Romatɔwo 6

1 Azɔ nu ka gblɔ ge míala? Ɖe míaganɔ nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ dzi be Mawu nanɔ nublanui kpɔm na mí to míaƒe nu vɔ̃wo tsɔtsɔke mea?

Someone might [RHQ] say [in reply to what I have written] that [since God acted kindly toward us] in a way we did not deserve [because we sinned], perhaps we should continue to sin in order that he may continue to act even more kindly toward us [and keep on forgiving us]! [RHQ]

2 Gbeɖe! Aleke mí ame siwo ku na nu vɔ̃ la aganɔ agbe le nu vɔ̃ me mahã?

[I would reply], No, certainly not! We [ought to consider that] our sinful desires [MET] [cannot make us do what they want us to do], [just like we cannot make] a corpse do what we want it to do. So it is not right that we continue to sin! [RHQ]

3 Alo ɖe mienyae be mí ame siwo katã wode mawutsi ta na le Kristo Yesu me la, wodee na mí ɖe eƒe ku me oa?

When we were baptized {[asked someone to] baptize us} in order to show that we have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Jesus Christ, our [being baptized was to declare that it was as though] we died with Christ. ([I want] you to remember that!/Do you not know that?) [RHQ]

4 Eya ta esi wode mawutsi ta na mí ɖe eƒe ku me la, woɖi mí kpakplii, bena abe ale si wofɔ Kristo ɖe tsitre tso ame kukuwo dome to Fofo la ƒe ŋutikɔkɔe me ene la, nenema ke míawo hã míazɔ le agbe ƒe yeyenyenye me.

So, when we were baptized {someone baptized us}, [it was as though] we were buried with Christ. [We were baptized] in order to indicate that [we would not let our sinful desires make us do what they want us to do, just like people cannot make] a corpse [do what they want it to] do [MET]. We [were baptized] to [signify that we would] continually conduct our lives in a new way, just like Christ was caused to live again in a new way by the great [power] of [God his] Father.

5 Eya ta ne míezu ɖeka kplii, eye míesɔ kplii le eƒe ku me la, ekema míasɔ kplii le eƒe tsitretsitsi hã me.

Because of our close relationship with Christ, we have [separated ourselves from the former way in which we conducted our lives], just like he [was separated from his physical life when he] died [MET]. But God will also certainly [enable us to live in a new way, just like he] enabled Christ to live again.

6 Elabena míenya be woklã míaƒe nɔnɔme xoxoawo ɖe atitsoga ŋu kplii, bena woaɖe ŋutilã si dzi nu vɔ̃ ɖu fia ɖo la ɖa, be míaganye kluvi na nu vɔ̃ azɔ o.

We must keep remembering that when Christ died on the cross [MET], [it was as though] our sinful nature [died with him. It has] lost its power to make us do what it wants us to do [MET]. That happened in order that we would not do the sinful [things that our bodies] [MET], which desire to sin, want us to do, and in order that we would no longer have to sin [MET], as slaves [have to do what their masters want].

7 Elabena ame sia ame si ku la, woɖee tso nu vɔ̃ si me.

[We are, as it were, freed] {[free]} [from] sinful [desires] [MET] [controlling us, just like] those who have died are free [from anything controlling them].

8 Azɔ ne míeku kple Kristo la, míexɔe se be míanɔ agbe kplii hã.

Since [it is as though] we died with Christ, we believe that we will continue to live with him.

9 Elabena míenya be esi wofɔ Kristo ɖe tsitre tso ame kukuwo dome la, magaku akpɔ o; ku magaɖu fia ɖe edzi akpɔ o.

We know that since [God] enabled Christ to live again after he died, Christ will never die again. Nothing will ever be able to make him die again [PRS].

10 Esi wòku la, eku na nu vɔ̃ zi ɖeka hɔ̃ɔ ko ɖe ɣeyiɣiawo katã nu; ke esi wòle agbe la, ele agbe na Mawu.

When he died, he died once for [people] who had sinned, and he will never die again; but in regard to his living [again now], he lives in order to [serve/honor] God.

11 Nenema ke miawo hã mibu mia ɖokuiwo be yewoku na nu vɔ̃, gake yewole agbe na Mawu le Kristo Yesu me.

Similarly, you must consider that [it is as though] you have become [unable to do what your] sinful [desires] [MET] want, as a corpse [is not able to do what anyone wants it to do]. You must also consider that because of your relationship to Christ Jesus you are living [in a new way] in order to [serve/honor] God.

12 Eya ta migana nu vɔ̃ nakpɔ ŋusẽ ɖe miaƒe ŋutilã si le kuku ge la dzi, be miawɔ ɖe eƒe nudzodzro vɔ̃wo dzi o.

So, do not let the [desire to] sin [PRS] control your bodies [MET] with the result that you do the sinful things that you desire to do. [Remember that] your bodies will surely die, [but your spirits will never die].

13 Migatsɔ miaƒe ŋutilã ƒe akpa aɖeke wɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe dɔwɔnu na nu vɔ̃ o, ke boŋ mitsɔ mia ɖokuiwo na Mawu abe ame siwo wogbɔ agbe tso ku me ene; eye mitsɔ miaƒe ŋutilã ƒe akpa sia akpa ɖo anyi nɛ abe dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe dɔwɔnu ene.

