Luka 11
1 Gbe ɖeka Yesu nɔ gbe dom ɖa le teƒe aɖe. Esi wòwu nu la, eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo dometɔ ɖeka te ɖe eŋu, eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Aƒetɔ, fia gbedodoɖa mí abe ale si Yohanes fia eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo ene.”
One day Jesus was somewhere praying. When he finished [praying], one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us [what to say when] we [(exc)] pray, as John [the Baptizer] taught his disciples!”
2 Yesu gblɔ na wo be, “Ale miado gbe ɖae nye esi: “‘Fofo, woade bubu wò ŋkɔ ŋuti, wò fiaɖuƒe neva.
He said to them, “When you pray, say [things like this]: ‘Father, we want you [(sg)] [MTY] to be honored/revered. [We want people to let you(sg)] [MTY, MET] rule over their lives.
3 Na nuɖuɖu mí gbe sia gbe,
Give us [(exc)] each day the food [SYN] that we need.
4 tsɔ mìaƒe nu vɔ̃wo ke mí le, esi míetsɔ ame siwo daa vo ɖe mía ŋuti la tɔwo ke wo ta, eye mègakplɔ mí yi tetekpɔ me o.’”
Forgive us [for] the wrong things that we have done, because we forgive people for the wrong things that they do to us. Do not let us do wrong things when we are tempted {[someone or something] tempts us}.’”
5 Yesu yi edzi gagblɔ na wo be, “Mitsɔe be, xɔ̃ aɖe le mia dometɔ ɖeka si, eye woyi xɔ̃a gbɔ zãtitina hegblɔ nɛ be, ‘Xɔ̃nye do abolo etɔ̃ nam,
Then he said to them, “Suppose that one of you goes to the house of a friend at midnight. Suppose that you [(sg) stand outside and] call out to him, ‘My friend, please lend me three buns!
6 elabena xɔ̃nye aɖe si le mɔ zɔm la va dzem, eye naneke meli matsɔ nɛ wòaɖu o.’
Another friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived [at my house], but I have no food [ready] to give to him!’
7 “Mitsɔe be ame si le xɔ me la ɖo eŋu be, ‘Mègaɖe fu nam o. Míedo ʋɔa xoxo, eye nye kple vinyewo míemlɔ anyi. Nyemate ŋu afɔ ava na naneke wò o.’
Suppose that he answers you from inside [his house], ‘Do not bother me! The door has been locked {[We(exc)] have locked the door} and all my family are in bed. [So] I cannot get up and give you [(sg)] anything!’
8 “Mele egblɔm na mi be nenye be xɔ̃wòa mefɔ ʋu ʋɔa o, togbɔ be xɔ̃wò wònye hã la, ne èƒo ʋɔa atraɖii la, afɔ ava tsɔ nu sia nu si dim nèle la na wò, elabena èku kutri bia nu si dim nèle la atraɖii.
I will tell you that even if he does not [want to] get up and give you [any food], to avoid being ashamed [for not helping you] because you are his friend (OR, if without being ashamed you continue asking him to do that), he certainly will get up and give you whatever you need.
9 Alea tututue wònɔna le gbedodoɖa hã me. Mibia nu, eye woana mi; midi nu, eye miakpɔe; miƒo ʋɔa, eye woaʋui na mi.
So I tell you this: Keep asking [God for what you need]. If you do that, [he] will give it to you [(pl)]. Confidently keep expecting [God to give you the things that you need], and [he] will give them to you [MET]. [It will be like] looking for what you need and finding it. Keep on [praying urgently to God. Then God will answer you. It will be like] knocking [on a door] so that [God] will open [the way] for you [to get what you pray for].
10 Ame sia ame si biaa nu la, wonanɛ; ame sia ame si dia nu la, ekpɔnɛ, eya ta ne mieƒo ʋɔa ko la, woaʋui na mi.
Remember that [God] will give things to everyone who continues to ask [him for them]. [He] will give things to whoever confidently keeps asking. [He] will open [the way] for people [to get the things that they keep urgently praying for].
11 “Mi ame siwo nye vi fofowo ɖe, nenye be viwò bia tɔmelã ɖe, dalãe nàtsɔ nɛa?
If one of you had a son who asked you [(sg)] for a fish [to eat], (you [(sg)] certainly would not give him a [poisonous] snake instead!/would you give him a [poisonous] snake instead?) [RHQ]
12 Alo ne ebia koklozi ɖe, ahɔ̃e nàtsɔ nɛa? Gbeɖe miewɔa esia o!
If he asked you for an egg, (you [(sg)] certainly would not give him a scorpion!/would you give him a scorpion?) [RHQ]
13 “Azɔ nenye be mi ame siwo nye nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo mienaa nu nyui mia viwo la, ɖe mienya be mia Fofo si le dziƒo la anyo dɔ me, ana Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la ame siwo biae la oa?”
