< Matthew 18 >

1 In that hour, the disciples drew near to Jesus, saying, “Whom do you consider to be greater in the kingdom of heaven?”
Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, nusrɔ̃lawo va Yesu gbɔ va biae be, “Ame kae nye gãtɔ le dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me?”
2 And Jesus, calling to himself a little child, placed him in their midst.
Yesu yɔ ɖevi sue aɖe va eɖokui gbɔ, eye wòtsɔe ɖo nusrɔ̃lawo ƒe ŋkume.
3 And he said: “Amen I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Azɔ egblɔ na wo be, “Vavã mele egblɔm na mi bena, ne ame aɖe metsri nu vɔ̃, eye wòtrɔ ɖe Mawu ŋu hexɔ edzi se abe ɖeviwo ene o la, mage ɖe dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me o,
4 Therefore, whoever will have humbled himself like this little child, such a one is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
eya ta ame si bɔbɔ eɖokui abe ɖevi sue sia ene la, eyae age ɖe dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me.
5 And whoever shall accept one such little child in my name, accepts me.
Eye mia dometɔ si axɔ ɖevi aɖe abe esia ene le nye ŋkɔ me la, nyee nye ema wòxɔ.
6 But whoever will have led astray one of these little ones, who trust in me, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be submerged in the depths of the sea.
Ke nenye be mia dometɔ aɖe ana ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ aɖe nabu xɔse si le eme ɖe ŋunye la, anyo na ame ma wu ne woatsɔ kpe gã aɖe atsi ɖe kɔ nɛ, atsɔe aƒu gbe ɖe atsiaƒu me, eye wòano tsi aku boŋ.
7 Woe to a world that leads people astray! Although it is necessary for temptations to arise, nevertheless: Woe to that man through whom temptation arises!
“Baba na xexea me le nu siwo nana amewo wɔa nu vɔ̃ la ta! Nu siawo ava eme tsã, gake baba na ame si dzi woato ava la!
8 So if your hand or your foot leads you to sin, cut it off and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life disabled or lame, than to be sent into eternal fire having two hands or two feet. (aiōnios g166)
Nenye wò asi alo afɔe nana be nèwɔa nu vɔ̃ la, lãe ɖa ne nàtsɔe aƒu gbe. Anyo na wò be nàyi dziƒo kple asi alo afɔ lalɛ̃ wu be asi eve kple afɔ eve nanɔ asiwò, eye woatsɔ wò aƒu gbe ɖe dzomavɔ me. (aiōnios g166)
9 And if your eye leads you to sin, root it out and cast it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to be sent into the fires of Hell having two eyes. (Geenna g1067)
Nenye be wò ŋkue nana be nèwɔa nu vɔ̃ la, hoe le eƒe to me ƒu gbe. Anyo na wò be nàyi dziƒo kple ŋku ɖeka tsɔ wu be ŋku eve nanɔ asiwò, eye nàyi dzomavɔ me. (Geenna g1067)
10 See to it that you do not despise even one of these little ones. For I say to you, that their Angels in heaven continually look upon the face of my Father, who is in heaven.
“Mikpɔ nyuie be miagado vlo ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ aɖeke o, elabena woƒe mawudɔlawo le Fofonye ƒe ŋkume le dziƒo ɣe sia ɣi. [
11 For the Son of man has come to save what had been lost.
Amegbetɔ Vi la va be yeaɖe ame siwo bu la.]
12 How does it seem to you? If someone has one hundred sheep, and if one of them has gone astray, should he not leave behind the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go out to seek what has gone astray?
“Nenye be alẽ alafa ɖeka le ame aɖe si, eye ɖeka bu la, aleke wòawɔ? Ɖe magble alẽ blaasiekɛ-vɔ-asiekɛ mamlɛawo ɖi ayi aɖadi ɖeka si bu la le togbɛwo dzi oa?
13 And if he should happen to find it: Amen I say to you, that he has more joy over that one, than over the ninety-nine which did not go astray.
Vavã mele egblɔm na mi bena nenye be wòkpɔ alẽa ɖe, makpɔ dzidzɔ manyagblɔ aɖe ɖe eŋu tsɔ wu blaasiekɛ-vɔ-asiekɛ siwo le dedie le aƒe la oa?
14 Even so, it is not the will before your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should be lost.
Nenema ke menye Fofonye si le dziƒo ƒe didi be ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ ɖeka pɛ hã nabu o.
15 But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother.
“Nenye be nɔviwò aɖe dze agɔ le dziwò la, yi egbɔ dzaa ne nàɖe nu si wòwɔ la fiae. Nenye be ese eɖokui gɔme, eye wòɖo to wò la, ekema èɖe nɔviwò sia ƒe agbe.
16 But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses.
Ke nenye be wògbe meɖo to wò o la, kplɔ nɔviwò bubu ɖeka alo eve ɖe asi ne miayi egbɔ ake, be ame siawo naɖu ɖasefo na wò.
