wotso aʋa nɛ la be ele nɛ be wòawɔ ɖe se blibo la katã dzi.

Instead, I solemnly declare again to every man who is circumcised {has someone circumcise him} [in order for God to accept him], that you must [perfectly] obey all of the laws [that God gave Moses, in order for God to save you].

4 Mi ame siwo le didim be woatso afia na yewo to se la dzi wɔwɔ me la, woklã mi ɖa tso Kristo gbɔ; amenuveve la bu ɖe mi.

Those of you who are sure that God will erase the record of your sins because you obey the laws [that God gave to Moses], you have separated yourselves from Christ. You have abandoned/rejected [God’s true method of saving you, which was] by kindly erasing the record of your sins, in a way that you did not deserve.

5 Elabena to Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la me la, míele mɔ kpɔm vevie na dzɔdzɔenyenye la le xɔse me.

But we who have a relationship with Christ and who trust in Christ are eagerly waiting to receive what God’s Spirit assures us that we can expect. We can expect to receive it because God has erased the record of our sins.

6 Elabena le Kristo Yesu me la, aʋatsotso alo aʋamatsomatso mate ŋu awɔ naneke o. Ke nu si míehiã la koe nye xɔse si wɔa dɔ to lɔlɔ̃ me.

As for us who have a relationship with Christ Jesus, God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust [in] Christ, with the result that we love [other people].

7 Mienɔ du ƒum nyuie hafi. Ke ame kae va flu mi, eye wòxe mɔ na mi be miagaɖo to nyateƒe la o?

You were progressing well [spiritually] [MET]. You should not have let someone influence you so that [now you] are not believing the true [message about Christ] [RHQ]!

8 Menye ame si yɔ mi lae ƒo nya sia ɖe mia nu o.

[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!

9 “Amɔ ʋaʋã sue aɖe nana amɔ blibo la ʋãna.”

[Remember that this false doctrine that someone is teaching you will affect all of you, just like] [MET] a little yeast causes all of the dough to swell up.

10 Mele mɔ kpɔm le Aƒetɔ la me be miabu nu bubu aɖeke ŋuti o. Ame ka kee le fu ɖem na mi hele mia flum hã la, Mawu ŋutɔ ahe to nɛ.

[Nevertheless], because of my relationship with the Lord, I am certain that you will think only as I do [about forcing people to obey rules and rituals]. Furthermore, [God] will punish anyone who is confusing you [by teaching this false message], even if he is an important person.

11 Nɔviwo, ne megale gbeƒã ɖem aʋatsotso ɖe, nu ka ta wogale yonyeme tim ɖo? Ekema woɖe atitsoga la ƒe nuɖiaɖia ɖa.

But, my fellow believers, [although someone claims that I am proclaiming that men must be circumcised, I certainly am not still proclaiming that. Remember that the Jews are still] ([persecuting me/causing me to suffer]). If I were still proclaiming that men must be circumcised [in order for God to accept them], (the Jews would not be persecuting me./why would the Jews be persecuting me?) [RHQ] [They would] [RHQ] not be [persecuting me]/causing me to suffer [because] then [the Jews] would no longer be offended. [They] ([are offended/do not want to accept what I teach]) [because I proclaim that Christ, the Messiah, died on] the cross [MTY].

12 Ɖeko medi vevie be nufiala siwo di be miana woatso aʋa na mi la, woaɖe wo ɖokuiwo ɖa le mia dome, eye woaɖe ɖa le mia ŋu kpoo.

I [would even] wish that those who are disturbing you [by insisting that men be circumcised] would also emasculate [EUP] themselves, [with the result that they would be expelled from your congregations]!

13 Elabena nɔvinyewo, woyɔ mi, eye wona ablɔɖe mi. Ke ablɔɖe la magana mianɔ agbe le ŋutilã nu o; ke boŋ be miave mia nɔewo nu le ɖokuibɔbɔ kple lɔlɔ̃ me.

My fellow believers, [God] chose you in order that [you might live] without having to [obey rules and rituals]. But [do not assume that because] you are free [from having to obey rules and rituals], [God] permits you to [do whatever your] self-directed nature [desires]. Instead, constantly, as you love [each other], serve each other.

14 Elabena wowu se blibo la katã nu to se ɖeka sia dzi wɔwɔ me, si nye, “Lɔ̃ hawòvi abe ɖokuiwò ene.”

Keep in mind that we can sum up all of the laws [that God has] given us in one law, which is: “You must love each person you come in contact with, just like [you love] yourself.”