Even though you people are evil, you know how to give good things to your children. So your Father in heaven will certainly [give good things] to those who ask him, [including] giving the Holy Spirit, [who is the best gift].”
14 Gbe ɖeka Yesu nya gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ do goe le tokunɔ aɖe me, eye amea de asi nuƒoƒo me enumake. Ame siwo nɔ afi ma la kpɔ dzidzɔ hetso aseye le nukunu sia ta.
[One day there was a man there who, because a demon controlled him] [MTY], was unable to speak. After [Jesus expelled] the demon, the man [began to] talk. [Most of] the people [there] were amazed.
15 Gake ame aɖewo nɔ ameawo dome siwo gblɔ be, “Mewɔ nuku be ame sia le gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyam le amewo me o, elabena exɔ ŋusẽ tso Belzebul, si nye gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo ƒe fia la gbɔ!”
But some of them said, “It is Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons, who enables [this man] to expel demons!”
16 Ame bubuwo di tso esi be wòana dzesi aɖewo nadze le yame si afia be eƒe ŋusẽ tso Mawu gbɔ vavã.
Other [people there] asked Jesus to perform a miracle [to prove (he was the Messiah/that he had come] from God) [MTY/EUP]. They wanted to trap him [into not being able to perform a miracle or into doing something ridiculous].
17 Yesu dze si nu si nɔ ame siawo katã ƒe susu me, eya ta egblɔ be, “Ne dukɔ aɖe me tɔwo ma ɖe wo nɔewo ŋu hele aʋa wɔm la, dukɔa agbã, nenema ke nenye be aƒe aɖe me yɔ fũu kple dzre la, mate ŋu anɔ te o.”
But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “If [the people in] one nation fight against each other, their nation will be destroyed {[they] will destroy their nation}. If [the people in] [MTY] one house are divided, they will cease to remain as one [family].
18 Nenye be enye nyateƒe abe ale si miegblɔe be Belzebul ye le dɔ wɔm le menye be manya eƒe gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo ɖa la, aleke Satana ƒe fiaɖuƒe anɔ tee, nenye be ema ɖe eya ŋutɔ ŋuti?
[Similarly], if Satan [and his demons] were fighting against each other, (his rule over them would [certainly] not last!/how would his rule over them last?) [RHQ] [I say this] because you are saying that I am expelling demons by [the power of] the ruler of [his own demons]
19 Eye nenye be miele gbɔgblɔm be mele gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyam kple Belzebul ƒe ŋusẽ ɖe, ŋusẽ ka miaƒe amewo ya zãna ne wole gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyam? Miaƒe amewo boŋ neɖo nya si mietsɔ ɖe ŋutinye la ŋu na mi.
Furthermore, if [it is true that] Satan enables me to expel demons, [is it also true that] your disciples [who] expel demons [do so] by [Satan’s] power [RHQ]? [No, that is not true]. So they will show that you [are not thinking logically].
20 Azɔ ne mele gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyam kple Mawu ƒe ŋusẽ la, ekema efia be mawufiaɖuƒe la va ɖo mia dome.
But because it is by the power [MTY] of God [that I expel demons], I am showing you [that the power of] God to [MET] rule [people’s lives] has come to you.”
21 Nenye be ŋusẽtɔ aɖe kpla eƒe aʋawɔnuwo, eye wòle eƒe fiasã ŋu dzɔm la, eƒe nuwo anɔ dedie.
Then, [to show that by expelling evil spirits he was making it clear that he was much more powerful than Satan, Jesus said] [MET], “When a strong man who has many weapons guards his own house, no one can steal the things in his house.
22 Gake ne ame si sẽ ŋu wui va dze edzi, eye woxɔ ŋusẽ le esi la, axɔ eƒe aʋawɔnu siwo ŋu wòle ŋu ɖom ɖo la le esi, eye wòama eƒe nunɔamesiwo.
But when someone else who is stronger attacks that man and subdues him, he is able to take away the weapons in which the man trusted. Then he can take from that man’s house anything he [wants to].
23 “Ame si mele dzinye o la, etsi tsitre ɖe ŋunye, eye ame si meƒoa ƒu nuwo kplim o la eyae kanɛ hlẽna.”
[No one can be neutral]. Those who do not help me [are opposing] me, and those who do not gather [people to become] my [disciples] are causing [those people] to go away [from me].”
