Luk 18
1 Mgbe ahụ ọ tụụrụ ha ilu a iji gosi ha mkpa ọ dị ikpe ekpere na-esepụghị aka,
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never despair.
2 ọ sịrị, “O nwere otu ọkaikpe bi nʼotu obodo ma ọ naghị atụ egwu Chineke. Ọ naghị asọpụkwara mmadụ.
‘There was,’ he said, ‘in a certain town a judge, who had no fear of God nor regard for people.
3 Nʼobodo ahụkwa, e nwere otu nwanyị di ya nwụrụ anwụ nke na-abịakwute ya, na-asị ya, ‘Kpepụta m nʼaka ndị na-emegide m.’
In the same town there was a widow who went to him again and again, and said “Grant me justice against my opponent.”
4 “Na mmalite, ọ chọghị, ma nʼikpeazụ, ọ gwara onwe ya sị, ‘Ọ bụ eziokwu na anaghị m atụ egwu Chineke maọbụ sọpụrụ mmadụ.
For a time the judge refused, but afterwards he said to himself “Although I am without fear of God or regard for people,
5 Ma nʼihi na nwanyị a di ya nwụrụ anwụ nọgidere na-enye m nsogbu, aga m ahụ na o nwetara ikpe ziri ezi, ka ọ kwụsị inye m nsogbu site na ọbịbịa ọ na-abịa.’”
yet, as this widow is so troublesome, I will grant her justice, to stop her from plaguing me with her endless visits.”’
6 Ya mere Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Gerenụ ihe ọkaikpe nke na-eme ajọ omume na-ekwu.
Then the Master added, ‘Listen to what this iniquitous judge says!
7 Ọ bụ na Chineke agaghị ekpepụta ndị ahụ ọ họpụtara, bụ ndị na-akpọku ya ehihie na abalị? Ọ ga-anọ tee anya nʼinyere ha aka?
And God – won’t he see that his own people, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them – though he holds his hand?
8 Asị m unu, ọ ga-eme ngwangwa hụ na ha nwetara ikpe ziri ezi. Ma otu ọ dị, mgbe Nwa nke Mmadụ ga-abịa, ọ ga-ahụkwa ndị nwere okwukwe nʼime ụwa?”
He will, I tell you, give them justice soon enough! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’
9 Ọ tụkwara ilu a nʼihi ndị tụkwasịrị obi nʼonwe ha na ha bụ ndị ezi omume ma na-eleda ndị ọzọ anya.
Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded everyone else with scorn, Jesus told this parable –
10 “Ụmụ nwoke abụọ rigoro nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ikpe ekpere, otu onye nʼime ha bụ onye Farisii, onye nke ọzọ bụ onye ọna ụtụ.
‘Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer.
11 Onye Farisii ahụ guzoro ọtọ kpee ekpere banyere onwe ya sị, ‘Chineke nna m, ana m ekele gị nʼihi na adịghị m ka mmadụ ndị ọzọ ndị na-apụnara mmadụ ihe ya nʼike, maọbụ ndị ajọ omume, maọbụ ndị na-akwa iko, ma ọ bụkwanụ dị ka onye ọna ụtụ a.
The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way – “God, I thank you that I am not like other men – thieves, rogues, adulterers – or even like this tax-gatherer.
12 Ana m ebu ọnụ ugboro abụọ nʼizu ụka ọbụla. Ana m akwụkwa otu ụzọ nʼụzọ iri nke ihe niile m nwetara.’
I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.”
13 “Ma onye ọna ụtụ ahụ guzo nʼebe dị anya, o nwekwaghị ike iweli ihu ya elu lee anya nʼeluigwe. Kama, ọ na-eti aka nʼobi ya na mwute na-asị, ‘Chineke, biko mere m ebere nʼihi na abụ m onye mmehie.’
Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even to raise his eyes to heaven, but he kept striking his breast and saying “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
14 “Asị m unu, na nwoke a lara nʼụlọ ya bụrụ onye a gụrụ nʼonye ezi omume nʼihu Chineke karịa onye nke ọzọ. Nʼihi na onye ọbụla ga-ebuli onwe ya elu ka a ga-eweda, ma onye ọbụla na-eweda onwe ya ala ka a ga-ebuli elu.”
This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, while everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
15 Ndị mmadụ na-ekutere ya ụmụntakịrị ka o bikwasị ha aka. Mgbe ndị na-eso ụzọ ya hụrụ nke a, ha baara ha mba.
Some of the people were bringing even their babies to Jesus, for him to touch them; but, when the disciples saw it, they began to find fault with those who had brought them.
16 Ma Jisọs kpọrọ ha ka ha bịakwute ya, sị, “Kweenụ ka ha bịakwute m, unu egbochikwala ha, nʼihi na alaeze Chineke bụ nke ndị dị ka ha.
Jesus, however, called the little children to him. ‘Let the little children come to me,’ he said, ‘and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the kingdom of God belongs.
17 Nʼezie, agwa m unu, onye ọbụla na-agaghị anara alaeze Chineke dị ka nwantakịrị agaghị aba nʼime ya.”
I tell you, unless a man receives the kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all.’
18 Otu onye ọchịchị jụrụ ya sị, “Ezi onye ozizi, ọ bụ gịnị ka m ga-eme keta ndụ ebighị ebi.” (aiōnios g166)
And one of the leaders asked Jesus this question – ‘Good teacher, what must I do if I am to gain eternal life?’ (aiōnios g166)
19 Jisọs sịrị ya, “Gịnị mere i ji akpọ m ezi mmadụ? Ọ dịghị onye ọbụla bụ ezi mmadụ ma ọ bụghị naanị Chineke.
‘Why do you call me good?’ answered Jesus. ‘No one is good but God.
