Matio 23
1 Le nitaroñe’ Iesoà amy lahialeñey naho amo mpiama’eo,
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 ty hoe: Fiambesa’ o Fariseoo naho o Androanavio ty fiambesa’ i Mosè;
“Moses was the [renowned] teacher who taught [the people the laws that God gave him] [MTY]. Now, the Pharisees and the men who teach our [Jewish] laws have made themselves the ones who interpret those laws [IDM].
3 ze itsara’e, ambeno naho ano; fe ko oriheñe o fepè’ iareo ndra o sata’ iareoo, amy t’ie misaontsy fa tsy manao.
Consequently, you should do whatever they tell you that you must do. But do not do what they do, because they themselves do not do what they tell [you that you must do].
4 Mitakàroke iereo, manolotse voròngo jabajaba saro-jinie’ ty soro’ ondaty, f’ie mifoneñe tsy hañonjoñe ndra ty rambom-pitàñe hameve aze.
They [require you to obey many rules that are difficult to obey]. But they themselves [do not help anyone obey those rules. It is] as if they are tying up loads that are hard to carry and putting them on your shoulders [MET] [for you to carry. But they] themselves [do not desire to help anyone obey those laws. They are like] people who do not want to lift [even the slightest load] that they [could lift] [MET]
5 Fonga anoe’ iereo ho fisambañe o fitoloña’ iareoo; itare’ iereo ty kontra’iareo, naho halavae’ iereo o lifin-tsarimbo’ iareoo.
[with] one finger. Whatever they do, they do it to be seen by other people {so that other people will see them doing that}. [For example], they make extra wide the tiny boxes containing portions of Scripture that they wear on their arms. They enlarge the tassels on their robes, [to make others think that they are pious].
6 Tea’ iereo ty hàndre an-dohà’e eo amo sabadidakeoo, naho ty ampiambesareñe aolo am-pivory ao,
[They want people to honor them. For example], at dinner parties they sit in the seats where the most important people sit. In the places of worship [they want to sit] in the seats where the most honored people sit.
7 naho ty mibaboke an-damoke ao, vaho ty hikanjiañe ty hoe: Raby.
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 Fe ko irie’areo te hanoeñe ty hoe Talè, amy te raike ty Talè’ areo, vaho mpiroahalahy iaby nahareo.
But you [who are my disciples] should not allow people to address you [honorably] as ‘Rabbi’, [which means ‘teacher]’. I [am the] only one who is [really] your teacher, which means that you are all [equal, like] brothers and sisters, [and none of you should act superior to another, as the Pharisees do].
9 Tsy ho kanjie’ areo ty hoe Rae t’indaty an-tane atoy, fa raike t’i Rae’ areo, i andindìñey.
Do not [honor anyone] on earth [by] addressing him as ‘Father’, because God, your Father in heaven, is the only [spiritual] father of all of you.
10 Tsy hatao Mpiaolo ka nahareo, fa raike ty Mpiaolo’ areo, i Norizañey.
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 Ty bey ama’areo ty hitoroñe anahareo.
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 Harèke ty mitoabotse, haonjoñe ty miambane.
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 Hankàñe ama’ areo Fariseo naho Androanavio, ty mpamañahy! amy te agabe’ areo am’ondatio i fifehean-dikerañey; tsy imoaha’ areo, le sebañe’ areo tsy himoake ao o te hizilikeo.
[Then Jesus said to the religious leaders], “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for [you, because by teaching what is false], you [prevent people] [MTY/HYP] [who are thinking about letting] God rule their lives [from doing that] [MET]. [What you are doing is like] closing a gate [MET] [so that people who] are wanting to enter [a city cannot go in]. As for you, [you do not let] God [rule your lives. Neither do you allow] other people [to let God rule their lives. What you do is like] not going into a [house] yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it [either] [MET].”
14 Hankàñe ama’ areo Fariseo naho Androanavio, ty mpamañahy! Abotse’ areo naho infanjara’ areo ty hanaña’ o vantotseo ami’ty kora-lava. Aa le ho fandilovañ’ ela ty anahareo.