17 And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.
Nenye be wògbe esia hã la, tsɔ nya la yi na hame la, eye ne hame la tso afia na wò, gake melɔ̃ ɖe edzi o la, mibu eya amea abe trɔ̃subɔla alo nudzɔla ko ene.
18 Amen I say to you, whatever you will have bound on earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you will have released on earth, shall be released also in heaven.
“Nyateƒe, mele egblɔm na mi be nu sia nu si miabla le anyigba dzi la anɔ babla le dziƒo, eye nu sia nu si miatu le anyigba dzi la anɔ tutu le dziƒo.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of those among you have agreed on earth, about anything whatsoever that they have requested, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.
“Mele egblɔm na mi hã nyateƒetɔe be ne mi ame eve miewɔ ɖeka le anyigba dzi bia nane Fofonye si le dziƒo la, awɔe na mi.
20 For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.”
Elabena afi si ame eve alo etɔ̃ ƒo ƒu ɖo le nye ŋkɔ me la, manɔ wo dome.”
21 Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?”
Azɔ Petro te ɖe eŋu, eye wòbiae be, “Aƒetɔ, zi nenie nɔvinye ada vo ɖe ŋutinye, eye matsɔe akee? Zi adrea?”
22 Jesus said to him: “I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.
Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Gbeɖe, menye zi adre o, ke boŋ zi blaadre teƒe adre.”
23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was king, who wanted to take account of his servants.
Azɔ Yesu do lo sia be, “Dziƒofiaɖuƒe la sɔ kple fia aɖe si di be yeawɔ akɔnta kple eƒe dɔlawo la.
24 And when he had begun taking account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
Esi wònɔ akɔnta la wɔm la, wokplɔ eƒe fenyila ɖeka vɛ; ame sia nyi fe sidi akpe akpewo le esi.
25 But since he did not have any way to repay it, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, in order to repay it.
Fenyila la mate ŋu axe fe la o, eya ta fia la ɖe gbe be woadzra ŋutsu sia srɔ̃, viawo kple woƒe nu sia nu atsɔ axe fe lae.
26 But that servant, falling prostrate, begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’
“Ke dɔla la dze klo ɖe fia la ƒe akɔme ɖe kuku nɛ be, ‘O, Aƒetɔ, meɖe kuku, gbɔ dzi ɖi nam vie, ne mava xe fe la katã na wò emegbe.’
27 Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.
Dɔla la ƒe nu wɔ nublanui na fia la ale gbegbe be eɖe asi le eŋu, eye wòtsɔ fe si wònyi la hã kee.
28 But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: ‘Repay what you owe.’
“Ke esi dɔla sia do go yina la, edo go ehavi dɔla bubu, ame si nyi sidi alafa aɖewo ko ƒe fe le esi. Eti kpo dze edzi helé awu ɖe vɛ nɛ, eye wòbia tso esi be, ‘Xe fe si nènyi le asinye la nam!’
29 And his fellow servant, falling prostrate, petitioned him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’
“Ŋutsu sia hã dze klo ɖe kuku nɛ be, ‘Meɖe kuku, gbɔ dzi ɖi nam vie ekema maxe fe la katã na wò.’
30 But he was not willing. Instead, he went out and had him sent to prison, until he would repay the debt.
“Gake ŋutsu vɔ̃ɖi sia gbe asiɖeɖe le fenyila la ŋuti, eye wòna wolée de mɔ va se ɖe esime wòaxe fe la katã nɛ.
31 Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were greatly saddened, and they went and reported to their lord all that was done.
Ŋutsu nublanuitɔ sia xɔlɔ̃ aɖe kpɔ nu si dzɔ la, eye wòyi ɖagblɔ nya la na fia la.
32 Then his lord called him, and he said to him: ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.
“Fia la yɔ ŋutsu vɔ̃ɖi si wòtsɔ fe kee la va egbɔ, eye wògblɔ nɛ be, ‘Wò, dɔla vɔ̃ɖi tagbɔsesẽtɔ! Nye ya metsɔ fe gbogbo si nènyi le asinye la ke wò esi neɖe kuku nam.
33 Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?’
Nu ka ta wò hã màkpɔ nublanui na amewo abe ale si nye hã mekpɔ nublanui na wò ene o?’
34 And his lord, being angry, handed him over to the torturers, until he repaid the entire debt.
Fia la do dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋutsu sia ŋu vevie, eye wòna wodee gaxɔ me, afi si fukpekpe le, be wòanɔ afi ma va se ɖe esime wòaxe fe siwo katã wònyi la, pesewa afã hã masusɔ o.
35 So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts.”
“Alea tututu Fofonye si le dziƒo la hã awɔ na mi nenye be mietsɔ nu vɔ̃wo ke mia nɔewo tso miaƒe dzi me o.”

< Matthew 18 >