Romatɔwo 14
1 Mixɔ nɔvi ɖe sia ɖe si adi be yeage ɖe hamea me la nyuie, ne eƒe xɔse mesẽ ŋu o hã. Migahe nya ɖe eŋu le eƒe susu siwo to vovo tso mia tɔwo gbɔ la ŋu le nu si nyo alo nu si menyo o la ta o.
Accept those who are not sure [whether God will permit them to do certain things some people think are wrong]. But [when you accept them], do not argue with them about what they think/their opinions.
2 Migahe nya kple ame aɖeke be enyo be wòaɖu lã si wotsɔ sa vɔe na legbawo loo alo menyo o. Mixɔe se be nu vɔ̃ aɖeke mele nu sia me o, ke ame siwo ƒe xɔse gbɔdzɔ wu mia tɔ la buna be menyo o, eye woagbe lãɖuɖu kura aɖu amagbewo ko ɖe lã ma tɔgbi ɖuɖu teƒe.
Some people believe that they may eat all [kinds of food]. Others believe [that God does not want them to eat certain things, so they] believe that they may not eat meat.
3 Mele be ame siwo buna be enyo be woaɖu lã ma tɔgbi la nado vlo ame siwo mebuna nenema o. Ne mienye ame siwo meɖunɛ o la, migaɖe vodada na ame siwo aɖui o. Elabena Mawu xɔ wo be woanye ye viwo.
Anyone who [thinks that it is all right to] eat [all kinds of food] must not despise those who [think it is] not [all right to] eat [all kinds of food]. Anyone who [thinks it is] not [all right to] eat [all kinds of food] must not (condemn/say that [God] will punish) those who [think that it is all right to] eat [all kinds of food], because God himself has accepted those people.
4 Mawu ƒe subɔlawo wonye, menye miawo ƒe subɔlawo wonye o. Mawue wole agbe na, menye miawoe wole agbe na o. Mina Mawu nana woanya ne wo tɔ dzɔ loo alo wo tɔ medzɔ o. Mawu ate ŋu ana woawɔ nu si wòle be woawɔ la.
[God is the master of us all, so] ([he is the one who will decide whether those people have done wrong!/who are you to decide whether they have done wrong]?) [RHQ] [Therefore], you have no right [RHQ] to condemn those who eat everything, because they are [also God’s servants! And just like] it is the servants’ own master who accepts or condemns [MTY] his servants, [it is God who accepts or condemns us]. And [believers] will be accepted [by] the Lord {[the Lord] will accept [believers]} [regardless of whether they eat meat or not], because he is able to keep them [trusting in him].
5 Ame aɖewo buna be ele be woawɔ kristotɔwo ƒe ŋkekenyuiwo kple ŋkeke tɔxɛwo ŋu dɔ atsɔ asubɔ Mawu, ke ame aɖewo gblɔ be menyo o, eye wònye abunɛnu be woaɖe fu na ame ɖokui nenema, elabena ŋkeke sia ŋkeke nye Mawu tɔ. Ele be ame sia ame natso nya siawo tɔgbi me na eɖokui.
Some people regard certain days as [holy] and think that the other [days] are not [holy]. Other people regard all days as [equally suitable for worshipping God]. Each person should be fully convinced [about such matters], thinking and deciding for himself [and not for others].
6 Ne ŋkeke tɔxɛwo le mia si hena Aƒetɔ la subɔsubɔ la, miele agbagba dzem be yewoade bubu eŋu, eye wònye nu nyui aɖe miele wɔwɔm. Nenema kee nye ame si ɖu lã si wotsɔ sa vɔe na legbawo; eda akpe na Mawu ɖe eta. Eya hã wɔe nyuie. Ame si madi be yeaɖu lã ma tɔgbi o la hã di be yeadze Aƒetɔ la ŋu, eye wòle akpe dam.
