Matiu 18
1 Nʼoge ahụ kwa, ndị na-eso ụzọ Jisọs bịakwutere ya jụọ ajụjụ sị, “Olee onye dị ukwuu karịa ibe ya nʼalaeze eluigwe?”
On the same occasion the disciples came to Jesus, and asked him, “Who is really the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Ọ kpọrọ otu nwantakịrị, onye o mere ka o guzoro nʼetiti ha,
Jesus called a little child to him, and placed it in the middle of them, and then said,
3 ọ sịrị, “Nʼezie, agwa m unu, ọ bụrụ na unu agbanweghị ma dịrị ka ụmụntakịrị, unu agaghị aba nʼalaeze eluigwe.
“I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven at all.
4 Onye ọbụla wedara onwe ya ala dị ka nwantakịrị a bụ onye dịkarịsịrị ukwuu nʼalaeze eluigwe.
Therefore, anyone who will humble themselves like this child – that person will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 Onye ọbụla nabatara nwantakịrị dị otu a nʼihi m, bụ onye nabatara m.
And anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even one little child like this, is welcoming me.
6 “Ma ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla nʼime unu emee ka otu nʼime ndị a dị nta, bụ ndị tụkwasịrị m obi, jehie nʼokwukwe ya, ọ kaara onye ahụ mma na e kedoro ya nkume igwe nri nʼolu, tụnye ya nʼoke osimiri ka mmiri rie ya.
But, if anyone puts temptation in the way of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be best for them to be sunk in the depths of the sea with a great millstone hung around their neck.
7 Ahụhụ ga-adịrị ụwa nʼihi ihe ndị na-eme ka mmadụ jehie. Ihe ndị na-eme ka mmadụ daba nʼọnwụnwa aghaghị ịbịa, ma ahụhụ ga-adịrị onye ahụ nke ọ ga-esite nʼaka ya bịa.
Alas for the world because of such temptations! There cannot but be temptations but sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
8 Nʼihi nke a, ọ bụrụ na aka gị maọbụ ụkwụ gị na-eme ka i jehie, gbupụ ya tufukwaa ya. Ọ kaara gị mma inwe ọrụsị maọbụ daa ngwụrọ baa na ndụ, karịa na ị ga-enwe aka abụọ maọbụ ụkwụ abụọ, a tụnye gị nʼọkụ ebighị ebi. (aiōnios g166)
“If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into the fire that never goes out. (aiōnios g166)
9 Ọzọ, ọ bụrụ na anya gị na-eme ka i jehie, ghụpụ ya tufuo. Ọ ga-akara gị mma na i nwere otu anya baa na ndụ, karịa inwe anya abụọ, a tụnye gị nʼọkụ ala mmụọ. (Geenna g1067)
If your eye causes you to sin, take it out, and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the life with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the fires of Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
10 “Lezienụ anya ka unu ghara ileda otu nʼime ụmụntakịrị ndị a anya. Nʼihi na nʼeluigwe, ndị mmụọ ozi ha na-anọ nʼihu Nna m mgbe niile.
Beware of despising one of these little ones, for in heaven, I tell you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11 Nʼihi na Nwa nke mmadụ bịara ịzọpụta ndị furu efu.
12 “Gịnị ka unu chere? Ọ bụrụ na ọ dị onye nwere narị atụrụ, ma otu nʼime ha akpafuo, gịnị ka ọ ga-eme? Ọ gaghị ahapụ iri atụrụ itoolu na itoolu fọdụrụ pụọ jegharịa nʼugwu na ndịda niile, ịchọ atụrụ ahụ kpafuru akpafu?
“What think you? If a person owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will the person not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?
13 Ọ bụrụkwa na ọ chọta ya, gịnị ka ọ ga-eme? Nʼezie, agwa m unu, ọ ga-aṅụrị oke ọnụ nʼihi otu atụrụ a karịa iri atụrụ itoolu na itoolu ndị ọzọ ahụ na-agahieghị ụzọ.
And, if they succeed in finding it, I tell you that they rejoice more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.
14 Ya mere, ọ bụghị nzube Nna m nke bi nʼeluigwe ka otu nʼime ụmụnta ndị a ala nʼiyi.
So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in heaven that not one of these little ones should be lost.
15 “Ọ bụrụ na nwanna gị emehie megide gị, jekwuru ya ebe naanị gị na ya nọ, tụọ ya mmehie nʼanya. Ọ bụrụ na o gee gị ntị, i ritela nwanna gị nʼuru.
“If your brother or sister does wrong, go to them and convince them of their fault when you are both alone. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
16 Ma ọ bụrụ na o geghị gị ntị, kpọrọ otu onye maọbụ mmadụ abụọ ọzọ laghachi azụ nʼebe ọ nọ, ‘ka okwu ọbụla ekwuru bụrụ nke mmadụ abụọ maọbụ atọ ga-agba akaebe banyere ya.’
But, if they do not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.