15 Mañariary riake naho tane nahareo hamehe ty tro’ ondaty raike ho ami’ty fiantofa’areo, ie mivahotse ao le fa indroe’ i taoloy ty haratia’e. (Geenna g1067)
“You are hypocrites, you men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees! Your punishment will be terrible, because you exert yourselves very much to get [even] one person to believe what you teach. For instance, you travel across seas and lands [to distant places] in order to do that. And [as a result], when one person [believes what you teach], you make that person much more deserving to go to hell than you yourselves [deserve to].” (Geenna g1067)
16 Hankàñe ama’ areo ry fifañosoña’ ty goa, ie atao’ areo ty hoe: Tsy hañavake ty mifanta amy anjomban’ Añaharey, fe azi’areo hañavake ty mifanta aman-dra inoñ’ inoñe natokañe ami’ty firafi’ i anjomban’ Añaharey!
“You [Jewish leaders], your punishment will be terrible! You are [like people who are] blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘[In the case of] those who promise to [do] something and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what] they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], they must do what they promised.’
17 Ry ondaty dagola naho goao! ty aia ty ambone, o raha natokan-ko amy anjombay, ke i anjombay?
You are fools, and you are [like people who are] blind [MET]! The gold [that is in the Temple] is important, but [the Temple] is even more important [RHQ], because it is the Temple that the gold is in that sets the gold apart for a special use for God.
18 Le tsy ampañavaha’areo ka ty mifanta amy kitreliy, fe azi’areo hañenga ty mifanta amy engaeñe amy kitreliy.
Also [you say], ‘In the case of those who promise to [do] something and then ask [the altar to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what they have promised]. But if they ask the gift [that] they have put on the altar [to support what they have promised], they must do [what they promised].’
19 Ty goa; aia ty ambone, i engaeñey hera i kitreliy, i engay ke i anjombay?
[You are like people who are] blind [MET]. The gift [that is offered] on the altar is important, but the altar is even more important [RHQ] because it is the altar on which the offering is offered that sets it apart for a special use for God.
20 Ty mifanta amy kitreliy mifanta ama’e naho amy ze he’e ama’e.
So, those who promise to do something, and then ask the altar [to affirm what they have promised] are asking everything on the altar [to support what they promised].
Those who promise to do something, and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they promised], are asking that [God], to whom the Temple belongs, [will affirm what they have promised].
22 Ze mifanta amy fiambesan’ Añaharey, mifanta ama’e naho amy mpiambesatse ama’ey.
Those who promise to do something and then ask heaven [to affirm what they promised] are asking the throne of God and [God], who sits on that throne, [to affirm what they promised].”
23 Hankàñe ama’ areo, Fariseo naho Androanavio, Asese’ areo ty faha-folo’ o añam-poretrakeo, ty beañe, naho ty taikombelahy, fe apo’ areo ty vente’ o lili’ i Hake zao: ty fatarihañe, ty hatò, naho ty figahiñañe; toe hanoeñe i lily rezay fe tsy handikofañe o ila’eo.
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites because, [even though] you give [to God] a tenth of [the herbs you produce, such as] mint, dill, and cummin, you do not [obey God’s] laws that are more important. [For example, you do not act] justly toward others, you do not act mercifully toward people, and you are not trustworthy. It is good to [give a tenth of your herbs] to God, but you should also [obey] these other [more important laws].
24 Ry tirim-piaolo goa, mpanatavañe lale-dronono vaho mpampigedran-drameva.
You [leaders are like] blind people [who are trying to lead others. According to your laws you say that touching gnats and camels makes you unacceptable to God. What you are doing is like] straining a gnat [out of a jar of water so that you do not swallow it and thereby become unacceptable to God], and [at the same time] swallowing a camel [with the water] [MET]!”
25 Hankàñe ama’ areo, Fariseo naho Androanavio, ty mpamañahy! Liove’ areo alafe’e ty fitovy naho ty akalañe, f’ie lifo-katramo naho haleorañe ty ao.
“You men who teach people the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are greedy and selfish, but you [make yourselves appear holy. You are like] cups and plates that have been cleaned on the outside, but on the inside [they are very filthy].
26 Ty mpamañahy, liovo hey ty am-po’e ao, le halio ka ty alafe’e.
You blind Pharisees! First you must [stop being greedy and selfish]. [Then you will be able to do what] is [righteous. That will be like] cleaning the inside of a cup first. Then when you clean [MET] the outside [of the cup], [the cup will truly be clean].”