24 “Ne gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ aɖe do go le ame aɖe me la, eyia gbedzi, afi si wòtsana le ɣeyiɣi aɖe sinu nɔa sitsoƒe dim, ke ne mekpɔ ɖeke o la, etrɔna yina ɖe ame si me wòdo go le la me.
[Then Jesus said this]: “[Sometimes when] an evil spirit leaves someone, it wanders around in desolate areas seeking [someone in whom it can] rest. If it does not find anyone, it says [to itself], ‘I will return to the person in whom I used to live!’
25 Ne wòkpɔ be wokplɔ yeƒe nɔƒe xoxo la wòle dzadzɛe, eye nu sia nu le ɖoɖo nu.
So it goes back and finds that [the Spirit of God is not in control of that person’s life. The person’s life is like] a house that has been {that someone has} swept clean and everything put {put everything} in order, [but a house that is empty].
26 Eyina ɖayɔa gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ adre bubu siwo vɔ̃ɖi wui la wogena ɖe amea me. Esia wɔnɛ be ame sia ƒe nɔnɔme gblẽna ɖe edzi wu tsã.”
Then [this evil spirit] goes and gets seven other spirits that are [even] more evil than it is. They [all] enter [that person] and [begin] living there. [So], [although] that person’s condition [was bad] before, it became much worse.”
27 Esi Yesu nɔ nya siawo gblɔm la, nyɔnu aɖe si nɔ ameawo dome la do ɣli be, “Mawu neyra dawò, ƒodo si me nèmlɔ kple no si nèno.”
When Jesus said that, a woman who was listening called out [to him], “[God is] pleased with the woman who gave birth to you [(sg)] and let you nurse [at her breasts]!”
28 Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Enyo, gake woayra ame siwo sea mawunya la, eye wowɔa edzi pɛpɛpɛ.”
But he replied, “God [is] much more pleased with those who hear his message and obey it!”
29 Esi amehawo le ƒu ƒom ɖe edzi la, Yesu gblɔ be, “Esia nye dzidzime vɔ̃ɖi si le dzesi dim, gake womana dzesi aɖeke tsɔ wu Yona ƒe dzesi o.
When the group of people around [Jesus] got larger, he said, “[Many of] you people who have been observing my ministry are evil. You want [me to perform] a miracle [to prove that I have come from God], but the only miracle that [I] will perform for you is one [like happened to] Jonah.
30 Elabena ale si Yona nye dzesi na Ninivetɔwoe la, nenema ke Amegbetɔ Vi la anye dzesi na dzidzime siae.
[After Jonah was inside a huge fish for three days, God performed] a miracle [to restore] Jonah. [Jonah then went and testified about that] to the people in Nineveh [city. God will perform] a similar miracle [for me], the one who came from heaven. [When you people have seen that miracle, you will believe my message].
31 Le ʋɔnudrɔ̃ŋkekea dzi la, Nyɔnufia si tso Seba la atsi tsitre afia asi dzidzime sia, eye wòabu fɔ wo, elabena ezɔ mɔ tso anyigba ƒe seƒe ke va be yease Solomo ƒe nufiamenyawo, ke azɔ ame aɖe si kɔ wu Solomo la le mia dome.
[Long ago the] queen from [Sheba], [far] south [of Israel, traveled a long distance to hear Solomon speak many] wise things. But now [I, a man] who [is much] greater [and wiser] than Solomon, am here, [but you have not listened to what I have told you]. Therefore, at the time when [God] judges [all people], the queen from [Sheba] will stand there, [along] with you people, and will condemn you.
32 Ninivetɔwo kura gɔ̃ hã atsi tsitre le ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ la me ɖe dzidzime sia ŋu, eye woabu fɔe, elabena woawo la, wotrɔ dzime esime Yona va gblɔ mawunya na wo. Ke ame si kɔ wu Yona boo la le afii, gake dukɔ sia gbe be yewomaɖo toe o.”
The people who lived in Nineveh [city] turned from their sinful ways when Jonah preached to them. But now I, who am greater than Jonah, have come [and preached to you], [but you have not turned from your sinful ways]. Therefore, at the time when God judges [all people], the people who lived in Nineveh will stand there with you and condemn you.”
33 “Ame aɖeke mesia akaɖi tsɔnɛ ɣlana ɖe nu te o, ke boŋ etsɔnɛ dana ɖe akaɖiti dzi be wòaklẽ na ame siwo katã le xɔa me.
