Mateo 23
1 Tete Yesu gblɔ na ameha la kple eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo be,
Then spake Jesus to the people and to his disciples, saying,
2 “Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo nɔ Mose ƒe zi dzi,
The scribes and pharisees sit in the seat of Moses:
3 eya ta miɖo to wo, eye miawɔ nu sia nu si wogblɔ na mi la, gake migawɔ nu si wowɔna la o, elabena woawo ŋutɔ mewɔna ɖe nu siwo fiam wole la dzi o.
observe therefore and do all things whatsoever they tell you to observe; but do not ye according to their works, for they say and do not:
4 Woblaa agba kpekpewo tsɔna ɖoa amewo ƒe abɔta, gake woawo ŋutɔ mele klalo be yewoatsɔ yewoƒe asibidɛ akpe ɖe ameawo ŋu gɔ̃ hã o.
for they bind grievous and intolerable burthens, and impose them upon men; but they themselves will not put a finger to them:
5 “Nu sia nu si wowɔna la, ɖe wowɔnɛ ko be yewoadze abe ame nyuiwo ene le gota. Woƒe mawunya kpukpui, ŋkuɖodzinu siwo wosana ɖe ŋgonu kple abɔ la kekena wua ame sia ame tɔ, eye wowɔa woƒe awutogbowo wololona be amewo nakpɔ be yewonye ame kɔkɔewo.
but they do all their works to be seen by men; they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge the fringes of their garments,
6 Wolɔ̃a kplɔ̃tanɔnɔ le nuɖuƒewo, eye wolɔ̃a ŋgɔgbezikpuiwo dzi nɔnɔ le woƒe ƒuƒoƒewo.
and love the uppermost places at feasts,
7 Ne wole ablɔ dzi yina, eye amewo le ŋkɔ dam ɖe wo dzi be, ‘Nufiala’ kple ‘Aƒetɔ’ la, evivia wo nu ŋutɔ.
and the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in public assemblies, and to be called by men Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 “Migana woayɔ mi be ‘Rabi’ o, elabena ame ɖeka koe nye miaƒe Nufiala, eye mi katã la nɔviwo mienye.
But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor even Christ, and ye are all brethren.
9 Migayɔ ame aɖeke le anyigba dzi afi sia be ‘fofo’ o, elabena ‘Fofo’ ɖeka koe le mia si, eyae le dziƒo.
Neither call any man upon earth Father; for one is your Father, who is in heaven:
10 Migana hã be woayɔ mi be kplɔlawo o, elabena Kplɔla ɖeka koe li na mi, eyae nye Kristo la.
neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, even Christ.
11 Ke ame si nye amegã le mia dome la, netsɔ eɖokui wɔ subɔlae boŋ.
But let him that is greatest among you be your minister: and whosoever will exalt himself shall be abased,
12 Ame siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la, woaɖiɖi wo ɖe anyi. Ke ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe anyi la, woado wo ɖe dzi.
and whosoever will humble himself shall be exalted.
13 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietu dziƒofiaɖuƒe la ƒe agbo ɖe amewo nu. Miawo ŋutɔ miele eme yi ge o, eya ta mieɖe mɔ be ame siwo le agbagba dzem be yewoage ɖe eme la hã nayi eme o. [
But wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, nor suffer those that are entering to go in.
14 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miekpɔ mɔ le ahosiwo ŋu hexɔa woƒe aƒewo le wo si sesẽtɔe, eye emegbe la, miedoa gbe didiwo ɖa! Esia ta miaƒe tohehe asesẽ wu ame bubuawo tɔ!]
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye devour widows houses, and for a cover make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive the heavier judgement.
15 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietsana le anyigba dzi kple atsiaƒuwo dzi, ɛ̃, afi sia afi ko be miawɔ ame ɖeka wòazu Yudatɔ le xɔse me, eye ne ezui la, miewɔnɛ wòzua dzomavɔmevi zi gbɔ zi eve wu miawo ŋutɔ. (Geenna g1067)
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites: for ye compass sea and land to make a proselyte, and when he is gained, ye make him more the child of hell than yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 “Baba na mi, mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miegblɔna be, ‘Ne ame aɖe yɔ gbedoxɔ ta nui la, medze vɔ̃ o, gake ne eyɔ sika si le gbedoxɔ me ta nui la, atam la blae’
Wo unto you, ye blind guides, who say, If any one swear by the temple, it is nothing;
17 Mi bometsila ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae lolo wu, sika la alo gbedoxɔ si wɔ sika la gɔ̃ hã be wòle dzadzɛea?
but if any man swear by the gold of the temple, the oath is binding. Foolish and blind creatures! for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 Miawo kee gblɔ be, ‘Ame si ta vɔsamlekpui la la, ate ŋu ada le atam si wòka la dzi faa, gake ne ame aɖe ta nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi la, edze agɔ vevie nenye be wòda le ŋugbe si wòdo la dzi.’