27 Hankàñe ama’ areo, Fariseo naho Androanavio, ty mpamañahy! fa mpihambañe amo kibory nifotieñeo, ie fanjàka ho a ondatio ty alafe’e eo, fe minitse taolan-dolo naho hativàñe ty ao.
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs [SIM] that are painted white [so that people can see them and avoid touching them]. The outside surfaces are beautiful, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and filth.
28 Ie mieva h’ondaty vañoñe añatrefa’ ondatio, te mone atsa-pamañahiañe vaho halo-tsereke ty an-tro’ areo ao.
You are [like those tombs]. When people look at you, they think that you are righteous, but in your (inner beings/hearts) you are hypocrites and you disobey [God’s] commands.”
29 Hankàñe ama’ areo, mpamañahy, Fariseo naho Androanavio! Fa aore’ areo ty lona’ o mpitokio naho volovoloe’ areo ty kibori’ o mahitio,
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! Your punishment will be terrible! You rebuild the tombs of the [prophets whom others killed long ago]. You decorate the monuments [that honor] righteous [people].
30 vaho manao ty hoe: Naho teo zahay tañ’ andron-droae’ay le tsy ho nomei’ay ty hañohofan-doza amo mpitokio.
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 Aa le mpitalily vatañe t’ie ana’ o mpamono mpitokio.
Thus [you recognize that you should honor the prophets, but you disregard the word of God that other men whom God has sent teach you. In that way] you testify against yourselves that you are descendants and disciples [MET] of those who killed the prophets.
32 Fanoe’ areo o satan-droae’ areoo.
You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
33 Ty mereñe! Tariran-dapetake, akore ty hipotitsiha’ areo ty fa’ i tsikeokeokey naho tsy mitolike am-pisolohoañe? (Geenna g1067)
[You people are so wicked] You are [as dangerous as poisonous] snakes [DOU, MET]! (You [foolishly] think that you will escape being punished in hell!/Do you [foolishly] think that you will escape when [God] punishes [wicked people] in hell?) [RHQ] (Geenna g1067)
34 Aa le: Inao, hañitrifako mpitoky naho mahihitse naho Androanavy; ho vonoe’ areo ty ila’e, ho lafae’ areo am-pivori’ areo ao ty ila’e, vaho ho horidañe’ areo an-tanañe pak’an-drova.
Take note that this is why I will send prophets, wise men, and other men who will teach you [my message]. You will kill some of them by nailing them to crosses, and you will kill some in other ways. You will whip some of them in the places where you worship, and [you will] chase them from city to city.
35 Soa te hene hafetsake ama’ areo ze lio miavake nadoañe an-tane atoy, mifototse ami’ty lio’ i Abela vañoñey, pak’ami’ty lio’ i Zakaria ana’ i Barakia vinono’ areo añivo’ i anjomban’ Añaharey naho i kitreliy.
As a result, God will consider that you are guilty for killing [SYN] all the righteous [people], including killing [MTY] [Adam’s son] Abel, who was a righteous man [SYN], and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you [are guilty of] killing [in the holy place] between the Temple and the altar, and for killing [all the prophets] who lived between [the times that those two men lived].
36 Eka! to t’itaroñako te, hidoñe ami’ty tariratse toy i he’e zay,
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 naho am’ Ierosaleme, mpamono mpitoky, naho manintake o niraheñeo; impire hao ty nisalalako hatontoñe o ana’oo, hambañe ami’ty anontona’ ty rene akoho o ana’e ambanen’ ela’eo, fe tsy nimete nahareo!
“O [people of] Jerusalem [MTY, APO], you killed the prophets [who lived long ago], and you killed others whom [God] sent to you. You killed them by throwing stones at them [DOU]! Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you], like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings [MET]. But you did not want [me to do that].
38 Aa le hengañe mangoakoake ama’areo o anjomba’areoo;
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 Eka! itaroñako te tsy ho oni’ areo iraho henane zao, ampara’ te hanoe’ areo ty hoe: Andriañeñe ty mitotsak’ ami’ty tahina’ Iehovà!
Keep this in mind: You will see me again only when I [return], and you say [about me], ‘[God] is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY].’”
