Mateo 18
1 Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, nusrɔ̃lawo va Yesu gbɔ va biae be, “Ame kae nye gãtɔ le dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me?”
About that time we disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who [among us will be] the most important when God [MTY/EUP] [makes you] king?”
2 Yesu yɔ ɖevi sue aɖe va eɖokui gbɔ, eye wòtsɔe ɖo nusrɔ̃lawo ƒe ŋkume.
Jesus called a child to come, and he placed that child in our midst.
3 Azɔ egblɔ na wo be, “Vavã mele egblɔm na mi bena, ne ame aɖe metsri nu vɔ̃, eye wòtrɔ ɖe Mawu ŋu hexɔ edzi se abe ɖeviwo ene o la, mage ɖe dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me o,
He said, “Think about this: If you [(pl)] do not change [the way you(pl) think] and become [as humble] as little children, you [(pl)] will surely not go to the place where God [MTY/EUP] rules.
4 eya ta ame si bɔbɔ eɖokui abe ɖevi sue sia ene la, eyae age ɖe dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me.
The people who become as humble as this child [or any child] is, will be the most important people among those over whom God rules.
5 Eye mia dometɔ si axɔ ɖevi aɖe abe esia ene le nye ŋkɔ me la, nyee nye ema wòxɔ.
Also, when those who, [because they love] me, welcome [a] child like this one, [God considers] that they are welcoming me.”
6 Ke nenye be mia dometɔ aɖe ana ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ aɖe nabu xɔse si le eme ɖe ŋunye la, anyo na ame ma wu ne woatsɔ kpe gã aɖe atsi ɖe kɔ nɛ, atsɔe aƒu gbe ɖe atsiaƒu me, eye wòano tsi aku boŋ.
“If you cause someone who believes in me to sin, [even if it is someone who is socially unimportant like] this little child, [God will severely punish you]. If a heavy stone were fastened around your neck and you were thrown into the deep waters of the sea, [people would consider that you had been severely punished. But God will punish] you more severely [than that if you cause someone to sin]
7 “Baba na xexea me le nu siwo nana amewo wɔa nu vɔ̃ la ta! Nu siawo ava eme tsã, gake baba na ame si dzi woato ava la!
It will be terrible for those [MTY] who cause others to stop believing in me. [God will punish them eternally]. It is inevitable that there will be [those who] cause others to stop believing in me. But it will be horrible for everyone who does that.
8 Nenye wò asi alo afɔe nana be nèwɔa nu vɔ̃ la, lãe ɖa ne nàtsɔe aƒu gbe. Anyo na wò be nàyi dziƒo kple asi alo afɔ lalɛ̃ wu be asi eve kple afɔ eve nanɔ asiwò, eye woatsɔ wò aƒu gbe ɖe dzomavɔ me. (aiōnios g166)
So, if you [are wanting to use] one of your hands or feet to sin, [stop using that hand or foot! Even if you have to] cut it off [to avoid sinning, do it] [MET]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you are maimed or lame and do not have a hand or a foot. But it is not good that you continue to have your two hands and two feet [and do] [MTY] [the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown into [hell], where there is eternal fire burning. (aiōnios g166, questioned)
9 Nenye be wò ŋkue nana be nèwɔa nu vɔ̃ la, hoe le eƒe to me ƒu gbe. Anyo na wò be nàyi dziƒo kple ŋku ɖeka tsɔ wu be ŋku eve nanɔ asiwò, eye nàyi dzomavɔ me. (Geenna g1067)
If what you see you [makes you want] to sin, [stop looking at those things! Even if you have to] gouge out one of your eyes and throw it away [to avoid sinning, do it] [HYP]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you have only one eye. But it is not good that you continue to have your two eyes [and do the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown {God throws you} into hell where there is eternal fire burning.” (Geenna g1067)
10 “Mikpɔ nyuie be miagado vlo ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ aɖeke o, elabena woƒe mawudɔlawo le Fofonye ƒe ŋkume le dziƒo ɣe sia ɣi. [
“Make an effort that you [(pl)] do not despise [even] one of these children. I tell you [(pl)] truly that [since] the angels [live] in heaven [in the presence of] my Father, [they will report to him if you mistreat the children].
11 Amegbetɔ Vi la va be yeaɖe ame siwo bu la.]
12 “Nenye be alẽ alafa ɖeka le ame aɖe si, eye ɖeka bu la, aleke wòawɔ? Ɖe magble alẽ blaasiekɛ-vɔ-asiekɛ mamlɛawo ɖi ayi aɖadi ɖeka si bu la le togbɛwo dzi oa?
