Mateo 23
1 Afei, Yesu ka kyerɛɛ nnipadɔm no ne nʼasuafoɔ no sɛ,
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
2 “Atwerɛsɛm no Akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ ne Farisifoɔ no na wɔkyerɛ Mose mmara no ase.
“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3 Yei enti, ɛsɛ sɛ motie wɔn, na moyɛ biribiara a wɔkyerɛ mo. Nanso, monnyɛ deɛ wɔyɛ no bi ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ wɔka no, ɛnyɛ ɛno na wɔyɛ.
So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4 Wɔhyɛ mo, ma modi mmara a ɛyɛ den so a wɔn ankasa mpɛ sɛ wɔdi so.
They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Biribiara a wɔyɛ no yɛ ɔyɛkyerɛ. Wɔatwerɛ Onyame Asɛm abɔ wɔn moma ne wɔn nsa so, na wɔhyɛ wɔn ntadeɛ de kyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ ateneneefoɔ.
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
6 Na sɛ wɔkɔ apontoɔ ase nso a, wɔpɛ sɛ daa wɔtena mpanin tenabea. Afei, wɔkɔ asɔre nso a, wɔpɛ sɛ wɔtena mpanin tenabea pa.
They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 Sɛ wode obuo kyea wɔn abɔntene so na wofrɛ wɔn ‘Rabi’ anaa ‘Owura’ a, ɛyɛ wɔn dɛ.
the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.
8 “Mommma obiara mfrɛ mo saa. Ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn nko ara na ɔyɛ Owura. Mo nyinaa moyɛ pɛ sɛ anuanom.
But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 Mommfrɛ obiara wɔ asase so ha sɛ ‘Agya,’ ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn a ɔwɔ ɔsoro no nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔfrɛ no saa.
And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Na mommma wɔmmfrɛ mo ‘Owura,’ ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbaako pɛ na ɔyɛ mo wura a ɔne Agyenkwa no.
Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.
11 Wobrɛ wo ho ase som afoforɔ a, wobɛyɛ ɔkɛseɛ. Wopɛ sɛ woyɛ kɛse a, yɛ ɔsomfoɔ.
The greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 Na obiara a ɔbɛma ne ho so no, wɔbɛbrɛ no ase; saa ara nso na obiara a ɔbɛbrɛ ne ho ase no, wɔbɛma no so.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ nyaatwomfoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, mosi afoforɔ Ɔsoro Ahennie ho ɛkwan. Mo a, monkɔ mu. Mo nso a, momma afoforɔ a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔkɔ mu no ɛkwan.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
14 Nyaatwomfoɔ! Mobɔ mpaeɛ atentene wɔ mmɔntene so de kyerɛ sɛ moyɛ ateneneefoɔ wɔ ɛberɛ a motu akunafoɔ firi wɔn afie mu.
15 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ nyaatwomfoɔ! Mokɔ ewiase afanan nyinaa sɛ mobɛnya onipa fua abɛfra mo mu. Na sɛ monya obi saa a, mosɛe no ma ɔyɛ ɔbonsam ba sene sɛdeɛ moteɛ no. (Geenna g1067)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. (Geenna g1067)
16 “Monnue! Akwankyerɛfoɔ anifirafoɔ a moka sɛ, sɛ obi de asɔredan ka ntam a, ɛno deɛ, ɛnyɛ hwee. Na sɛ ɔde sikakɔkɔɔ a ɛwɔ asɔredan no mu ka ntam deɛ a, ɛnneɛ, ntam no kyekyere onii no.
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
17 Anifirafoɔ nkwaseafoɔ! Asɔredan no ne emu sikakɔkɔɔ no mu deɛ ɛwɔ he na ɛsom bo; sikakɔkɔɔ no anaa asɔredan no a ɛte sikakɔkɔɔ no ho no?
You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?
