Ndị Kọlọsị 3
1 Ya mere, ebe e mere ka unu bụrụ ndị so Kraịst bilie nʼọnwụ, tụkwasịnụ obi unu nʼihe dị nʼeluigwe ebe Kraịst nọ nʼakụkụ aka nri Chineke.
You now are alive [spiritually], and [it is as though you were given new life] {[God caused you to become alive]} when he caused Christ to become alive again. So be constantly wanting what is associated with heaven [MTY], where Christ is. There God has given him supreme authority and the highest honor.
2 Ka echiche gbasara eluigwe ju unu obi. Unu atụfukwala oge ichegbu onwe unu banyere ihe dị nʼụwa.
Be constantly wanting the blessings that God has prepared for you in heaven [MTY]. Do not be constantly wanting [to do the evil deeds that people on] earth do [MTY],
3 Nʼihi na unu anwụọla. E zokwara ndụ unu nʼime Chineke site na Kraịst.
because you have [ceased to behave as you formerly did. You are like people who have] died. You now live [spiritually] together with Christ in [the presence of] God; and [people] cannot see that [you have a new life].
4 Mgbe Kraịst onye bụ ndụ unu ga-apụta ihe, unu ga-esokwa ya pụta ìhè nʼebube ya.
When Christ, who causes you to live [spiritually], is publicly revealed, then God will also reveal you publicly together with Christ, [and you together with Christ will be] glorious.
5 Meenụ ka ọchịchọ ọjọọ niile nke ụwa dị nʼime unu bụrụ ihe nwụrụ anwụ. Unu etinyekwala aka nʼịkwa iko, adịghị ọcha, ọchịchọ ọjọọ, agụụ ime ihe ọjọọ, na anya ukwu (nke bụkwa ikpere arụsị).
[Get rid of your evil practices/deeds] [MET, MTY] [as though they were enemies whom] you were killing (OR, [Stop doing evil things] [MET, MTY], just as dead people do not do what is evil). Specifically, do not practice sexual immorality. Do not commit unnatural sexual acts. Do not desire to act like that, and do not desire [to do anything that is] evil. Do not desire to have more things than you need, because, if you do that, you are (worshipping material things instead of worshipping God/making material things to become your god).
6 Ọ bụkwa nʼihi ihe ndị a ka ọnụma Chineke na-abịakwasị ndị ahụ na-enupu isi.
[Do not behave like that] since God will punish [MTY] those who disobey him, because of their sins.
7 Ihe ndị a bụ ihe unu na-eme nʼoge gara aga mgbe unu na-adị ndụ nʼime ha.
You also formerly did those things when you were disobeying God.
8 Ma ugbu a bụ oge iwezuga ihe ndị a niile na ndụ unu: iwe, na ọnụma, na obi ọjọọ, na nkwulu niile, ya na okwu ihere niile na-esi unu nʼọnụ na-apụta.
Now, however, as for you, do not do any of these evil deeds: Do not get angry in any way [DOU]. Do not act maliciously. Do not (slander/talk evil about) people. Do not talk abusively to people.
9 Unu agwala ibe unu okwu ụgha, nʼihi na unu eyipụla mmadụ ochie ahụ na-eme ụdị omume a.
Do not lie to one another. Do not do those things, because you have (disposed of/stopped obeying) your former evil nature and stopped doing what you did when you had that former [evil] nature,
10 Ugbu a, unu eyikwasịla ndụ ọhụrụ ahụ, nke e ji amamihe na-eme ka ọ dị ọhụrụ nʼoyiyi nke onye kere ya.
and because you have received a new nature. God is causing your new nature to become more and more like his own nature. He created your new nature in order that [you might get to] know [God] truly.
11 Nkewa ọbụla adịghị nʼime ndụ a. Ọ dịghị mkpa maọbụ onye Juu maọbụ onye mba ọzọ, maọbụ onye e biri ugwu, maọbụ onye a na-ebighị ugwu. Ọ dịkwaghị mkpa maọbụ onye na-asụ asụsụ ọzọ, ma ọ bu onye ime ọhịa, maọbụ onye Sitia, maọbụ ohu, ma ọ bụkwanụ onye nwe onwe ya. Ihe dị mkpa bụ na Kraịst bụ ihe niile, nọrọkwa nʼime ihe niile.
As a result of that, it is not [important whether anyone is a] non-Jew or a Jew, or [whether anyone is] circumcised or not, or [whether anyone is] a foreigner, or even uncivilized, or [whether anyone is] a slave or not a slave. But [what is important is] Christ, who is supremely important in every way.
12 Ya mere, dị ka ndị Chineke họpụtara, ndị dị nsọ na ndị ọ hụrụ nʼanya, yikwasịnụ onwe unu obi ọmịiko, na obi ebere, na obi dị umeala, na ịdị nwayọọ, na ntachiobi.