[Then, to show them that they did not need more miracles, but that they needed only to understand better what he had already told them, he said to them] [MET], “People who light a lamp do not then hide it, or put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand so that those who enter [their house] can see [things from] its light. [Similarly, I have not concealed God’s truth. I have revealed it to you].
34 Wò ŋkue nye akaɖi na wò ŋutilã. Ne wò ŋku dzi kɔ la, wò ame blibo la àyɔ fũu kple kekeli. Ke ne ŋku vɔ̃ɖi le asiwò la, màte ŋu akpɔ kekeli la o, elabena àtsi viviti me.
Your eyes [MET] are like a lamp for your body, because they enable you to see things. If your eyes are healthy, you are able to see everything well [MET]. [Similarly, if you(sg) accept my teaching, you will be able to know all that God wants you to know]. But if your eyes are bad, you are not able to see anything. It is like being in darkness [MET]. [And similarly, if you(pl) do not accept what I teach, you will not be able to know all the things that God wants you to know].
35 Eya ta kpɔ nyuie be kekeli si le mewò la naganye viviti o.
Therefore, [you(pl) do not need to see more miracles. You need to think carefully about what I have already] told you, so that the things that you have heard from others do not cause you to remain in spiritual darkness [MET].
36 Nenye be èkɔ le ɖokuiwò me, eye viviti aɖeke mele mewò o la, ekema wò gotagome hã aklẽ abe akaɖi keklẽ gã aɖee wosi ɖe mewò ene.”
If you [live completely according to God’s truth, you will be able to know everything that God wants you to know. It will be like] being in a room with a lamp shining brightly, enabling you to see everything clearly.”
37 Esi Yesu wu nya siawo gbɔgblɔ nu la, Farisitɔ aɖe kpee be wòava ɖu nu le ye gbɔ, ale wòyi ɖe egbɔ henɔ anyi ɖe kplɔ̃a ŋu.
While Jesus finished saying those things, a Pharisee invited him to eat a meal with him. So Jesus went to [his house] and ate with him.
38 Ke esi Farisitɔ la kpɔ be Yesu meklɔ ŋui gbã hafi be yeaɖu nu o la, eƒe mo wɔ yaa.
The Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not follow the Pharisees’ ritual by washing his hands before eating. [The Pharisees washed their hands in a certain way to be cleansed from anything that might have contaminated them. They were afraid that God might reject them if they] had [touched something unacceptable to God].
39 Aƒetɔ la gblɔ nɛ be, “Mi Farisitɔwo la, mieɖoa ŋu ɖo tsɔa dzigbɔɖi klɔa kplu kple agbawo ŋuti, gake miaƒe agbe me yɔ fũu kple ɖiƒoƒo, ŋubiabiã kple tamesesẽ.
The Lord [Jesus] said to him, “You Pharisees are [concerned about things that are outside your bodies, not with what is in your] ([inner beings/hearts]) [MET]. You wash the outside of cups and dishes [before you eat because you think that doing that will make you acceptable to God], but within yourselves you are very greedy and wicked.
40 Mi movitɔwo! Menye Mawue wɔ nu sia nu godo kple eme oa?
You foolish people! [God] is concerned about things that are outside [our bodies], but (he is certainly also concerned about our inner [beings]!/isn’t he also concerned about our hearts?) [RHQ]
41 Eya ta miklɔ nuawo me to dɔmenyowɔwɔ na ame dahewo me, eye mia ŋuti katã hã akɔ.
Give [money] to those who are poor. [Give according to what you know within] your (inner [/heart]) [that you should give]. Then you [will be surprised to realize that] you will be acceptable [to God without having to perform all those rituals about washing].
42 “Ke babaa na mi Farisitɔwo! Togbɔ be mieɖoa ŋku edzi tsɔa ahamɛ kple ƒãglo kpakple ama bubu ƒomeviwo katã ƒe ewolia naa Mawu hã la, miedrɔ̃a ʋɔnu dzɔdzɔe o, eye mieŋlɔna be be Mawu ƒe lɔlɔ̃ li gɔ̃ hã. Enyo be miatsɔ miaƒe nukpɔkpɔwo ƒe ewolia aɖo Mawu ŋkume, gake mele be miaŋlɔ nu vevi siawo be o.
But there will be terrible punishment for you Pharisees! You give to God a tenth of [all you produce, even] the various herbs that you grow, but you do not [remember that you must act] justly [toward others] and love God! It is good to [give a tenth of your income to God], but you ought to do these other things also!
43 “Baba na mi Farisitɔwo! Elabena mielɔ̃a bubuteƒenɔnɔ le miaƒe ƒuƒoƒewo, eye miedina be amewo nado gbe na yewo kple bubu tɔxɛ nenye be miezɔ to ablɔ dzi va yina.
