Ndị Galeshịa 4
1 Isiokwu m bụ nke a, mgbe nwa bụ onye ga-eketa ihe nna ya ka dị na nwata, ọnọdụ ya akaghị mma karịa nke ohu, ọ bụ ezie na akụ ahụ niile bụ nke ya.
Now, I [will further] discuss [children and heirs]: [An heir is a person who will later] control all that his father has. But as long as that heir is a child, others [control] him, with the result that he is just like a slave [MET].
2 Ma ha ka nọ nʼokpuru ndị nlekọta na ndị e tinyere ya nʼaka ruo oge nna ya kwuru.
Until the [day that] his father [previously] determined, [other] persons supervise him and manage his father’s property.
3 Otu a ka ọnọdụ anyị dị, mgbe anyị bụ ụmụntakịrị. Anyị nọ dị ka ohu nʼokpuru mmụọ nke ụwa.
Likewise, when we [(inc)] (OR, we [(exc) Jews]) were [like] young children [MET], we were controlled by the spiritual powers of this world. They controlled us like [masters control their slaves] [MET].
4 Ma mgbe oge a kara aka ruru, Chineke zitere Ọkpara ya, bụ onye amụrụ site na nwanyị, onye amụrụ nʼokpuru iwu,
But exactly at the time [MTY] [that God had previously determined], he sent [Jesus], who is (his Son/the man who is also God), into the world. Jesus was born to a [human] mother. He had to obey the laws [that God gave to Moses].
5 ka ọ gbapụta ndị nọ nʼokpuru iwu, ime anyị ndị a ga-agụ dị ka ụmụ a họpụtara.
God sent Jesus in order that he might redeem us who had to obey [God’s] laws. God wanted us all to receive from [God] the status of being his children [MET].
6 Ebe unu bụ ụmụ, Chineke zitere Mmụọ Ọkpara ya, ka ọ bịa biri nʼobi anyị, na-eti mkpu na-asị, “Abba, Nna.”
Furthermore, we know that we are God’s children because God sent the Spirit, who is intimately related to Jesus, to live in our (inner beings/hearts). [The Spirit enables us to] pray fervently, “Daddy, Father!” [This shows that we are God’s children].
7 Ugbu a, ị bụkwaghị ohu, kama ị bụ nwa. Ebe ị bụ nwa, e meekwala ka ị bụrụ onye nketa site na Chineke.
So, [because of what God has done], no longer is [each of] you [like] a slave. Instead, [each of you is] a child [of God]. Furthermore, since [each of you is God’s] child, God has also made you his heir, [one who will receive all that he has promised].
8 Nʼoge gara aga, mgbe unu na-amaghị Chineke, unu bụ ohu nye chi niile nke na-abụghị dịka ha si pụta ụwa.
When you did not have a relationship with God [MET], you served gods that really did not exist [MET]. You were their slaves.
9 Ma ugbu a, unu matarala Chineke, ka m ga-asị na Chineke amatala ndị unu bụ, gịnị mere unu ji chọọ ịtụgharị azụ laghachi nʼokpukpe ndị ahụ na-enweghị isi, nke ike ọbụla na-adịghị nʼime ha? Unu chọrọ ka ha mee unu ndị ohu ha ọzọkwa?
But now you have come to know God. Perhaps [it would be better to say that] now God knows you. [So now you are acting foolishly]! (You are again believing [that by obeying] rules and rites [you will benefit spiritually]! [RHQ] [Those rules are] ineffective and inadequate! You are wanting to [obey them] again [MET] like slaves obey their masters. [RHQ]
10 Unu na-edebe ụbọchị ụfọdụ, na ọnwa ụfọdụ, na oge ụfọdụ, na afọ ụfọdụ.
You [non-Jews] are carefully practicing [Jewish rules and rituals about what you should do] (on [Sabbaths/on Jewish days of rest]) and [on the first day of each] month and on [special] seasons and years.
11 Egwu na-atụ m na ọrụ niile m rụrụ nʼetiti unu abụrụla ihe efu.
I (worry/am concerned) about your [mistaken ideas. I do not want] to have [so] strenuously served you in vain.
12 Ezi ụmụnna m, arịọọ m unu, meenụ onwe unu dị ka mụ onwe m, nʼihi na mụ onwe m emela onwe m ka m dị ka unu. O nweghị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla unu mere m.
My fellow believers, I strongly urge you that you do as I do. [Stop thinking that you have to obey (Jewish rules and rituals/ceremonial laws]). [When I was with you], I [did not obey all the Jewish rules and rituals], just like you [did not obey them]. [At that time] you treated me entirely as you should have [LIT].