20 Ị maara ihe niile enyere nʼiwu, akwala iko, egbula mmadụ, ezula ohi, agbala ama ụgha, sọpụrụ nne na nna gị.”
You know the commandments – Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not say what is false about others, Honour your father and your mother.’
21 Ọ sịrị, “Edebezuchaala m iwu ndị a niile site na mgbe m bụ nwata.”
‘I have observed all these,’ he replied, ‘from childhood.’
22 Mgbe Jisọs nụrụ nke a, ọ sịrị ya, “Otu ihe fọdụrụ ka ime: ree ihe niile i nwere, kesara ụmụ ogbenye ego ya. Ị ga-enwe akụ nʼeluigwe, bịazie soro m.”
Hearing this, Jesus said to him, ‘There is one thing still lacking in you; sell everything that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven; then come and follow me.’
23 Mgbe ọ nụrụ nke a, o wutere ya nke ukwuu, nʼihi na ọ bụ onye nwere ọtụtụ akụ.
But the man became greatly distressed on hearing this, for he was extremely rich.
24 Jisọs lere ya anya sị, “Lee ka o si bụrụ ihe siri ike bụ ndị ọgaranya ịba nʼalaeze Chineke.
Seeing this, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!
25 Nʼezie, ọ dịrị ịnyịnya kamel mfe isite nʼanya agịga gafee karịa ọgaranya ịbanye nʼalaeze Chineke.”
It is easier, indeed, for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!’
26 Ndị nụrụ ya sịrị, “Onye kwanụ ka a ga-azọpụta?”
‘Then who can be saved?’ asked those who heard this.
27 Ọ sịrị, “Ihe mmadụ na-apụghị ime, bụ ihe Chineke pụrụ ime.”
But Jesus said, ‘What is impossible with people is possible with God.’
28 Mgbe ahụ Pita sịrị, “Lee, anyị ahapụla ihe niile anyị nwere soro gị!”
‘But we,’ said Peter, ‘we left what belonged to us and followed you.’
29 Ọ sịrị ha, “Nʼezie, agwa m unu, o nweghị onye ọbụla hapụrụ ụlọ ya, maọbụ nwunye, maọbụ ụmụnne, maọbụ ndị mụrụ ya, maọbụ ụmụntakịrị ya, nʼihi alaeze Chineke
‘I tell you,’ he answered, ‘that there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
31 Jisọs kpọpụrụ mmadụ iri na abụọ ahụ na-eso ụzọ ya nʼakụkụ, gwa ha sị, “Anyị na-aga Jerusalem, ihe niile ndị amụma dere banyere Nwa nke Mmadụ ga-emezu.
Gathering the Twelve round him, Jesus said to them, ‘Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there everything that is written in the prophets will be done to the Son of Man.
32 A ga-arara ya nyefee ya nʼaka ndị mba ọzọ. Ha ga-akwa ya emo, mee ya ihe ihere, bụkwaa ya ọnụ mmiri asụ.
For he will be given up to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted and spat on;
33 Ha ga-apịa ya ihe, gbukwaa ya; ma nʼụbọchị nke atọ, ọ ga-esite nʼọnwụ bilie ọzọ.”
they will scourge him, and then put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again.’
34 Ma ha aghọtaghị ihe ọbụla nʼokwu ndị a. E mere ka nkọwa okwu ndị a bụrụ ihe e zoro ezo nʼebe ha nọ, ha aghọtakwaghị ihe o kwuru.
The apostles did not comprehend any of this. His meaning was unintelligible to them and they did not understand what he was saying.
35 O ruo ka ọ bịaruru Jeriko nso, otu nwoke kpuru ìsì nọ nʼakụkụ ụzọ na-arịọ arịrịọ.
As Jesus was getting near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging.
36 Mgbe ọ nụrụ uzu igwe mmadụ ka ha na-agafe, ọ jụrụ ihe na-eme.
Hearing a crowd going by, the man asked what was the matter;
37 Ha gwara ya, “Jisọs onye Nazaret na-agafe.”
and, when people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing,
38 O tiri mkpu sị, “Jisọs nwa Devid, meere m ebere!”
he shouted out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!’
39 Ndị bu ụzọ baara ya mba ka o mechie ọnụ. Ma o tisiri mkpu ike sị, “Nwa Devid, meere m ebere!”
Those who were in front kept telling him to be quiet, but he continued to call out the louder, ‘Son of David, take pity on me!’
40 Jisọs kwụsịrị, nye iwu ka a kpọtara ya nwoke ahụ. Mgbe o rutere nso, ọ jụrụ ya,
Then Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. And, when he had come close up to him, Jesus asked him,
41 “Gịnị ka ị chọrọ ka m meere gị?” Ọ sịrị, “Onyenwe anyị, ka e mee ka m hụ ụzọ ọzọ.”
‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I want to recover my sight.’
42 Jisọs sịrị ya, “Hụ ụzọ, okwukwe gị agwọọla gị.”
And Jesus said, ‘Recover your sight, your faith has delivered you.’
43 Ngwangwa, o bidoro ịhụ ụzọ ma soro Jisọs, na-etokwa Chineke. Ndị mmadụ niile, mgbe ha hụrụ ya tokwara Chineke.
Instantly he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus, praising God. And all the people, on seeing it, gave glory to God.