As for those who believe that they should worship on [a certain] day [of the week], it is to [honor] the Lord [that they worship on that day]. And as for those who [think that it is all right to] eat [all kinds of food], it is to [honor] the Lord [that they eat those foods], as is clear from their thanking God [for the food that they eat]. As for those who abstain from [eating certain kinds of] food, it is to [honor] the Lord that they do not eat [those foods], and they also thank God [for the food that they do eat. So doing either of those things is not wrong in itself].
7 Menye aƒetɔwo míenye na mía ɖokuiwo, be míanɔ agbe alo aku abe ale si míawo ŋutɔ míatia ene o.
None of us should live [merely] to [please] ourselves, and none of us [should choose when or how we will] die, [merely] to [please] ourselves.
8 Ne míele agbe la, míele agbe na Aƒetɔ la; eye ne míeku la, míeku na Aƒetɔ la. Eya ta ne míele agbe alo míeku la, Aƒetɔ la tɔe míenye.
While we live, it is the Lord whom we belong to [and should be trying to please, and not just ourselves]. And when we die, it is the Lord whom we should [be trying to please]. So, while we live and also when we die, we should be trying to please the Lord to whom we belong, [not just ourselves],
9 Nu sia tututu tae Kristo ku, eye wògatsi tsitre ɖo, ale be wòate ŋu anye míaƒe Aƒetɔ le agbe kple ku me.
because the very purpose for which Christ died and became alive again is that he might be Lord whom all people should try to please, both of those who have already died and of those who are still living.
10 Mèkpɔ mɔ nàɖe vodada na nɔviwò alo nàdo vloe o. Ɖo ŋku edzi be mía dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe atsi tsitre ɖe Mawu ƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃zikpui la ŋgɔ.
(It is disgraceful that you [who practice certain religious regulations] say that God will punish your fellow believers [who do not practice those regulations]!/Why do you [who practice certain religious regulations] say God will punish your fellow believers [who do not practice such regulations]?) [RHQ] [I say this because the time will come when] all of us will stand before God in order that he will say whether or not he approves [MTY] [of what we have done]. So you [who do not practice such regulations], (should not despise your fellow believers [who practice them]!/why do you despise your fellow believers [who practice them]?) [RHQ]
11 Elabena woŋlɔe ɖi be, “Yehowa be, ‘Zi ale si mele agbe la, ame sia ame adze klo nam, eye aɖe sia aɖe aʋu nya me na Mawu.’”
[We know this] because it is written {[a prophet/Isaiah] wrote} [what God has said]: Everyone will bow down before me! That is as [certain as the fact that] I live [IDM]! Everyone [SYN] will acknowledge [that because I am] God, I have the [right to judge and punish people.]
12 Nyateƒe, ame sia ame ana akɔnta tso eɖokui ŋu na Mawu.
So [it is clear that] it is God who will decide [whether or not he approves of] what each of us has done.
13 Eya ta mègaɖe vodada na nɔviwò azɔ o. Le esia teƒe la, dze agbagba, eye nànɔ agbe, ale be mànye nuɖiaɖia na nɔviwò ne ekpɔ wò nèle nu si eya bu be menyo o la wɔm o.
Since [it is God who will judge everyone], we must stop saying that [God should] punish some of our fellow believers! Instead, you/we should decide that you/we will not do anything that would [be an example that might cause] fellow believers to stop trusting in God [DOU].
14 Le nye ŋutɔ gome la, meka ɖe Aƒetɔ Yesu ƒe ŋusẽ dzi be naneke megblẽ le lã si wotsɔ sa vɔe na legbawo la ɖuɖu ŋu o. Ke ne ame aɖe ya xɔe se be menyo o la, ekema mele be wòaɖui o, elabena menyo le eya gbɔ o.
I am absolutely certain [DOU] because of [my close relationship with] (OR, [my belonging to]) the Lord Jesus that there is nothing that by itself is wrong [to eat]. But if people think it is wrong to eat something, then to them it is wrong to eat it. [So you should not encourage them to eat it].