What do you [(pl)] think [you would do in the following situation]? If you had 100 sheep and one of them got lost, you would surely leave the 99 sheep [that are] on the hill and go and search for the lost one [RHQ], would you not?
13 Vavã mele egblɔm na mi bena nenye be wòkpɔ alẽa ɖe, makpɔ dzidzɔ manyagblɔ aɖe ɖe eŋu tsɔ wu blaasiekɛ-vɔ-asiekɛ siwo le dedie le aƒe la oa?
If you found it, I affirm to you [(pl)] that you would rejoice very much. You would be happy that 99 sheep did not stray away, but you would rejoice even more [because you had found] the sheep that had strayed away.
14 Nenema ke menye Fofonye si le dziƒo ƒe didi be ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ ɖeka pɛ hã nabu o.
In the same way [that shepherds do not want one of] their [sheep to stray away], so [God], your Father in heaven, does not want [even] one of these children to go to hell.” (questioned)
15 “Nenye be nɔviwò aɖe dze agɔ le dziwò la, yi egbɔ dzaa ne nàɖe nu si wòwɔ la fiae. Nenye be ese eɖokui gɔme, eye wòɖo to wò la, ekema èɖe nɔviwò sia ƒe agbe.
“If a fellow believer sins [against you], go [to him], and when you two are alone, reprove him [for sinning against you]. If that person listens to you [and feels sorry that he has sinned against you], you will have restored [your friendship with] that person.
16 Ke nenye be wògbe meɖo to wò o la, kplɔ nɔviwò bubu ɖeka alo eve ɖe asi ne miayi egbɔ ake, be ame siawo naɖu ɖasefo na wò.
If that person will not listen to you [nor feel sorry that he has sinned against you], go get one or two other people [who will listen to what you both have to say]. Have them go with you so that [what is written] {[Moses wrote]} [in the Scriptures might happen: ] ‘[When one person accuses another in some matter], it should be confirmed by [at least] two or three people {[at least] two or three people should confirm it} [before that person can be declared] guilty {[before they declare that person guilty]}.’
17 Nenye be wògbe esia hã la, tsɔ nya la yi na hame la, eye ne hame la tso afia na wò, gake melɔ̃ ɖe edzi o la, mibu eya amea abe trɔ̃subɔla alo nudzɔla ko ene.
If the one who has sinned against you will not listen to them [or does not feel sorry that he has sinned against you], tell that to the congregation [so that they can rebuke him]. If that person will not listen to the congregation [or feel sorry that he has sinned against you, exclude him from being a member of your congregation, just like] you [would exclude] pagans, tax collectors, [and others who do not believe in God and sin greatly].
18 “Nyateƒe, mele egblɔm na mi be nu sia nu si miabla le anyigba dzi la anɔ babla le dziƒo, eye nu sia nu si miatu le anyigba dzi la anɔ tutu le dziƒo.
Keep this in mind: Whatever you decide on earth [about punishing] or [not punishing a member of your congregation] is what has also been decided by [God] in heaven {what [God] in heaven has also decided}.
19 “Mele egblɔm na mi hã nyateƒetɔe be ne mi ame eve miewɔ ɖeka le anyigba dzi bia nane Fofonye si le dziƒo la, awɔe na mi.
Also note this: If [at least] two of you [who live] here on earth agree together about something you ask [God] for [DOU], [God], my Father [who is] in heaven, will give you what you ask for.
20 Elabena afi si ame eve alo etɔ̃ ƒo ƒu ɖo le nye ŋkɔ me la, manɔ wo dome.”
[This is true], because wherever [at least] two or three of you assemble because you believe in me [MTY], I am [spiritually] present with you. I [will hear what you ask for and I will ask God to do it for you].”
21 Azɔ Petro te ɖe eŋu, eye wòbiae be, “Aƒetɔ, zi nenie nɔvinye ada vo ɖe ŋutinye, eye matsɔe akee? Zi adrea?”
Then Peter approached [Jesus] and said to him, “How many times must I forgive a fellow believer who [keeps on] sinning against me? [If he keeps asking me to forgive him, must I forgive him] as many as seven times?”
22 Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Gbeɖe, menye zi adre o, ke boŋ zi blaadre teƒe adre.”
Jesus said to him, “I tell you [that the number of] times [you must forgive someone is] not just up to seven, but [you must] ([forgive him] 77 times/never stop forgiving him).