18 Na moka sɛ, ‘Sɛ obi ka afɔrebukyia no ntam a, ɛnyɛ hwee. Na mmom, sɛ ɔka ayɛyɛdeɛ a ɛgu afɔrebukyia no so ntam deɛ a, ɛkyekyere onii no’
And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
19 Anifirafoɔ! Afɔrebukyia a ɛte ayɛyɛdeɛ a ɛgu so no ho no ne ayɛyɛdeɛ a ɛgu so no mu deɛ ɛwɔ he na ɛsom bo?
You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
20 Sɛ woka afɔrebukyia no ntam a, woka afɔrebukyia no ne ɛso ayɛyɛdeɛ no nyinaa ntam,
So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 na sɛ woka asɔredan no ntam a, woka asɔredan no ne Onyankopɔn a ɔte mu no nyinaa ntam.
And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.
22 Na sɛ woka ɔsoro ntam a, na woreka Onyankopɔn ahennwa ne Onyankopɔn no ankasa ntam.
And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
23 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ nyaatwomfoɔ! Moyi ntotosoɔ dudu wɔ afifideɛ a ɛwɔ mo mfikyifuo mu no ho, nanso mogya nneɛma a ɛsom bo te sɛ atɛntenenee, ahummɔborɔ ne nokorɛdie. Ɛwom sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ moyiyi ntotosoɔ dudu no deɛ, nanso ɛnsɛ sɛ mogya nneɛma a ɛsom bo no.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
24 Anifirafoɔ akwankyerɛfoɔ! Mosɔne deɛ morenom so, yi mu nwansena nanso momene yoma!
You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ nyaatwomfoɔ! Motwi mo kuruwa ne mo ayowaa ho fɛfɛɛfɛ nanso emu no deɛ, asisie ne pɛsɛmenkomenya ahyɛ no ma tɔ.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Farisifoɔ anifirafoɔ! Montwi kuruwa no mu kane, na kuruwa no ho nyinaa bɛte!
Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ! Mote sɛ ɛda a wɔasra ho fɛfɛɛfɛ nanso awufoɔ nnompe ne nneɛma funu ahyɛ mu ma tɔ.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
28 Moyɛ mo anim sɛ ateneneefoɔ, nanso bɔne ahodoɔ ahyɛ mo mu ma tɔ.
In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Monnue! Mo Farisifoɔ ne Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ nyaatwomfoɔ! Mosisi nna akɛseɛ ma adiyifoɔ a mo ara mo agyanom kunkumm wɔn, na mode nhwiren gugu ateneneefoɔ a wɔkunkum wɔn no da so,
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
30 na motwa mo ho ka sɛ, ‘Sɛ na yɛte ase saa ɛberɛ no a, anka yɛrenyɛ bɔne a yɛn agyanom yɛeɛ no.’
And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 Sɛ moka saa a, mobu mo ho fɔ sɛ moyɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ mma.
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Na modi wɔn anammɔn akyi yɛ saa bɔne korɔ no ara bi pɛpɛɛpɛ.
Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Mɛsoma adiyifoɔ ne anyansafoɔ ne akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ aba mo nkyɛn. Mobɛbɔ wɔn mu bi asɛnnua mu akum wɔn. Mobɛbɔ ebinom akyi mmaa wɔ mo asɔredan mu, na moataa ebi firi nkuro so akɔ nkuro so.
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
35 Na ateneneefoɔ mogya a moahwie agu asase so nyinaa, ɛfiri Habel so de kɔsi Barakia ba Sakaria a mokumm no wɔ asɔredan ne afɔrebukyia ntam no, bɛba mo so.
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Mereka makyerɛ mo sɛ, atemmuo a wɔaboaboa ano no nyinaa bɛba nnɛmma yi so.
Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 “Ao Yerusalem, Yerusalem, wo a wokum adiyifoɔ, na wosi wɔn a wɔasoma wɔn wo nkyɛn aboɔ, mpɛn ahe na anka mepɛɛ sɛ meboaboa wo mma ano, sɛdeɛ akokɔbaatan boaboa ne mma ano ne ntaban ase, nanso moampɛ!
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
38 Wɔbɛgya mo efie fituo ama mo.
Look, your house is left to you desolate.
39 Na mese mo sɛ, ɛfiri sɛsɛɛ morenhunu me bio kɔsi sɛ, mobɛka sɛ, ‘Nhyira ne deɛ ɔnam Awurade din mu reba no.’”
For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