And, If any one swear by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swear by the gift upon it, he is bound.
19 Mi ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae le vevie wu, nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi loo alo vɔsamlekpui la ŋutɔ si nana be nunana ŋuti kɔnaa?
O foolish and blind! for which is greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifieth the gift?
20 Nenye be mieta vɔsamlekpui la la, ekema mietae kple nu siwo katã le edzi,
He then, that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it and by all things upon it:
21 eye ne mieta gbedoxɔ la, ekema mietae kple Mawu, ame si nɔa eme la.
and he, that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth in it:
22 Nenye be mieta dziƒo la, minyae be mieta Mawu ƒe fiazikpui kple Mawu, ame si nɔa edzi la.
and he, that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth upon it.
23 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mienaa ahamɛ, sikɔni kple tsyo ƒe ewoliawo gɔ̃ hã, gake miegblẽ se la ƒe nu vevitɔ siwo nye afia nyui tsotso, nublanuikpɔkpɔ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ la ɖi. Ele be miawɔ ɖe esiawo hã dzi, eye mele be miagbe ekemɛawo hã o.
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, who tithe even your mint, and anise, and cummin, but neglect the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and fidelity: these ye ought undoubtedly to practise, and not to omit the others.
24 Mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Mieɖea nudzodzoe suetɔ kekeake le miaƒe nunonowo me ƒua gbe, gake miemia miaƒe kposɔ ya.
Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!
25 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpatɔwo! Mieklɔa kplu kple nuɖugba ŋuti, gake wo me yɔ fũu kple ŋukeklẽ kple ɖokuitɔdidi.
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within they are full of rapine and intemperance:
26 Farisitɔ ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miklɔ kplu la kple nuɖugba la me gbã, ekema wo godo hã aɖi nyuie.
thou blind pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside of them may be also clean.
27 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Ɖeko miele abe yɔdokpe siwo wosi akalo na la ene, esiwo dzena le gota nyuie, ke wo me yɔ fũu kple ame kukuwo ƒe ƒuwo kple nu makɔmakɔ bubuwo.
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; who are like whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful without, but within are full of the bones of the dead, and all manner of filthiness;
28 Miawo hã, nenema kee miedze le gota le amewo gbɔ abe ame dzɔdzɔewo ene, gake mia me yɔ fũu kple alakpanuwɔwɔ kple vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi.
so do ye likewise outwardly appear to men to be righteous, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miewɔ ŋkuɖodzikpe na nyagblɔɖilawo, eye mieɖo atsyɔ̃ na ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe yɔdowo,
Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; who build the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,
30 eye miegblɔ be, ‘Ne ɖe míenɔ agbe le mía fofowo ŋɔli la, míawɔ ɖeka kpli wo le nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe ʋukɔkɔɖi me o’
and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been concerned with them in shedding the blood of the prophets:
31 Ale mieɖi ɖase le miawo ŋutɔ ɖokui ŋu be, mienye ame siwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe dzidzimeviwo.
so that ye are witnesses yourselves, that ye are the children of those who killed the prophets:
32 Enyo ŋutɔ, azɔ miwu nu vɔ̃ dɔ si gɔme mia fofowo dze la nu.
fill up then the measure of your fathers, ye serpents, ye brood of vipers:
how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Eya ta mele nyagblɔɖilawo, nunyalawo kple nufiala siwo me Gbɔgbɔ la yɔ fũu la hã ɖom ɖe mi, ke miawo la, miawu wo dometɔ aɖewo alo aklã wo ɖe atitsoga ŋu, miaƒo ɖewo le miaƒe ƒuƒoƒewo, eye miati geɖewo hã ƒe agbe yome tso afii yi afi mɛ.
For behold I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 Ne miewɔ esiawo la, ekema ame kɔkɔe siwo wowu le anyigba dzi tso keke Abel dzi va se ɖe Zekaria, Barakia ƒe vi si miewu le vɔsamlekpui kple kɔkɔeƒe la dome le gbedoxɔa me la, ƒe ʋu ava mia dzi.
that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Vavã, mele egblɔm na mi be, tohehe siwo katã wodzra ɖo ɖi tso ɣe ma ɣi ke va se ɖe fifia la ava dzidzime sia dzi.
Verily I tell you, all these things shall come upon this generation.
37 “O! Yerusalem, Yerusalem, wò du si me tɔwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo, eye woƒu kpe ame siwo Mawu ɖo ɖe wò. Medi zi geɖe be maƒo viwòwo nu ƒu abe ale si koklo ƒoa viawo nu ƒui ɖe eƒe aʋalawo te ene, gake wogbe, womena mɔm o.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Fifia miaƒe aƒee ma zu aƒedo.
Behold your house shall be left you desolate:
39 Ke mele egblɔm na mi be, miegale kpɔ nye ge o va se ɖe esime miagblɔ be, ‘Woayra ame si gbɔna le Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔ me.’”
for I tell you, ye shall not see me after this, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
