Matayo 18
1 Mu kiseera ekyo abayigirizwa ba Yesu ne bajja gy’ali nga bagamba nti, “Ani asinga obukulu mu bwakabaka obw’omu ggulu?”
About that time we disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who [among us will be] the most important when God [MTY/EUP] [makes you] king?”
2 Yesu n’ayita omwana omuto n’amussa mu makkati gaabwe.
Jesus called a child to come, and he placed that child in our midst.
3 N’abagamba nti, “Ddala ddala mbagamba nti bwe mutakyuke kufaanana ng’abaana abato temugenda kuyingira mu bwakabaka obw’omu ggulu.
He said, “Think about this: If you [(pl)] do not change [the way you(pl) think] and become [as humble] as little children, you [(pl)] will surely not go to the place where God [MTY/EUP] rules.
4 Noolwekyo buli eyeetoowaza ng’omwana ono omuto y’aliba asinga obukulu mu bwakabaka obw’omu ggulu.
The people who become as humble as this child [or any child] is, will be the most important people among those over whom God rules.
5 “Na buli asembeza omwana omuto ng’ono mu linnya lyange ng’asembeza Nze.
Also, when those who, [because they love] me, welcome [a] child like this one, [God considers] that they are welcoming me.”
6 Naye alyesittaza omu ku baana abato anzikiririzaamu, asaanidde okusibibwa olubengo mu bulago asuulibwe mu nnyanja.”
“If you cause someone who believes in me to sin, [even if it is someone who is socially unimportant like] this little child, [God will severely punish you]. If a heavy stone were fastened around your neck and you were thrown into the deep waters of the sea, [people would consider that you had been severely punished. But God will punish] you more severely [than that if you cause someone to sin]
7 “Ensi zigisanze! Kubanga ejjudde ebibi bingi. Okukemebwa okukola ebibi tekulema kubaawo, naye zimusanze oyo akuleeta.
It will be terrible for those [MTY] who cause others to stop believing in me. [God will punish them eternally]. It is inevitable that there will be [those who] cause others to stop believing in me. But it will be horrible for everyone who does that.
8 Obanga omukono gwo gukuleetera okwonoona gutemeko ogusuule. Kisinga okuyingira mu bulamu ng’ogongobadde oba ng’olemadde, okusinga okugenda mu muliro ogutazikira ng’olina emikono ebiri n’ebigere bibiri. (aiōnios g166)
So, if you [are wanting to use] one of your hands or feet to sin, [stop using that hand or foot! Even if you have to] cut it off [to avoid sinning, do it] [MET]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you are maimed or lame and do not have a hand or a foot. But it is not good that you continue to have your two hands and two feet [and do] [MTY] [the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown into [hell], where there is eternal fire burning. (aiōnios g166, questioned)
9 Obanga eriiso lyo nga likuleetera okwonoona, liggyeemu olisuule. Kisinga okuyingira mu ggulu ng’olina eriiso limu okusinga okusuulibwa mu muliro gwa ggeyeena ng’olina amaaso go gombi.” (Geenna g1067)
If what you see you [makes you want] to sin, [stop looking at those things! Even if you have to] gouge out one of your eyes and throw it away [to avoid sinning, do it] [HYP]! It is good [that you not sin and] go where you will live [with God eternally, even though while you are still here on earth] you have only one eye. But it is not good that you continue to have your two eyes [and do the sinful things you want to, and as a result], you are thrown {God throws you} into hell where there is eternal fire burning.” (Geenna g1067)
10 “Mwekuume obutanyoomanga n’omu ku baana bano abato. Kubanga mbagamba nti bamalayika baabwe ennaku zonna babeera mu maaso ga Kitange ali mu ggulu.
“Make an effort that you [(pl)] do not despise [even] one of these children. I tell you [(pl)] truly that [since] the angels [live] in heaven [in the presence of] my Father, [they will report to him if you mistreat the children].
11 Kubanga Omwana w’Omuntu yajja okulokola ekyabula.
12 “Mulowooza kiki ekituufu? Omuntu bw’aba n’endiga ze ekikumi, emu n’emubulako, taleka ziri ekyenda mu omwenda ku lusozi n’agenda anoonya eri emu ebuze?