Because God has chosen you to be his people; and because he loves you, be compassionate to one another. Be kind to one another. Be humble. Be meek (OR, be considerate toward one another), be patient with one another,
13 Na-anagidenụ ibe unu, gbagharakwa mmejọ ọbụla ibe unu na-emejọ unu. Gbagharanụ dị ka Onyenwe anyị sị gbaghara unu.
and tolerate one another’s flaws. Forgive one another, if one of you has a grudge/complaint against another. Just like the Lord [Jesus freely/willingly] forgave you, you too [must freely/willingly forgive one another].
14 Nke kachasị nke, kwerenụ ka ịhụnanya na-achị achị na ndụ unu, nʼihi na ọ bụ nke a na-ejikọta ihe niile nʼotu.
And what is more important than all of these is that you love one another, because by doing that you will be perfectly united together.
15 Ka udo Kraịst na-achị achị nʼime obi unu, ebe unu bụ akụkụ nke otu anụ ahụ ahụ, a kpọrọ unu ka unu nọdụ nʼudo. Mgbe niile, nọọnụ na-ekele.
Because God chose you to live peacefully [with one another] in your local congregations, let that peace which Christ gives control your (inner beings/hearts), and be constantly thanking God.
16 Ka okwu nke Kraịst biri nʼime unu nʼuju ya. Werenụ amamihe niile na-akụzirịta ibe unu ihe, ma na-adụrịtakwa ibe unu ọdụ. Werekwanụ abụ ọma na abụ nke ime mmụọ bụọrọ Chineke abụ ekele nʼobi unu.
And continue to let the message about Christ govern/direct all you think and do, as you very wisely teach and warn one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (OR, songs that God’s Spirit [gives you]), while you sincerely and thankfully sing to God.
17 Ka ihe niile unu na-eme, nʼokwu maọbụ nʼomume bụrụ nke e mere na nke e kwuru site nʼaha Onyenwe anyị Jisọs, na-enyekwanụ Chineke Nna ekele site na ya.
Whatever you say, and whatever you do, do all of this in the manner that those who are representatives [MTY] of the Lord Jesus [should do], while you constantly thank God, our Father, as you ask the Lord Jesus to take your prayers to God.
18 Ndị bụ nwunye, doonụ onwe unu nʼokpuru di unu, dị ka ọ kwesiri ime nʼime Onyenwe anyị.
You women, be subject to your husbands, since that is what you should do because you have a close relationship with the Lord [Jesus].
19 Unu ndị bụ di, hụnụ nwunye unu nʼanya, unu ejikwala obi ilu na-emeso ha omume.
You men, love your wives; and, do not be harsh with them.
20 Ụmụntakịrị, ruberenụ nne na nna unu isi nʼihe niile, nʼihi na nke a na-amasị Onyenwe anyị.
You children, obey your parents in every circumstance, because the Lord [God] is pleased when you do that.
21 Unu bụ nna, unu emela ihe ga-akpasu ụmụ unu iwe, ka ha ghara ịda mba nʼobi.
You parents (OR, you fathers), do not correct your children more than you need to, in order that they do not become discouraged.
22 Ndị bụ ohu, na-eruberenụ ndị bụ nna unu ukwu nʼanụ ahụ isi nʼihe niile, na-emenụ nke a, ọ bụghị naanị mgbe ha nọ na-ele unu anya, maọbụ mgbe unu chọrọ ịnata ihuọma, kama werenụ obi unu niile, na ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị rubere ha isi.
You slaves, obey your earthly masters in every circumstance. Do not obey your masters only when they are watching [MTY] you, like those who [merely] want to impress their masters favorably. Instead, obey your masters sincerely. Do this because you reverence the Lord [Jesus] (OR, [God]).
23 Ihe ọbụla unu na-eme, werenụ obi unu niile mee ya. Ka ọ dị ka ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị ka unu na-arụrụ ya, ọ bụghị dị ka unu na-arụrụ ya mmadụ.
Whatever [work] you do, work wholeheartedly. Work wholeheartedly, like those who are working for the Lord [Jesus]. Do not work like those who are working [merely] for [their] masters,
24 Chetanụ nke ọma na unu nwere ụgwọ ọrụ nke Onyenwe anyị kwadobere inye unu, ndị ya. Nʼihi na ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị Kraịst ka unu na-ejere ozi.
because you know that it is the Lord who will [properly/justly] repay you. That is, you will receive what God has promised. [Remember that] it is Christ who is the real master whom you are serving.
25 Onye ọbụla na-eme ihe ọjọọ ga-anata ụgwọ ọrụ nʼihi ihe ọjọọ niile o mere. Nʼihi na ile mmadụ anya nʼihu adịghị ya.
But [God] will judge everyone impartially. He will punish you according to what you have done that is wrong.