13 Unu maara na ọ bụ nʼime adịghị ike nke anụ ahụ ka m ji kwusaara unu oziọma a.
You know that the first time I preached to you, [I went to your area to regain my health, because I was physically weak].
14 Ọ bụ ezie, ọnọdụ m nʼoge ahụ bụ ọnwụnwa nʼebe unu nọ, unu eledaghị m anya, maọbụ jụ ige m ntị. Kama unu nabatara m, dị ka mmụọ ozi Chineke, maọbụ dị ka a ga-asị na m bụ Jisọs Kraịst nʼonwe ya.
[Although] you might have [despised me because] I was physically weak, you did not despise me or act contemptuously/disrespectfully toward me. Instead, you welcomed me like [you would welcome] an angel from God. [You welcomed me] like [you would welcome] Christ Jesus!
15 Ebee ka mmụọ nke obi ụtọ ahụ unu nwere nọ? Nʼihi na m na-agba ama, na-asị na ọ bụrụ ihe a pụrụ ime, unu gaara aghụpụta anya unu nye m.
(I am disappointed that you have forgotten [that then] you [declared that you were] pleased with [me]./Have you forgotten [that then] you [declared that you were] pleased with [me]?) [RHQ] I can testify that you [would have done anything to help me]. You would have gouged out your eyes [and] given them to me, [if that would have helped me]!
16 Ugbu a, aghọọla m onye iro unu, nʼihi na m na-agwa unu eziokwu?
So I am very disappointed that you [now] act as though [RHQ] I have become hostile to you [because I have kept] speaking the true [message about Christ] to you.
17 Ha na-ezipụta mmasị nʼebe unu nọ, ma ọ bụghị maka ọdịmma unu. Ha chọrọ ikewapụ unu nʼebe m nọ, ka unu nwee mmasị nʼebe ha nọ.
Those [who are insisting on obeying Jewish rules] are eagerly [showing interest in] you, but [what they are doing is] not good. They even want you not to associate with [me and other true] believers, because they want you to eagerly show [interest in] them, [not in us].
18 Maka ebumnuche dị mma, ọ dị mma inwe mmasị mgbe niile. Ọ bụghị naanị mgbe mụ na unu nọ.
But [just like] it always feels good to have others show that they appreciate you, [I would like you] always [to appreciate me], and not only when I am with you.
19 Ụmụntakịrị m, ndị m kwe maka ha nọdụ nʼọnọdụ ihe mgbu nke ọmụmụ nwa ọzọ, na-eche ụbọchị ahụ a ga-eme ka ụdịdị Kraịst dị nʼime unu.
You [who are like] my children, [once] again I am very worried/concerned about you [MET], [and I will continue to] be worried/concerned until Christ’s [nature becomes developed] in you [completely and wholeheartedly] [MET] [as a child] becomes developed [in his mother’s womb].
20 Ọ gaara adị m mma ma a sị na m nọ nʼetiti unu ugbu a, nwee ike ịmata otu m ga-esi gbanwee olu okwu m, nʼihi na-amaghị m ihe m kwesiri ime nʼihi ọnọdụ unu.
But I do wish that I could be with you now and that I might talk [more gently with you], because I do not know [what to do about] you [while we are apart].
21 Gwanụ m, unu ndị na-eche na ọ dị mkpa idebe iwu, unu agaghị aṅaa ntị na ihe iwu ahụ kwuru?
Some of you desire [to obey all the laws] that God gave Moses. [I say that] you [should] consider [RHQ] [the implications of what Moses wrote in] the Scriptures.
22 Nʼihi na e dere ya nʼakwụkwọ nsọ na Ebraham nwere ụmụ nwoke abụọ. Otu nʼime ha bụ nwa nke ohu ya nwanyị mụrụ, nke ọzọ bụ nke nwunye ya na-abụghị ohu mụtara.
[He] wrote that Abraham became the father of two sons. His female slave, [Hagar], bore one son, and his [wife Sarah], who was not a slave, bore the other.
23 Nwa ahụ nke ohu nwanyị ahụ mụrụ bụ onye amụrụ site na anụ ahụ. Ma nwa ahụ nwunye ya na-abụghị ohu mụtara bụ onye a mụrụ site na nkwa.
Also, [the sons differed. Ishmael], the [son born by] the female slave, was conceived naturally. But [Isaac], the [son born by] his wife who was not a slave, was conceived [miraculously] as a result of what [God] had promised [Abraham].