17 Ọ bụrụ na o geghị ha ntị, gwa ndị chọọchị, ma ọ bụrụ na o geghịkwa ọ bụladị ndị chọọchị ntị, were ya dị ka onye mba ọzọ maọbụ onye ọna ụtụ.
If they refuse to listen to them, speak to the church; and, if they also refuse to listen to the church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
18 “Nʼezie, asị m unu, na ihe ọbụla unu kere agbụ nʼụwa a, e keela ya rịị agbụ nʼeluigwe. Ihe ọbụla kwa unu tọpụrụ nʼụwa, a tọpụkwala ya rịị nʼeluigwe.
“I tell you, all that you forbid on earth will be held in heaven to be forbidden, and all that you allow on earth will be held in heaven to be allowed.
19 “Ọzọ, ana m agwa unu nʼezie a sị, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ abụọ nʼetiti unu ekwekọrịta nʼụwa banyere ihe ọbụla unu na-arịọ nʼekpere Nna m bi nʼeluigwe ga-emezuru unu ihe ahụ.
Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they will pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 Nʼihi na ebe ọbụla mmadụ abụọ maọbụ atọ zukọtara nʼaha m, mụ onwe m nọ nʼetiti ha.”
For where two or three have come together in my name, I am present with them.”
21 Mgbe ahụ Pita bịakwutere ya jụọ ya ajụjụ sị, “Onyenwe anyị, ọ bụ ugboro ole ka m ga-agbaghara nwanne m nke mehiere megide m? Ọ bụ ugboro asaa?”
Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus, “Master, how often am I to forgive someone who wrongs me? As many as seven times?”
22 Jisọs zara sị ya, “Ọ bụghị ugboro asaa. Kama ị ga-agbaghara ya ruo iri ugboro asaa ụzọ asaa.
But Jesus answered, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 “A ga-eji alaeze eluigwe tụnyere eze ahụ kpebiri ka ya na ndị ọrụ ya gụzie ego ya ha ji.
Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24 Mgbe ha malitere na-apịazi, a kpọtaara eze ahụ otu onye nke ji ya ụgwọ ruru puku talenti iri.
When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him ten thousand bags of gold;
25 Nwoke ahụ enweghị ihe ọ ga-eji kwụọ ụgwọ o ji. Nna ya ukwu nyere iwu ka e refuo ya na nwunye ya na ụmụ ya, na ihe niile o nwere, ka akwụghachi ụgwọ o ji.
and, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had.
26 “Ma ohu ahụ dara nʼala, gbukwaa ikpere ya nʼala, rịọ ya arịrịọ sị, ‘Onyenwe m, biko, nwee ntachiobi nʼebe m nọ. Aga m akwụghachikwa gị ụgwọ niile m ji gị.’
The servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 Nna ukwu onye ọrụ ahụ nwere ọmịiko nʼebe ọ nọ, meere ya ebere. Ọ sịrị ya akwụghachila ụgwọ o ji ọzọ.
The master was moved with compassion; and he let him go, and forgave him the debt.
28 “Ma mgbe ohu ahụ sitere nʼebe ahụ pụọ, ọ hụrụ otu ohu ibe ya ji ya ụgwọ otu narị denarị. O jidere ya nʼaka ike, machie ya aka nʼakpịrị, sị ya, ‘Kwụghachi m ụgwọ i ji m ugbu a.’
But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. Seizing him by the throat, he said ‘Pay what you owe me.’
29 “Ya mere, ohu ibe ya ahụ dara nʼala nʼihu ya rịọọ ya ka o nye ya nwantịntị oge. Ọ rịọkwara ya sị, ‘Enyi m, biko nwee ntachiobi, aga m akwụghachi gị ụgwọ m ji gị.’
His fellow servant threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’
30 “Ma o kwenyeghị, kama ọ gara tụba ya nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, ebe ọ ga-anọ ruo mgbe ọ kwụsịrị ụgwọ niile o ji ya.
But the other would not, but went and put him in prison until he should pay his debt.
31 Mgbe ndị ohu ibe ya hụrụ ihe mere, o wutere ha nke ukwuu. Ha jekwuru Nna ha ukwu kọọrọ ya ihe niile ndị a.
When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.
32 “Nʼihi nke a Nna ya ukwu kpọrọ ohu ahụ sị ya, ‘Ohu obi ọjọọ! Agbaghara m gị ụgwọ ahụ niile i ji, nʼihi na ị rịọrọ m arịrịọ.
So the master sent for the servant, and said to him ‘You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt.
33 Ọ bụ na ị kwesighị inwe obi ebere nʼebe ohu ibe gị nọ, dị ka m si mere gị ebere?’
Shouldn’t you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’
34 Nʼihi iwe, Nna ya ukwuu nyefere ya nʼaka ndị nche na-eche ndị nọ nʼụlọ mkpọrọ ka ha taa ya ahụhụ, ruo mgbe ọ kwụchara ụgwọ niile o ji.
Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of his debt.
35 “Otu a ka Nna m bi nʼeluigwe ga-emekwa unu, ma ọ bụrụ na unu ejighị obi unu niile gbaghara ụmụnna unu.”
So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