15 Ke ne mieɖe ɖeklemi, eye miewɔ dzre kple mia nɔewo la, mikpɔ nyuie be miagagblẽ nu le mia nɔewo ŋu o.

Since you are attacking and injuring [MET] each other [by the things that you say] [MET], I warn you that [if you continue doing that], you will totally ruin each other [spiritually].

16 Eya ta mele egblɔm be minɔ agbe le Gbɔgbɔ la me, ale be miagawɔ ɖe ŋutilã ƒe nudzodzrowo dzi o.

[So] I tell you this: Constantly let [God’s] Spirit direct you. [If you do that], you will certainly not do the things that your self-directed nature wants [you to do].

17 Elabena ŋutilã la ƒe nudzodzrowo tsi tsitre ɖe Gbɔgbɔ la ŋu, eye Gbɔgbɔ la ƒe nudzodzrowo tsi tsitre ɖe ŋutilã la ŋu. Wole avu wɔm kple wo nɔewo, ale be miate ŋu awɔ nu si miedi be miawɔ la o.

Your self-directed nature (opposes [God’s] Spirit/does not [want you to do what] God’s Spirit [wants you to do]), but also his Spirit opposes your self-directed nature. These two are always (fighting with/opposing) each other. The result is that you do not [constantly] do the [good] deeds that you truly desire [to do].

18 Ke ne Gbɔgbɔ la le mia kplɔm la, miegale se la te o.

But when you are led by God’s Spirit {when God’s Spirit directs you}, you [can do what pleases God], now that you are no longer obligated [to obey all] the laws [that God gave Moses].

19 Ke ŋutilã ƒe nudzodzrowo dze ƒãa. Woawoe nye: matrewɔwɔ, makɔmakɔnyenye, hadzedze,

[You already know] how [people think and] act [PRS] because of their self-directed nature. These are [some of the things that they do: People] are sexually immoral. [People] commit unnatural sexual acts. [People] act indecently.

20 trɔ̃subɔsubɔ, adzewɔwɔ, fuléle, dzrewɔwɔ, ŋuʋaʋã, dɔmedzoedodo, ɖokuitɔdidi, nu masɔmasɔ, mamawo,

[People] worship false gods [and] things [that] represent those gods. [People] perform (rituals in order that evil spirits might act for them/sorcery). [People] are hostile [to others. People] quarrel [with each other. People] are (jealous/resent other people’s status). [People] behave angrily. [People] try (to get others to think highly of them/to exalt themselves) and (do not consider what others want/act selfishly). People do not associate [with others. People] associate only with those who agree [with them].

21 ŋubiabiã, ahamumu, aglotutu vɔ̃wo kple esia tɔgbiwo. Mele nu xlɔ̃m mi, abe ale si mexlɔ̃ nu mi va yi ene la be ame siwo nɔa agbe alea la, manyi mawufiaɖuƒe la ƒe dome o.

[People] want what others have. [People] get drunk. [People] (revel/participate in wild parties). And [people do other] things like these. I warn you [now], just like I warned [you previously], that the ones [who constantly] act [and think] like that will not receive [what] God [has for his own people when he begins] to rule over us.

22 Ke Gbɔgbɔ la ƒe kutsetsee nye lɔlɔ̃, dzidzɔ, ŋutifafa, dzigbɔɖi, dɔmenyowɔwɔ, nyuiwɔwɔ, nuteƒewɔwɔ,

But [God’s] Spirit causes [us to do these things]: We love [others]. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are [ones whom] others can trust.

23 tufafa kple ɖokuidziɖuɖu. Se la metsi tsitre ɖe nu siawo ŋuti o.

We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].

24 Ame siwo nye Kristo Yesu tɔ la klã woƒe ŋutilã kple eƒe nudzodzro vɔ̃wo ɖe ati ŋuti.

Furthermore, we who belong to Christ Jesus have [stopped obeying] our self-directed nature and [stopped doing] all the evil things that we desire to do [MET]. [It is as though] [MET] we nailed them to the cross!

25 Esi míele agbe le Gbɔgbɔ la me la, mina míazɔ hã le eƒe kpɔkplɔ te.

Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].

26 Mígana dada nayɔ mía me o, mígado dziku na mía nɔewo o, eye mía nɔewo ƒe nu megave dɔ me na mí o.

We should not be saying how great we are. We should not be making ourselves more important than others. We should not envy each other.