There will be terrible punishment for you Pharisees, because you like [to sit in] the best seats in our worship places [so that people will think highly of you], and you like people to greet you [respectfully] in the marketplaces.
44 “Babaa na mi. Ɖeko miele abe yɔdo siwo dzi gbe vu tsyɔ̃ ene. Amewo va toa mia dzi, eye womenyaa nu dziŋɔ si dzi zɔm wole o.”
There will be terrible punishment for you, because you are like ground where there is no marker [to indicate that there is a] grave [underneath]. People walk there, but they cannot see [what is rotten down below] [MET]! [Similarly, people who see you do not realize how polluted you are within yourselves].”
45 Sefialawo dometɔ ɖeka si hã nɔ ameawo dome la yɔe, eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Aƒetɔ, le nya si nègblɔ fifi laa me la, èdo vlo miawo hã.”
One of those who taught the [Jewish] laws replied, “Teacher, by saying this you [(sg)] are criticizing us [also]!”
46 Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Babaa na mi sefialawo hã. Elabena mietsɔa agba kpekpe, siwo wu tsɔtsɔ la ɖoa amewo dzi, eye miawo ŋutɔ mietsɔa miaƒe asibidɛ ɖeka kaa agbawo ŋu o.
Jesus said, “It will be terrible also for you who teach the [Jewish] laws! You require people [to obey many rules that are difficult to obey] [MET]. [That is like making them] carry heavy burdens on their backs. But you yourselves do not obey the laws [that you require others to obey]. (OR, you do not do anything to help [others to obey the laws].)
47 “Babaa na mi! Elabena ɖeko miele abe mia tɔgbui siwo wu nyagblɔɖila siwo nɔ anyi tsã va yi la ene.
There will be terrible punishment for you! You decorate the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed, [but you do not live according to what the prophets taught].
48 Mieɖi ɖase, eye mieda asi ɖe nu si mia fofowo wɔ la dzi be enyo. Wowu nyagblɔɖilawo, eye miawo hã mieɖɔa woƒe yɔdowo ɖo.
So you are declaring that you approve of what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you [are not honoring the prophets! You just] decorate their tombs!
49 Nu si Mawu gblɔ tso mia ŋu lae nye be, ‘Maɖo nyagblɔɖilawo kple apostolowo ɖe mi. Ke miawu ɖewo, eye mianya ɖewo de gbe.’
So God, who is very wise [PRS], said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles [to you Jews]. [You] will kill some of them and cause some of them to suffer greatly.
50 Woatsɔ nya ɖe mi dzidzime sia ŋu ɖe Mawu ƒe nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe ʋukɔkɔɖi tso keke xexe sia me ƒe gɔmedzedze ke ta.
[As a result, I] will consider that many of you people [who have observed my Son’s ministry] will be guilty [MTY] [of murder, as if you had] killed all the prophets that other people have killed, from the time I created the world,
51 Le nyateƒe me, woabu fɔ mi tso Abel ƒe ʋu dzi va se ɖe Zekaria, ame si wowu le vɔsamlekpui kple kɔkɔeƒe la dome la dzi. Le nyateƒe me la, woatsɔ fɔbubu sia ada ɖe dzidzime sia dzi.
starting from [Adam’s son Cain] killing [his brother] Abel and continuing until they killed the prophet Zechariah [in the holy place] between the altar and the temple.’ Yes, what I am saying [is true] [MTY]. [God] will punish you people who have observed my ministry, you people whom [he] considers to be guilty [MTY] for [killing] all those prophets!
52 “Baba na mi senyalawo, elabena mietsɔ nunya la ƒe safui dzoe. Esi miawo ŋutɔ miegbe nu le egbɔ ta la, miexea mɔ na ame bubuwo bena womakpɔ mɔ axɔ nyateƒe la dzi ase o.”
There will be terrible punishment for you men who teach the [Jewish] laws, because you have [not let people] know [God’s truth] [MET]! [It is as though you are] taking away a key [to a house]. You are not going into [the house] yourselves, and you are not letting other people enter it, either.”
53 Esi wòdo go tso afi ma la, Farisitɔwo kple agbalẽfialawo tsi tsitre ɖe eŋu vevie, eye wole biabia vovovowo biam
After Jesus finished saying those things, he left there. Then the men who taught the [Jewish] laws and the Pharisees began to act in a very hostile way toward him. They tried to make him say what he thought about many things.
54 be woalée le eƒe nuƒoƒo me.
They kept waiting for him to say something [wrong] for which they could accuse him.