What do you [(pl)] think [you would do in the following situation]? If you had 100 sheep and one of them got lost, you would surely leave the 99 sheep [that are] on the hill and go and search for the lost one [RHQ], would you not?
13 Ddala ddala mbagamba nti, bw’agiraba agisanyukira nnyo okusinga ziri ekyenda mu omwenda ezitaabuze.
If you found it, I affirm to you [(pl)] that you would rejoice very much. You would be happy that 99 sheep did not stray away, but you would rejoice even more [because you had found] the sheep that had strayed away.
14 Kale bwe kityo ne Kitammwe ali mu ggulu tasiima kulaba ng’omu ku bato bano ng’azikirira.”
In the same way [that shepherds do not want one of] their [sheep to stray away], so [God], your Father in heaven, does not want [even] one of these children to go to hell.” (questioned)
15 “Muganda wo bw’akusobyanga ogendanga gy’ali n’omutegeeza ekisobyo kye nga muli babiri. Bw’akkirizanga n’akwetondera olwo ng’oggyeemu omuntu mu muganda wo.
“If a fellow believer sins [against you], go [to him], and when you two are alone, reprove him [for sinning against you]. If that person listens to you [and feels sorry that he has sinned against you], you will have restored [your friendship with] that person.
16 Naye bw’agaananga okukuwuliriza, ofunangayo omuntu omulala omu oba babiri obujulirwa bw’abantu ababiri oba abasatu bukakase buli kigambo.
If that person will not listen to you [nor feel sorry that he has sinned against you], go get one or two other people [who will listen to what you both have to say]. Have them go with you so that [what is written] {[Moses wrote]} [in the Scriptures might happen: ] ‘[When one person accuses another in some matter], it should be confirmed by [at least] two or three people {[at least] two or three people should confirm it} [before that person can be declared] guilty {[before they declare that person guilty]}.’
17 Naye bw’agaananga okubawuliriza ng’ensonga ozitwala eri Ekkanisa. Singa agaana okuwuliriza Ekkanisa, abeere nga munnaggwanga, era omuwooza w’omusolo.
If the one who has sinned against you will not listen to them [or does not feel sorry that he has sinned against you], tell that to the congregation [so that they can rebuke him]. If that person will not listen to the congregation [or feel sorry that he has sinned against you, exclude him from being a member of your congregation, just like] you [would exclude] pagans, tax collectors, [and others who do not believe in God and sin greatly].
18 “Ddala ddala mbagamba nti byonna bye mulisiba ku nsi, ne mu ggulu birisibwa ne bye mulisumulula ku nsi, ne mu ggulu bigenda kusumululwa.
Keep this in mind: Whatever you decide on earth [about punishing] or [not punishing a member of your congregation] is what has also been decided by [God] in heaven {what [God] in heaven has also decided}.
19 “Era ddala ddala mbagamba nti bwe munaabanga babiri mu nsi ne mukkiriziganya ku ekyo kye mwagala okusaba, Kitange ali mu ggulu alikibakolera.
Also note this: If [at least] two of you [who live] here on earth agree together about something you ask [God] for [DOU], [God], my Father [who is] in heaven, will give you what you ask for.
20 Kubanga abantu ababiri oba abasatu bwe banaakuŋŋaananga mu linnya lyange, nange nnaabeeranga awo wakati waabwe.”
[This is true], because wherever [at least] two or three of you assemble because you believe in me [MTY], I am [spiritually] present with you. I [will hear what you ask for and I will ask God to do it for you].”
21 Awo Peetero n’ajja n’abuuza Yesu nti, “Mukama wange, muganda wange bw’ansobyanga musonyiwanga emirundi emeka? Emirundi musanvu?”
Then Peter approached [Jesus] and said to him, “How many times must I forgive a fellow believer who [keeps on] sinning against me? [If he keeps asking me to forgive him, must I forgive him] as many as seven times?”
22 Yesu n’amuddamu nti, “Sikugamba nti emirundi musanvu naye emirundi nsanvu emirundi musanvu.”
Jesus said to him, “I tell you [that the number of] times [you must forgive someone is] not just up to seven, but [you must] ([forgive him] 77 times/never stop forgiving him).