23 Azɔ Yesu do lo sia be, “Dziƒofiaɖuƒe la sɔ kple fia aɖe si di be yeawɔ akɔnta kple eƒe dɔlawo la.
[In order to illustrate] why [you should do this], I [will tell you a story in which] God [MTY/EUP], [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over, is compared {I compare God, [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over} to a king [and his officials]. That king told [some of his servants that he wanted] his officials to pay what they owed him.
24 Esi wònɔ akɔnta la wɔm la, wokplɔ eƒe fenyila ɖeka vɛ; ame sia nyi fe sidi akpe akpewo le esi.
[So those officials were brought to the king to] settle [their accounts with him]. [One of the officials who were brought] owed the king several million dollars.
25 Fenyila la mate ŋu axe fe la o, eya ta fia la ɖe gbe be woadzra ŋutsu sia srɔ̃, viawo kple woƒe nu sia nu atsɔ axe fe lae.
But because he did not have [enough money] to pay [what he owed], the king demanded that he, his wife, his children and all he possessed be sold [to someone else, and that the king] be repaid [with] {receive} [the money that was paid for them].
26 “Ke dɔla la dze klo ɖe fia la ƒe akɔme ɖe kuku nɛ be, ‘O, Aƒetɔ, meɖe kuku, gbɔ dzi ɖi nam vie, ne mava xe fe la katã na wò emegbe.’
Then that official, [knowing that he did not have the money to pay that huge debt], fell on his knees [in front of the king] and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
27 Dɔla la ƒe nu wɔ nublanui na fia la ale gbegbe be eɖe asi le eŋu, eye wòtsɔ fe si wònyi la hã kee.
The king, [knowing that the official could never pay all that huge debt], felt sorry for him. So he canceled his debt and released him.
28 “Ke esi dɔla sia do go yina la, edo go ehavi dɔla bubu, ame si nyi sidi alafa aɖewo ko ƒe fe le esi. Eti kpo dze edzi helé awu ɖe vɛ nɛ, eye wòbia tso esi be, ‘Xe fe si nènyi le asinye la nam!’
Then this official went to another one of the king’s officials who owed him a bit less than a year’s wages. He grabbed him [by the throat], started choking him, and said to him, ‘Pay back what you owe [me]!’
29 “Ŋutsu sia hã dze klo ɖe kuku nɛ be, ‘Meɖe kuku, gbɔ dzi ɖi nam vie ekema maxe fe la katã na wò.’
That official fell on his knees and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
30 “Gake ŋutsu vɔ̃ɖi sia gbe asiɖeɖe le fenyila la ŋuti, eye wòna wolée de mɔ va se ɖe esime wòaxe fe la katã nɛ.
But this official kept refusing [to cancel that small debt that the man owed him]. Instead, he [caused that official to be] put in prison [and to stay there] until he could pay back all the money that he owed him.
31 Ŋutsu nublanuitɔ sia xɔlɔ̃ aɖe kpɔ nu si dzɔ la, eye wòyi ɖagblɔ nya la na fia la.
When the other officials [of the king] learned that this had happened, they felt very distressed. So they went to the king and reported in detail what had happened.
32 “Fia la yɔ ŋutsu vɔ̃ɖi si wòtsɔ fe kee la va egbɔ, eye wògblɔ nɛ be, ‘Wò, dɔla vɔ̃ɖi tagbɔsesẽtɔ! Nye ya metsɔ fe gbogbo si nènyi le asinye la ke wò esi neɖe kuku nam.
Then the king summoned the official [who had owed him several million dollars]. He said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I canceled that huge debt [that you owed me] because you begged me [to do so]
33 Nu ka ta wò hã màkpɔ nublanui na amewo abe ale si nye hã mekpɔ nublanui na wò ene o?’
You should have been merciful [and canceled your fellow official’s debt], just like I was merciful to you [and canceled your debt] [RHQ]!’
34 Fia la do dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋutsu sia ŋu vevie, eye wòna wodee gaxɔ me, afi si fukpekpe le, be wòanɔ afi ma va se ɖe esime wòaxe fe siwo katã wònyi la, pesewa afã hã masusɔ o.
The king was very angry. He handed this official over to some jailers who would torture him severely until he paid all of the debt that he owed.”
35 “Alea tututu Fofonye si le dziƒo la hã awɔ na mi nenye be mietsɔ nu vɔ̃wo ke mia nɔewo tso miaƒe dzi me o.”
[Then Jesus continued by saying], “That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if you do not [feel merciful and] sincerely forgive a fellow believer [who sins against you].”
