Mateo 23
1 Ipapo Jesu akataura kuvanhu vazhinji nokuvadzidzi vake achiti,
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 “Vadzidzisi vomurayiro navaFarisi vagere pachigaro chaMozisi.
“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 Saka munofanira kuvateerera muite zvinhu zvose zvavanokuudzai. Asi musaita zvavanoita, nokuti havaiti zvavanoparidza.
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 Vanosunga mitoro inorema voitakudza pamafudzi avanhu, asi ivo pachavo havadi kusimudza munwe kuti vaibvise.
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 “Vanoita zvinhu zvose kuti vaonekwe navanhu. Vanotambanudza mafirakiteri avo uye vanorebesa pfunha dzenguo dzavo.
[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 Vanoda zvigaro zvapamberi pamitambo nezvigaro zvapamusoro-soro mumasinagoge.
[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 Vanofarira kukwaziswa pamisika uye kuti vanzi ‘Rabhi’ navanhu.
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 “Asi imi hamufaniri kunzi ‘Rabhi’ nokuti munongova naTenzi mumwe chete uye mose muri hama.
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 Musadana ani zvake ari panyika muchiti, ‘Baba’ nokuti munongova naBaba vamwe chete uye vari kudenga.
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 Uye musadaidzwa muchinzi ‘mudzidzisi’ nokuti muno Mudzidzisi mumwe chete iye Kristu.
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 Mukuru pakati penyu ndiye achava muranda wenyu.
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 Nokuti ani naani anozvikudza achaninipiswa uye ani naani anozvininipisa achakudzwa.
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, vanyengeri! Nokuti munopfigira vanhu umambo hwedenga vachizviona. Imi pachenyu hamupindi, uye vaya vanoedza kupinda hamuvatenderi.
[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 Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, vanyengeri! Munoparadza dzimba dzechirikadzi, uye munoita minyengetero mirefu kuti muonekwe. Naizvozvo muchatongwa zvakaomesesa.
15 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, vanyengeri! Munofamba panyika napamakungwa kuti mutendeutse munhu mumwe chete. Kana atendeuka munomuita mwanakomana wegehena kakapetwa kaviri panemi. (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 “Mune nhamo imi vatungamiri mapofu! Imi munoti, ‘Kana munhu akapika netemberi, hazvina hazvo mhosva, asi kana munhu akapika negoridhe romutemberi anosungwa nemhiko yake.’
“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 Imi mapenzi amapofu! Chikuru chii: Goridhe netemberi inoita kuti goridhe rive dzvene?
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 Uyezve imi munoti, ‘Kana munhu upi zvake akapika nearitari hazvirevi chinhu, asi kana munhu upi zvake akapika nechipo chiri pairi, asungwa nemhiko yake.’
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 Imi mapofu! Chikuru chii: Chipo kana kuti aritari inoita kuti chipo chive chitsvene?
[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 Naizvozvo, uyo anopika nearitari anopika nayo nezvose zviri pairi.
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].
21 Uye uyo anopika netemberi anopika nayo uye naiye anogara mairi.
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 Uye uyo anopika nedenga anopika nechigaro choushe chaMwari uye naiye anogara pachiri.
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 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, imi vanyengeri! Munopa chegumi chezvose zvinonhuhwira zvinoti: mindi, anisi nekumini. Asi munoshaya hanya nezvinhu zvinokosha zvomurayiro zvinoti: kururamisira, ngoni nokutendeka. Maifanira kuita izviwo musingakanganwi zvokutanga.
“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 Imi vatungamiri mapofu, munomimina nyunyu asi muchimedza ngamera.
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 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, imi vanyengeri! Munosuka mikombe nendiro kunze asi mukati menyu muzere namakaro nokusazvidzora.
“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 Iwe bofu romuFarisi! Tanga wachenesa mukati momukombe nendiro, uye ipapo kunze kwazvo kuchachenawo.
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 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, imi vanyengeri! Makafanana namakuva akacheneswa kunze anoratidzika kuva akanaka kunze asi mukati muzere mapfupa avanhu vakafa nezvinhu zvose zvine tsvina.
“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 Nenzira imwe cheteyo, munoonekwa navanhu kunze semakarurama asi mukati menyu muzere nounyengeri uye nohuipi.
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 “Mune nhamo imi vadzidzisi vomurayiro nemi vaFarisi, imi vanyengeri! Munovaka makuva avaprofita nokushongedza makuva avakarurama.
“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 Uye moti, ‘Dai takanga tararama pamazuva amadzitateguru edu, tingadai tisina kubatsirana navo pakuteura ropa ravaprofita.’
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 Saka muri kuzvipupurira pachenyu kuti muri zvizvarwa zvaivavo vakaponda vaprofita.
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 Zvino chizadzisai chiyero chechivi chamadzitateguru enyu!
You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
[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 Naizvozvo ndiri kukutumirai vaprofita navachenjeri navadzidzisi. Vamwe vavo muchavauraya uye muchavaroverera pamuchinjikwa; vamwe muchavarova mumasinagoge enyu uye muchavadzingirira kubva kune rimwe guta kusvikira kune rimwe guta.
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 Uye nokudaro, ropa ravakarurama vose rakateurwa panyika richauya pamusoro penyu kubvira paropa raAbheri akanga akarurama kusvikira paropa raZekaria mwanakomana waBherekia uyo wamakauraya pakati petemberi nearitari.
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 Ndinokuudzai chokwadi kuti zvose izvi zvichava pamusoro porudzi urwu.
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 “Iwe Jerusarema, Jerusarema! Iwe unouraya vaprofita nokutaka namabwe avo vanotumirwa kwauri, kazhinji sei kandaidisa kuunganidza vana vako sezvinoita nhunzvi yehuku inounganidza hukwana dzayo pasi pamapapiro ayo.
“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 Tarira, wasiyirwa imba yako yangova dongo.
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 Ndinokuudza kuti, hauchazondionizve kusvikira wati, ‘Akaropafadzwa anouya muzita raIshe.’”
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].’”