23 Awo Yesu n’agamba nti, “Obwakabaka obw’omu ggulu bufaananyizibwa nga kabaka eyayagala okubala ebitabo bye eby’ensimbi, n’abaddu be.
[In order to illustrate] why [you should do this], I [will tell you a story in which] God [MTY/EUP], [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over, is compared {I compare God, [who cares for] the people whose lives he rules over} to a king [and his officials]. That king told [some of his servants that he wanted] his officials to pay what they owed him.
24 Bwe yatandika okubikebera ne bamuleetera gw’abanja ettalantaomutwalo gumu.
[So those officials were brought to the king to] settle [their accounts with him]. [One of the officials who were brought] owed the king several million dollars.
25 Naye olw’okuba ng’omusajja teyalina nsimbi za kusasula bbanja eryo, mukama we kyeyava alagira batunde omusajja oyo ne mukazi we n’abaana be n’ebintu bye byonna ebbanja liggwe.
But because he did not have [enough money] to pay [what he owed], the king demanded that he, his wife, his children and all he possessed be sold [to someone else, and that the king] be repaid [with] {receive} [the money that was paid for them].
26 “Naye omuddu oyo n’agwa wansi mu maaso ga mukama we, n’amwegayirira nti, ‘Ngumiikiriza, nzija kukusasula ebbanja lyonna.’
Then that official, [knowing that he did not have the money to pay that huge debt], fell on his knees [in front of the king] and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
27 “Mukama we n’asaasira omuddu oyo n’amusonyiwa ebbanja lyonna!
The king, [knowing that the official could never pay all that huge debt], felt sorry for him. So he canceled his debt and released him.
28 “Omuddu oyo bwe yafuluma n’asanga munne gwe yali abanja eddinaalikikumi, n’amugwa mu bulago nga bw’amugamba nti, ‘Ssasula kye nkubanja.’
Then this official went to another one of the king’s officials who owed him a bit less than a year’s wages. He grabbed him [by the throat], started choking him, and said to him, ‘Pay back what you owe [me]!’
29 “Naye munne n’agwa wansi, n’amwegayirira ng’agamba nti, ‘Ngumiikiriza, nnaakusasula.’
That official fell on his knees and begged him saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you all of it, [eventually].’
30 “Naye amubanja n’agaana okumuwuliriza, n’amuteeka mu kkomera akuumirwe omwo okutuusa lw’alisasula ebbanja lyonna.
But this official kept refusing [to cancel that small debt that the man owed him]. Instead, he [caused that official to be] put in prison [and to stay there] until he could pay back all the money that he owed him.
31 Awo baddu banne bwe baakiraba ne banakuwala nnyo, ne bagenda bategeeza mukama we ebigambo bye balabye.
When the other officials [of the king] learned that this had happened, they felt very distressed. So they went to the king and reported in detail what had happened.
32 “Awo mukama we n’atumya omuddu gwe yali asonyiye n’amugamba nti, ‘Oli muddu mubi nnyo. Nakusonyiye ebbanja eryo lyonna, kubanga wanneegayiridde,
Then the king summoned the official [who had owed him several million dollars]. He said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I canceled that huge debt [that you owed me] because you begged me [to do so]
33 naye ggwe kyali tekikugwanira kusaasira muddu munno nga nange bwe nakusaasidde?’
You should have been merciful [and canceled your fellow official’s debt], just like I was merciful to you [and canceled your debt] [RHQ]!’
34 Mukama we kyeyava asunguwala nnyo, n’amukwasa abaserikale bamusse mu kkomera okutuusa lw’alisasula ebbanja lyonna.
The king was very angry. He handed this official over to some jailers who would torture him severely until he paid all of the debt that he owed.”
35 “Kale ne Kitange ali mu ggulu bw’atyo bw’alibakola singa mmwe abooluganda temusonyiwa okuva mu mitima gyammwe.”
[Then Jesus continued by saying], “That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if you do not [feel merciful and] sincerely forgive a fellow believer [who sins against you].”
