Nyaɖeɖefia 3
1 “Ŋlɔ agbalẽ na Sardis hamea ƒe mawudɔla be, Esiawoe nye nya siwo ame si lé Mawu ƒe Gbɔgbɔ adreawo kple ɣletivi adreawo ɖe asi la gblɔ. Menya wò dɔwɔwɔwo; wò ŋkɔ ɖi le teƒewo be èle agbe, gake èku
“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Sardis [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who can give [to people] all the power of God’s Spirit (OR, in whom is the Spirit of God who has all kinds of power; OR, [who has God’s Spirit, who is symbolized as] seven spirits), and [I am the one] who has the seven stars. I know everything that you have done. You [(pl)] appear to be alive [spiritually], but [you are so weak spiritually it is as though] you are dead [MET].
2 Nyɔ! Do ŋusẽ nu siwo susɔ, eye wole kumɔ dzi la, elabena nyemekpɔ be wò dɔwɔwɔ de blibo le nye Mawu ŋkume o,
[Become aware of your spiritual need as though you were] awaking [from sleep] [MET], and strengthen [yourself spiritually, because you are so useless that you are like someone who is] about to die [MET]. [You must do this] because I know that my God considers that nothing that you do is satisfactory.
3 eya ta ɖo ŋku nu si nèxɔ, eye nèse la dzi; wɔ edzi, eye nàtrɔ dzi me. Ke ne mènyɔ o la, mava gbɔwò abe fiafitɔ ene, eye mànya ga si me mava gbɔwò o.
So then, keep remembering [God’s message, what] you accepted when you heard it. Obey it continually, and turn away from your sinful behavior. If [you do not become aware of your spiritual need and turn away from your] [MET] [sinful behavior], I will come to you [when you are not expecting me], as a thief [comes] [SIM]. You will never know at what time I will come to [judge] you.
4 Ke hã la, ame ʋɛ aɖewo le asiwò le Sardis, ame siwo meƒo ɖi woƒe awuwo o. Woazɔ kplim, eye woanɔ awu ɣiwo me, elabena wodze nɛ.
Nevertheless, [there] in Sardis you have a few members who [have not been doing what is wrong. It is as though they] have not soiled their garments [MET]. As a result, because they are worthy [to live with me], they will live with me [and will be pure in every way] [MET], [like people who are dressed] in [pure] white [clothing].
5 Ame si ɖu dzi la hã anɔ abe wo ameawo ene, anɔ awu ɣi me. Nyematutu eƒe ŋkɔ ɖa le agbegbalẽa me gbeɖe o, ke boŋ maʋu eƒe ŋkɔ me le Fofonye kple eƒe mawudɔlawo ŋkume.
Everyone who conquers [Satan] I will dress in these same white garments [MET] (OR, will be [pure in every way as though they are] dressed in these white garments), and I will never erase their names from the book [that contains the names of the people who have eternal] life. Instead, as my Father and his angels are listening, I will acknowledge that they [MTY] [belong to me].
6 Ame si to senu li na la, nese nu si gblɔm Gbɔgbɔ la le na hameawo.
Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
7 “Ŋlɔ agbalẽ na Filadelfia hamea ƒe mawudɔla be, Esiawo nye ame si le kɔkɔe, nye nyateƒetɔ, eye David ƒe safui le esi la ƒe nyawo. Nu si wòʋu la, ame aɖeke mate ŋu atui o, eye nu si wòtu la, ame aɖeke mate ŋu aʋui o.
“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Philadelphia [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] God’s Holy One, the True One. [Just like King] David had authority [MTY] [to allow people to enter the ancient city of Jerusalem, so I have the authority to allow people to enter] my kingdom. [I am] the one who opens [doors] so that no one can close them, and who closes doors so that no one can open them.
8 Menya wò dɔwɔwɔwo. Kpɔ ɖa, metsɔ ʋɔ si le ʋuʋu si ame aɖeke mate ŋu atu o la ɖo ŋkuwòme. Menya be wò ŋusẽ le sue, ke hã la, èlé nye nya me ɖe asi, eye mègbe nu le nye ŋkɔ gbɔ o.
I know everything you have done. Be aware that I have opened a door before you, a door that no one can close. [I know that although] there are not [many believers] (OR, much [spiritual] strength) [MTY] [in your congregation], you have obeyed what I say, and you have not denied [that you believe in] me [MTY].
9 Mana ame siwo nye Satana ƒe ƒuƒoƒemenɔlawo, ame siwo gblɔ be yewonye Yudatɔwo, evɔ womenyee o, ke boŋ wonye alakpatɔwo la ava de ta agu ɖe wò afɔ nu, eye woaʋu eme be melɔ̃ wò.
[I am aware that] some of your people meet together with those who [follow/worship] Satan. They claim to be Jews, but I know that they are not true Jews. They are lying. I will cause them to come to you and to bow down [humbly] at your feet and to acknowledge that I love you.
10 Esi nèlé nye sedede me ɖe asi be nànɔ te le dzigbɔɖi me ta la, nye hã maɖe wò le dodokpɔ ƒe gaƒoƒo si gbɔna xexea me katã dzi, be woado anyigbadzinɔlawo kpɔ la me.
