Romatɔwo 15
1 Ehiã be mí ame siwo ŋu ŋusẽ le la, míabu ame siwo ŋu ŋusẽ mele o la ƒe gbɔdzɔgbɔdzɔwo ŋu, eye míagadze mía ɖokui ŋu o.
We, the strong, ought to take on our own shoulders the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not merely to please ourselves.
2 Mía dome ame sia ame nadze ehavi ŋu hena ehavi ƒe nyonyo kple tutuɖedzi.
Let each of us please our neighbor for our neighbor’s good, to help in the building up of their character.
3 Kristo mewɔ nu be yeadze ye ɖokui ŋu o. Abe ale si Psalmokpala gblɔe ene la, “Eva be yeakpe fu, eye yeaxɔ dzudzu tso ame siwo tututu tsi tsitre ɖe Aƒetɔ la ŋu la gbɔ.”
Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as scripture says of him – ‘The reproaches of those who were reproaching you fell upon me.’
4 Ele be nu siwo woŋlɔ ɖe Ŋɔŋlɔ Kɔkɔe la me gbe aɖe gbe ke la nafia dzigbɔɖi mí, eye woade dzi ƒo na mí, ale be míanɔ mɔ kpɔm na ɣeyiɣi si Mawu aɖu nu vɔ̃ kple ku dzi la.
Whatever was written in the scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.
5 Mawu si naa dzigbɔɖi kple tenɔnɔ kpakple dzideƒo ame la nakpe ɖe mia ŋu be mianɔ anyi kple mia nɔewo le nɔvilɔlɔ̃ blibo me, eye ame sia ame natsɔ Kristo Yesu ƒe nɔnɔme anɔ agbe ɖe nɔvia ŋu.
And may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ,
6 Ekema mí katã míate ŋu atsɔ gbe ɖeka akafu Aƒetɔ la, atsɔ ŋutikɔkɔe ana Mawu, míaƒe Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo Fofo.
so that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
7 Eya ta mixɔ mia nɔewo nyuie ɖe ha la me abe ale si Kristo ŋutɔ hã xɔ mi ene, ekema miatsɔ ŋutikɔkɔe ana Mawu.
Therefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God.
8 Miɖo ŋku edzi be Yesu Kristo va be yeafia mí be Mawu wɔa eƒe ŋugbedodowo dzi, eye be yeakpe ɖe Yudatɔwo ŋu.
For I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God’s truthfulness, has become a minister of the covenant of circumcision, so that he may fulfill the promises made to our ancestors,
9 Migaɖo ŋku edzi hã be eva be ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la hã nakpɔ ɖeɖe, eye woatsɔ ŋutikɔkɔe ana Mawu le ale si wòvea wo nu la ta. Nu siae Psalmokpala la fia esi wòŋlɔ bena, “Makafu wò le ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la dome, eye madzi ha na wò ŋkɔ.”
and that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As scripture says – ‘Therefore will I make acknowledgment to you among the Gentiles and sing in honor of your name.’
10 Le teƒe bubu aɖe la, egagblɔ be, “O, ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la, mikpɔ dzidzɔ kple Mawu ƒe amewo, ame siwo nye Yudatɔwo la.”
And again it says – ‘Rejoice, you Gentiles, with God’s people.’
11 Egagblɔ le teƒe bubu hã be, “Mikafu Aƒetɔ la, mi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la katã, mina ame sia ame nakafui.”
And yet again – ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.’
12 Nyagblɔɖila Yesaya gblɔ be, “Yese ƒe ke, ame si atsi tsitre be yeaɖu fia ɖe xexemedukɔwo dzi la ava; eyae ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la akpɔ mɔ na.”
Again, Isaiah says – ‘There will be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him will the Gentiles rest their hopes.’
13 Eya ta mele gbe dom ɖa ɖe mi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la ta be Mawu, ame si naa mɔkpɔkpɔ mi la, nana dzidzɔ kple ŋutifafa nayɔ mia me le esi miexɔ edzi se la ta. Mele gbe dom ɖa be Mawu nakpe ɖe mia ŋu be mɔkpɔkpɔ le Mawu me nagbã go le mia me to Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe ƒe ŋusẽ si le mia me la me.
May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, until you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Nɔvinyewo, menya be mienye ame nyanuwo kple ame nyuiwo, eye mienya nu siawo nyuie, ale be miate ŋu afia nu ame bubuwo tso wo katã ŋu.
I am persuaded, my friends – yes, I Paul, with regard to you – that you are yourselves full of kindness, furnished with all Christian learning, and well able to give advice to one another.
15 Metsɔ dzideƒo ŋlɔ nya aɖewo na mi abe ŋkuɖoɖo nu dzi na mi ene, to amenuveve si Mawu nam la me,
But in parts of this letter I have expressed myself somewhat boldly – by way of refreshing your memories –
16 be manye Yesu Kristo ƒe dɔtsɔla na ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la, eye be matsɔ Mawu ƒe nyanyui la vɛ na mi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la, be miazu vɔsa si dze Mawu ŋu, eye Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la hã kɔ eŋu.
because of the charge with which God has entrusted me, that I should be an assistant of Christ Jesus to go to the Gentiles – that I should act as a priest of God’s good news, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.
17 Eya ta meƒoa adegbe le nu siwo katã Kristo Yesu wɔ to dzinye le Mawu ta la ŋu.
It is, then, through my union with Christ Jesus that I have a proud confidence in my work for God.