24 Anyị ga-ewere ihe ndị a dị ka ihe ịmaatụ, nʼihi na ụmụ nwanyị abụọ ndị a nọchiri anya ọgbụgba ndụ abụọ. Otu ọgbụgba ndụ sitere nʼUgwu Saịnaị ma mụọkwa ụmụ ndị bụ ohu: nke a bụ Hega.
[I am telling you this] as an illustration. These [two women] symbolize two agreements. [God made] the first [agreement, which involved obeying the laws that God gave to Moses] at Sinai Mountain. [Because that agreement forces those who accept it to keep obeying all its rules] [MET], [it is like a slave mother who] gives birth to slaves. [So] Hagar, [the female slave, symbolizes] that [agreement].
25 Hega bụ Ugwu Saịnaị nke dị nʼArebịa. Ọ dabara nʼọnọdụ Jerusalem nke ugbu a, nʼihi na ya na ụmụ ya nọ nʼohu.
Also, the [word] ‘Hagar’ is [associated with] Sinai Mountain, [which is] in Arabia [land. Hagar, the female slave, also] represents Jerusalem as it is today. Jerusalem is [like] [MET] a slave [mother, and those who live there] [PRS] [are like] her slave children [MET] [because they all must obey the laws that God gave to Moses].
26 Ma nwanyị nke ọzọ nọ ọnọdụ Jerusalem nke dị nʼelu, nke nwe onwe ya. Ọ bụkwa ya bụ nne anyị.
But there will be a [new] Jerusalem in heaven [MTY], and we [who will go there] are free [from having to obey Jewish laws]. We [who belong to that city consider it to be] our mother [MET] [city because we are God’s true children].
27 Nʼihi na e dere ya, “Ṅụrịa ọṅụ, gị nwanyị aga, onye na-amụtaghị nwa. Tie mkpu ọṅụ, tisiekwa mkpu akwa ike gị onye ime nwa na-emetụbeghị, nʼihi na ụmụ nwanyị ahụ a hapụrụ naanị ya ga-adị ọtụtụ karịa ụmụ nke nwanyị nwere dị.”
[Our new city will have more people than those who live in Jerusalem now. It will be just like] Isaiah foretold about [the people whom he expected would come back to Jerusalem from exile. He expected that they would be more numerous than those who] were taken into exile. He wrote: [You who live in Jerusalem, you will] rejoice! Now you have no children, like a barren [woman] who does not give birth to [children! But some day you will] shout [joyfully], (without restraint/as loudly as you can), [even though now you are few in number, like a woman who] cannot give birth [to children, and you] feel deserted. [You will be very happy] because [you will have many children who will come to you. Those children will be] more than [the children] any woman with a husband [could have borne].
28 Ugbu a, ụmụnna m, unu bụ ụmụ ahụ nke e kwere na nkwa, dị ka Aịzik.
Now, [my] fellow believers, you have become children [of God as a result of believing God’s] promise to us, as Isaac [was born as a result of Abraham believing what God promised to him] [MET].
29 Nʼoge ahụ, nwa ahụ a mụrụ nʼụzọ anụ ahụ kpagburu nwa ahụ a mụrụ site nʼike nke Mmụọ Nsọ. Otu a ka ọ dịkwa nʼoge a.
[Also, long ago Abraham’s son] Ishmael, the one who was conceived naturally, caused trouble for [Abraham’s son] Isaac, who [was conceived] supernaturally [MET]. Similarly, now [those who think that we must obey the laws that God gave Moses in order that God will save us are causing trouble for those who are trusting Abraham’s descendant, Christ].
30 Ma gịnị ka akwụkwọ nsọ kwuru? “Chụpụ ohu nwanyị a na nwa ya, nʼihi na nwa nwoke ohu nwanyị a apụghị isoro nwa nke nwanyị na-abụghị ohu kerikọta oke.”
But these are [RHQ] the words in the Scriptures [PRS]: “The son of the [woman] who was not a slave will inherit [what his father has]. The female slave’s son will certainly not inherit those things. So send away from [this place] the female slave and her son [MET]!” [That means that you should certainly expel from your groups those who insist that we obey all the laws God gave Moses] [MET].
31 Ya mere, ụmụnna m, anyị abụghị ụmụ nke nwanyị ohu, kama anyị bụ ụmụ nke nwanyị nwere onwe ya.
[My] fellow believers, [Hagar symbolizes the laws that God gave to Moses. But we are not those who must obey all the laws that God gave to Moses] [MET]. [So] we are not [the] female slave [Hagar’s spiritual] descendants [MET]. But [Sarah’s descendants are those who were born as a result of believing what God promised to Abraham. So we are] the [spiritual] descendants of [Sarah, the woman] who was not a slave [MET].