Because you have paid attention to the message to endure patiently [when you suffered], I will keep you [safe from those who will try to harm you spiritually] during the period/time that is about to come. At that time [God will cause rebellious people] on the earth to suffer, in order that I can determine [whether they will turn away from their sins or not].
11 Kpɔ ɖa, megbɔna kaba! Lé ŋusẽ sue si le asiwò la me ɖe asi sesĩe ale be ame aɖeke maxɔ wò fiakuku la le asiwò o.
I am coming soon. [So] continue believe firmly the [message] that you have received, in order that no one may cause you to lose the reward [that God has reserved for] you.
12 Ame si aɖu dzi la, mawɔe wòazu sɔti le Mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ me, eye magado go akpɔ o. Maŋlɔ nye Mawu ƒe ŋkɔ ɖe eŋu, eye wòazu dumevi, atso nye Mawu ƒe du, Yerusalem Yeye la me. Du sia aɖiɖi tso nye Mawu gbɔ le dziƒo. Mawu ana woaŋlɔ nye ŋkɔ yeye la ɖe ame sia ŋu.
I will make everyone who conquers [Satan secure]. They will stand in the temple of my God, [they will stand firm like] [MET] pillars, and they will remain there forever. I will mark them with the name of my God, [showing that they belong to him. I will also mark them] with the name of the city of my God, [showing that they will live there. That city is] the New Jerusalem, the city that my God will cause to descend down from heaven. [I will also mark them] with my new name, [showing that they belong to me].
13 Ame sia ame si to senu li na la nese nu si gblɔm Gbɔgbɔ la le na hameawo.
Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
14 “Ŋlɔ agbalẽ sia na hame si le Laodikea ƒe mawudɔla, Nya siawo tso ame si nye Amen, ame si nye ɖaseɖila, nuteƒewɔla kple anukwaretɔ, ame si nye Mawu ƒe nuwɔwɔwo ƒe gɔmedzedze la gbɔ.
“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Laodicea [city: ‘I] am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who (guarantees [everything that God’s promises/] that [he] will do [all that he has promised]) [MET]. I am the one who testifies [about God] reliably and accurately. I am the one who God used to create [everything].
15 Menya wò nyuie be mèfa o, eye mèxɔ dzo hã o. Madi be nàfa alo nàxɔ dzo hafi!
I know everything that you have done: You [neither deny that you trust in me nor love/obey me zealously/wholeheartedly. You are like water that is] neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot!
16 Ke esi nèle evedome si alea ta la, matu wò aƒu gbe tso nye nu me!
Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth [MET], I am about to [reject] you [MET], [as if] I were spitting [lukewarm water] out of my mouth.
17 Ègblɔ be, ‘Menye kesinɔtɔ. Nu sia nu si mehiã la le asinye. Naneke mehiãm o!’ Ke mènyae be yenye nublanuitɔ, ame dahe kple ŋkuagbãtɔ, eye yele amama o.
You are saying, “[Because we have all that we need spiritually], we are [like] rich [people who] have acquired a lot of wealth. We lack nothing!” But you do not realize that you are [lacking in so many ways spiritually that you are like] [MET] people who are very wretched and pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
18 Nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo na wòe nye be nàƒle sika nyuitɔ si ŋu wokɔ kple dzo la le gbɔnye. Eya koe ana nànye kesinɔtɔ vavãtɔ. Emegbe la, nàƒle awu ɣi kɔkɔewo le gbɔnye, ale be màganɔ amama, eye ŋu nakpe wò o. Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, nàƒle ŋkutike le gbɔnye, ada gbe le wò ŋkuwo ŋu, eye nàgakpɔ nu.
I advise you [to obtain from me all that you need spiritually, as though you were] buying from me gold that has been refined by fire {that fire has refined}, in order that you may be [truly] rich [MET] [spiritually. Let me make you righteous, as though you were] [MET] buying from me white garments in order that you might wear clothes instead of being naked and ashamed. [Let me help you to perceive spiritual things, as though] [MET] you were buying from me eye salve to put in your eyes in order that you might see.
19 Mehea to na ame sia ame si melɔ̃na la enuenu, eya ta ele be mahe to na wò, negbe ɖeko nàɖe asi le wò ɖekematsɔleme ŋu, eye nàtsɔ dzo ɖe nu siwo ku ɖe Mawu ŋu la ŋuti hafi.
[Since] I rebuke and correct all those whom I affectionately love, earnestly stop your sinful behavior.
20 Kpɔ ɖa! Metsi tsitre ɖe ʋɔtru la nu, eye mele eƒom. Ne ame aɖe se nye gbe, eye wòʋu ʋɔa la, mage ɖe eme, eye mi kplii míade asi agba me aɖu nu ɖekae.
Be aware that [I invite each one of you to respond to me] as though [MET] I [was] standing [waiting] at [your] door and knocking. I will come to all those who hear my voice and respond to me, and I [will fellowship] with them [as friends do when they] eat together [MET].
21 Mana ame si ɖu dzi la nanɔ nye axadzi le nye fiazikpui dzi abe ale si nye hã meɖu dzi, eye mele Fofonye gbɔ le eƒe fiazikpui dzi ene.
I will permit everyone who conquers [Satan] to sit [and rule] with me on my throne, just like I conquered [Satan] and now sit [and rule] beside my Father on his throne.
22 Ame siwo to senu li na la nese nu si gblɔm Gbɔgbɔ la le na hameawo.”
Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
