Matthew 23 (EWE)

1Tete Yesu gblɔ na ameha la kple eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo be,Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:

2“Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo nɔ Mose ƒe zi dzi,“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

3eya ta miɖo to wo, eye miawɔ nu sia nu si wogblɔ na mi la, gake migawɔ nu si wowɔna la o, elabena woawo ŋutɔ mewɔna ɖe nu siwo fiam wole la dzi o.So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

4Woblaa agba kpekpewo tsɔna ɖoa amewo ƒe abɔta, gake woawo ŋutɔ mele klalo be yewoatsɔ yewoƒe asibidɛ akpe ɖe ameawo ŋu gɔ̃ hã o.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“Nu sia nu si wowɔna la, ɖe wowɔnɛ ko be yewoadze abe ame nyuiwo ene le gota. Woƒe mawunya kpukpui, ŋkuɖodzinu siwo wosana ɖe ŋgonu kple abɔ la kekena wua ame sia ame tɔ, eye wowɔa woƒe awutogbowo wololona be amewo nakpɔ be yewonye ame kɔkɔewo.All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

6Wolɔ̃a kplɔ̃tanɔnɔ le nuɖuƒewo, eye wolɔ̃a ŋgɔgbezikpuiwo dzi nɔnɔ le woƒe ƒuƒoƒewo.They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,

7Ne wole ablɔ dzi yina, eye amewo le ŋkɔ dam ɖe wo dzi be, ‘Nufiala’ kple ‘Aƒetɔ’ la, evivia wo nu ŋutɔ.the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

8“Migana woayɔ mi be ‘Rabi’ o, elabena ame ɖeka koe nye miaƒe Nufiala, eye mi katã la nɔviwo mienye.But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

9Migayɔ ame aɖeke le anyigba dzi afi sia be ‘fofo’ o, elabena ‘Fofo’ ɖeka koe le mia si, eyae le dziƒo.And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10Migana hã be woayɔ mi be kplɔlawo o, elabena Kplɔla ɖeka koe li na mi, eyae nye Kristo la.Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.

11Ke ame si nye amegã le mia dome la, netsɔ eɖokui wɔ subɔlae boŋ.The greatest among you shall be your servant.

12Ame siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la, woaɖiɖi wo ɖe anyi. Ke ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe anyi la, woado wo ɖe dzi.For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietu dziƒofiaɖuƒe la ƒe agbo ɖe amewo nu. Miawo ŋutɔ miele eme yi ge o, eya ta mieɖe mɔ be ame siwo le agbagba dzem be yewoage ɖe eme la hã nayi eme o. [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“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miekpɔ mɔ le ahosiwo ŋu hexɔa woƒe aƒewo le wo si sesẽtɔe, eye emegbe la, miedoa gbe didiwo ɖa! Esia ta miaƒe tohehe asesẽ wu ame bubuawo tɔ!]Not in the BSB

15“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietsana le anyigba dzi kple atsiaƒuwo dzi, ɛ̃, afi sia afi ko be miawɔ ame ɖeka wòazu Yudatɔ le xɔse me, eye ne ezui la, miewɔnɛ wòzua dzomavɔmevi zi gbɔ zi eve wu miawo ŋutɔ.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.

16“Baba na mi, mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miegblɔna be, ‘Ne ame aɖe yɔ gbedoxɔ ta nui la, medze vɔ̃ o, gake ne eyɔ sika si le gbedoxɔ me ta nui la, atam la blae’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.’

17Mi bometsila ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae lolo wu, sika la alo gbedoxɔ si wɔ sika la gɔ̃ hã be wòle dzadzɛea?You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

18Miawo kee gblɔ be, ‘Ame si ta vɔsamlekpui la la, ate ŋu ada le atam si wòka la dzi faa, gake ne ame aɖe ta nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi la, edze agɔ vevie nenye be wòda le ŋugbe si wòdo la dzi.’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.’