15 Eye ne nu si nàɖu anye nuɖiaɖia na nɔviwò la, mèle nu wɔm le lɔlɔ̃ me, ne èɖui o. Mègana wò nuɖuɖu nagblẽ nu le ame si ta Kristo ku ɖo la ŋu o.
If you [eat] food [MET] that anyone for whom Christ died [thinks that it is wrong to eat, that person might be encouraged] {[you might be encouraging that person]} [to do something that he believes is wrong. As a result, you might cause that] fellow believer [to stop trusting in God]. In that way he would be ruined [spiritually] just because you have stopped behaving as one who loves [others should behave]!
16 Mègawɔ nu si ana amewo naɖe vodada na wò o, togbɔ be ènya be nu si yewɔ la nyo hafi hã.
Similarly, do not [do something that you think is] good if, [as a result, your fellow believer would sin and then] others would speak evil [of you who say that you are Christians].
17 Elabena mawufiaɖuƒe la menye nu si míeɖu alo nu si míeno o, ke boŋ be míana Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la nana amenuveve, ŋutifafa kple dzidzɔ mí.
Letting God rule our lives [MET] does not mean [that we must obey regulations about] eating or drinking [something]! Instead, [it means we must] live righteously, [act] peacefully [towards others], and be joyful by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.
18 Ne miesubɔ Kristo le nu siawo me la, dzi adzɔ Mawu, eye ame bubuwo hã akpɔ dzidzɔ.
Those who serve Christ [by acting] in such ways please God, and others will also respect them.
19 Eya ta mina ŋutifafa nanɔ hamea me, eye miadze agbagba ado ŋusẽ mia nɔewo.
So we should always eagerly try to [live in a way that will cause] peace [among fellow Christians], and we should try to do what will help each other to mature [spiritually].
20 Migana lãkɔ ɖeka nagblẽ Mawu ƒe dɔwɔwɔ me o. Miɖo ŋku edzi be naneke megblẽ le lã ŋu o, ke enye nu vɔ̃ be nàɖui, eye wòazu nuɖiaɖia na ame bubu.
Do not destroy what God has done [in the life of any believer] just because of [your eating certain kinds of] food [MET] [which that person considers wrong to eat! God] permits us to eat every [kind of food]. But if, by your eating [certain kinds of food], you encourage another person to sin [by doing what he believes is wrong], you are doing wrong.
21 Nu nyuitɔ si nàwɔ lae nye be nàɖe asi le lãɖuɖu alo ahanono alo nu sia nu si wɔwɔ aɖia nɔviwò nu alo ana wòawɔ nu vɔ̃ la ŋu.
It is good neither to eat meat nor to drink wine, nor [to do anything else at any time if it] will cause one of your fellow believers to stop trusting in God.
22 Ànya be nu gbegblẽ aɖeke mele nu si yewɔ la ŋu le Mawu gɔ̃ hã gbɔ o, ke wɔe na ɖokuiwò ko. Mègaɖe wò nu si nèxɔ se be enyo la fia le ame bubu siwo nu wòaɖia la ŋkume o. Le go sia me la, woayra ame si mewɔ nu vɔ̃ to nu si wònya be enyo la wɔwɔ me o.
Let God tell you [what things are right for you to do, but do not try to force others to accept what you believe. God is] pleased with those who do what they know is right and as a result do not feel guilty [concerning what they have done], [because they have done only] those things that they believe are right.
23 Ke ame sia ame si xɔ se be nu si yedi be yeawɔ menyo o la, mele be wòawɔe o. Ne ewɔe la, ewɔ nu vɔ̃, elabena ebu be menyo o, eya ta nua menyo na eya o. Nu sia nu si wòawɔ to nu si wònya be enyo gbɔ la nye nu vɔ̃.
But some believers are not certain [that God will approve of their eating a certain kind of food]. So if they eat it, [they think that God will punish] them. And they [truly] will be punished {[God truly] will punish them}, because [they have done things that they] believe [are not right]. Those who do anything without being certain [that God considers it to be right] are sinning.