18 Mele be mabu akɔnta le ale si wòwɔ ame bubuwo ŋu dɔ la ŋu o, ke menya esia be: Kristo to dzinye, eye wòhe ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la va Mawu gbɔe.
For I will not dare to speak of anything but what Christ has done through me to win the obedience of the Gentiles –
19 Meɖe wo fia to nye gbeƒãɖeɖe kple agbe nyui si menɔ le woƒe ŋkume la me hekpe ɖe nukunu siwo wowɔ to dzinye abe dzesiwo tso Mawu gbɔ ene la ŋu. Esiawo katã tso Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la ƒe ŋusẽ me. Meɖe gbeƒã Kristo ƒe nyanyui blibo la to mɔ sia dzi tso keke Yerusalem yi ɖado ɖe Iliriko ke.
by my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the good news of the Christ;
20 Ke enye nye didi vevie be magayi ŋgɔ wu nenema gɔ̃ hã, eye maɖe gbeƒã nyanyui la le teƒe siwo womese Kristo ŋkɔ le kpɔ haɖe o. Esia dzrom wu be maɖe gbeƒã le afi si ame bubu aɖe ɖo hame aɖe anyi ɖo xoxo la.
yet always with the ambition to tell the good news where Christ’s name had not previously been heard, so as to avoid building on another’s foundations.
21 Menɔ zɔzɔm ɖe ɖoɖo si ŋu woƒo nu le le Ŋɔŋlɔ Kɔkɔea me la nu. Afi sia Yesaya gblɔ le be, “Ame siwo mese Kristo ŋkɔ kpɔ haɖe o la, woakpɔ nu, eye woase egɔme.”
But as scripture says – ‘They to whom he had never been proclaimed will see; and they who have never heard will understand!’
22 Nu sia ta nyemete ŋu va kpɔ mi ɖa kaba o ɖo.
That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you.
23 Ke mewu nye dɔ la nu le afi sia mlɔeba azɔ, eye mele klalo be mava le ƒe geɖe siwo mia gbɔ vava dzrom la megbe.
But now there are no further openings for me in these parts, and I have for several years been longing to come to you whenever I may be going to Spain.
24 Mele ɖoɖo wɔm be mayi Spania. Ne meyina la, matɔ ɖe Roma, eye ne menɔ anyi kpli mi le dzidzɔ me ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe la, miagate ŋu ado mɔm.
For my hope is to visit you on my journey, and then to be sent on my way by you, after I have first partly satisfied myself by seeing something of you.
25 Ke hafi mava la, ele be mayi Yerusalem gbã, eye matsɔ nunana aɖe ayi na Yudatɔ siwo nye kristotɔwo le afi ma la.
Just now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem, to take help to Christ’s people there.
26 Elabena kristotɔ siwo le Makedonia kple Akaya la di nanewo be yewoaɖo ɖe nɔvi siwo le Yerusalem, ame siwo le ɣeyiɣi sesẽ aɖe ŋutɔ me tom la.
For Macedonia and Greece have been glad to make a collection for the poor among Christ’s people at Jerusalem.
27 Edzɔ dzi na wo ŋutɔ be woawɔ esia, elabena wodze sii be yewonyi akpedafe gã aɖe le kristotɔ siwo le Yerusalem la si. Nu ka ta? Elabena Kristo ƒe nya tso hame si le Yerusalem la gbɔ va na ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la. Tso esime woxɔ nyanyui la ƒe gbɔgbɔmenunana sia tso afi ma la, wodze sii be nu suetɔ si yewoate ŋu awɔ lae nye be yewoakpe ɖe wo ŋu kple nunɔamesi aɖewo.
Yes, they were glad to do so; and indeed it is a duty which they owe to them. For the Gentile converts who have shared their spiritual blessings are in duty bound to minister to them in the things of this world.
28 Ne metsɔ ga sia na wo, eye mewu dɔ nyui si wowɔ na wo nɔviwo nu na wo la, mava kpɔ mi ɖa ne mele Spania yim.
When I have settled this matter, and have secured for the poor at Jerusalem the enjoyment of these benefits, I will go, by way of you, to Spain.
29 Meka ɖe edzi be ne meva la, Kristo ana yayra geɖem matsɔ vɛ na mi.
And I know that, when I come to you, it will be with a full measure of blessing from Christ.
30 Ke mele nu xlɔ̃m mi nɔviwo, le míaƒe Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo kple Gbɔgbɔ ƒe lɔlɔ̃ me bena miade dzinye, eye miaʋli le gbedodoɖa me na Mawu ɖe tanye.
I beg you, then, friends, by Jesus Christ, our Lord, and by the love inspired by the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf.
31 Mido gbe ɖa be Mawu nakpɔ tanye le Yudea tso ame siwo menye kristotɔwo o la si me. Mido gbe ɖa hã be kristotɔ siwo le Yerusalem la nalɔ̃ axɔ kpekpeɖeŋu si metsɔ yina na wo la.
Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who reject the faith, and that the help which I am taking to Jerusalem may prove acceptable to Christ’s people;
32 Ekema ne Mawu lɔ̃ la, mate ŋu ava mia gbɔ kple dzidzɔ, eye míade agbe yeye mía nɔewo me.
so that, God willing, I may be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and enjoy some rest among you.
33 Ke azɔ la, mía Mawu, ame si naa ŋutifafa la nanɔ anyi kpli mi katã. Amen.
May God, the giver of peace, be with you all. Amen.