19Mi ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae le vevie wu, nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi loo alo vɔsamlekpui la ŋutɔ si nana be nunana ŋuti kɔnaa?You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

20Nenye be mieta vɔsamlekpui la la, ekema mietae kple nu siwo katã le edzi,So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

21eye ne mieta gbedoxɔ la, ekema mietae kple Mawu, ame si nɔa eme la.And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

22Nenye be mieta dziƒo la, minyae be mieta Mawu ƒe fiazikpui kple Mawu, ame si nɔa edzi la.And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.

23“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mienaa ahamɛ, sikɔni kple tsyo ƒe ewoliawo gɔ̃ hã, gake miegblẽ se la ƒe nu vevitɔ siwo nye afia nyui tsotso, nublanuikpɔkpɔ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ la ɖi. Ele be miawɔ ɖe esiawo hã dzi, eye mele be miagbe ekemɛawo hã o.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.

24Mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Mieɖea nudzodzoe suetɔ kekeake le miaƒe nunonowo me ƒua gbe, gake miemia miaƒe kposɔ ya.You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpatɔwo! Mieklɔa kplu kple nuɖugba ŋuti, gake wo me yɔ fũu kple ŋukeklẽ kple ɖokuitɔdidi.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.

26Farisitɔ ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miklɔ kplu la kple nuɖugba la me gbã, ekema wo godo hã aɖi nyuie.Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

27“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Ɖeko miele abe yɔdokpe siwo wosi akalo na la ene, esiwo dzena le gota nyuie, ke wo me yɔ fũu kple ame kukuwo ƒe ƒuwo kple nu makɔmakɔ bubuwo.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.

28Miawo hã, nenema kee miedze le gota le amewo gbɔ abe ame dzɔdzɔewo ene, gake mia me yɔ fũu kple alakpanuwɔwɔ kple vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi.In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29“Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miewɔ ŋkuɖodzikpe na nyagblɔɖilawo, eye mieɖo atsyɔ̃ na ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe yɔdowo,Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

30eye miegblɔ be, ‘Ne ɖe míenɔ agbe le mía fofowo ŋɔli la, míawɔ ɖeka kpli wo le nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe ʋukɔkɔɖi me o’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.’

31Ale mieɖi ɖase le miawo ŋutɔ ɖokui ŋu be, mienye ame siwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe dzidzimeviwo.So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32Enyo ŋutɔ, azɔ miwu nu vɔ̃ dɔ si gɔme mia fofowo dze la nu.Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.

33“Mi dawo! Dawo ƒe dzidzimeviwo! Aleke miawɔ asi le dzomavɔʋe ƒe fɔbubu nu?You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?

34Eya ta mele nyagblɔɖilawo, nunyalawo kple nufiala siwo me Gbɔgbɔ la yɔ fũu la hã ɖom ɖe mi, ke miawo la, miawu wo dometɔ aɖewo alo aklã wo ɖe atitsoga ŋu, miaƒo ɖewo le miaƒe ƒuƒoƒewo, eye miati geɖewo hã ƒe agbe yome tso afii yi afi mɛ.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 from town to town.

35Ne miewɔ esiawo la, ekema ame kɔkɔe siwo wowu le anyigba dzi tso keke Abel dzi va se ɖe Zekaria, Barakia ƒe vi si miewu le vɔsamlekpui kple kɔkɔeƒe la dome le gbedoxɔa me la, ƒe ʋu ava mia dzi.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.

36Vavã, mele egblɔm na mi be, tohehe siwo katã wodzra ɖo ɖi tso ɣe ma ɣi ke va se ɖe fifia la ava dzidzime sia dzi.Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37“O! Yerusalem, Yerusalem, wò du si me tɔwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo, eye woƒu kpe ame siwo Mawu ɖo ɖe wò. Medi zi geɖe be maƒo viwòwo nu ƒu abe ale si koklo ƒoa viawo nu ƒui ɖe eƒe aʋalawo te ene, gake wogbe, womena mɔm o.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!

38Fifia miaƒe aƒee ma zu aƒedo.Look, your house is left to you desolate.

39Ke mele egblɔm na mi be, miegale kpɔ nye ge o va se ɖe esime miagblɔ be, ‘Woayra ame si gbɔna le Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔ me.’ ”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.’”

Matthew 23

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Matthew 23

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