Do not let any of your body parts do wicked things, as [you did] [MET] [when you were spiritually] dead. Instead, present yourselves to God as people who are alive [spiritually]. Present all your body parts to God, [to allow him] to use them to [do] righteous things.

14 Esia ta nu vɔ̃ magaɖu fia ɖe mia dzi azɔ o, elabena miegale se la ƒe kpɔkplɔ te o, ke boŋ miele amenuveve la ƒe kpɔkplɔ te.

Do not let a [desire to] sin control you [PRS]. The laws [that God gave Moses] did not enable you [to stop sinning]. But [now] God controls you and kindly helps you [not to sin].

15 Ekema aleke wòle? Esi míegale se la ƒe kpɔkplɔ te o, ke boŋ míele amenuveve la ƒe kpɔkplɔ te ɖe, ɖe míaganɔ nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ dzi mahã? Gbeɖe!

[I suppose that certain people might think about what I have just said and they might] say [RHQ], “[You say that] the laws [God gave Moses] did not [enable us to stop sinning, but that God is now] treating us kindly in ways we do not deserve. ([That seems to mean that God permits] us to continue sinning./[Does that mean that God permits] us to continue sinning?) [RHQ]” My reply to that is no, we should certainly not continue [sinning]

16 Ɖe mienyae bena ne mietsɔ mia ɖokui wɔ kluvi na ame aɖe, be miaɖo toe la, miezu kluvi na ame si mieɖoa toe la, eɖanye kluviwo na nu vɔ̃ hena ku alo kluviwo na toɖoɖo hena dzɔdzɔenyenye o mahã?

[Slaves] have to obey [what their masters command] [MET] [them to do]. (I want you to remember this./Do you not know this?) [RHQ] Similarly, if you present yourselves to someone [in order to] obey him, you will be the slaves [MET] of the person you obey. Similarly, [if you have yielded yourselves to do the] sinful things [you desire], you are slaves of your sinful desires [PRS], and you will be eternally separated from God. [If you have yielded yourselves] to obey [God], you are slaves of God and you need to [live] righteously.

17 Ke mida akpe na Mawu be togbɔ be mienye kluviwo na nu vɔ̃ tsã hã la, azɔ la, mietsɔa miaƒe dzi xɔa nufiafia si wotsɔ mi de asi na la.

You were once slaves [to] your sinful [desires]. But you began to sincerely obey the new teaching [MET] that you were taught {that [people] taught you}. I thank God for that.

18 Woxɔ mi le nu vɔ̃ si me hewɔ mi ablɔɖeviwoe, eye miezu dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe kluviwo.

[I] also [thank God that] you have been freed {[that] he has freed you} from [being controlled by a desire to] sin, and that you have become [as though you were] slaves [MET] to [living] righteously [MET].

19 Mele gbe sia gbe ƒe nudzɔdzɔwo ƒe kpɔɖeŋuwo zãm le nu ƒom na mi ɖe miaƒe ŋutilã ƒe gbɔdzɔgbɔdzɔ ta. Elabena zi ale si mietsɔ mia ɖokuiwo wɔ kluviwo na makɔmakɔnyenye kple vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖinyenye tsã la, nenema ke azɔ la, mitsɔ mia ɖokuiwo wɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe kluviwo hena kɔkɔenyenye.

I am illustrating what I say [by talking about slavery] because your human nature prevents you from understanding [spiritual truth] easily. [In the past] you willingly did the immoral and unlawful things that [your minds compelled] your bodies to do [MET], [just like] slaves [do what their masters compel them to do]. As a result, you did even more unlawful things. Now, [you need to] willingly allow [your minds to compel] your bodies to [act] righteously [MET], in order that you will behave in a holy/pure way.

20 Elabena esime mienye kluviwo na nu vɔ̃ tsã la, mienɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe kpɔkplɔ te o.

When you were [like] slaves [because your sinful desires compelled you to do] sinful things [MET], you were not [concerned about behaving] righteously [MET].

21 Ekema viɖe ka miekpɔ ɣe ma ɣi tso nu siwo le ŋu kpem na mi azɔ la me? Nu mawo katã kplɔa mí yia ku me!

Nevertheless, [doing] those things resulted in your being separated from God, so you did not benefit at all from [doing] the [sinful] things that you are now ashamed of. [RHQ]

22 Ke azɔ esi woxɔ mi tso nu vɔ̃ si me hewɔ mi ablɔɖeviwoe, eye miezu Mawu ƒe kluviwo la, miekpɔa viɖe hena kɔkɔenyenye; ke nuwuwu la nye agbe mavɔ. (aiōnios g166)

But you have been freed {[God] has freed you} from [letting the desire to] sin control you. You have become [as though you are] [MET] the slaves of God. So now the result is that God has caused you to completely belong to him and, as a result, you will live eternally. (aiōnios g166)

23 Elabena nu vɔ̃ ƒe fetue nye ku, ke Mawu ƒe amenuveve ƒe nunana lae nye agbe mavɔ to Kristo Yesu, míaƒe Aƒetɔ la me. (aiōnios g166)

[What people receive for] sinning [is that they are] eternally separated from God. That is [like] wages that [people receive] [MET]. But what God gives us is a gift. What he gives us is that we live eternally because of [our relationship with] (OR, because [we are united to]) Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōnios g166)