< Matthew 18 >

1 At that hour came the disciples near to Jesus, saying, 'Who, now, is greater in the reign of the heavens?'
Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, nusrɔ̃lawo va Yesu gbɔ va biae be, “Ame kae nye gãtɔ le dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me?”
2 And Jesus having called near a child, did set him in the midst of them,
Yesu yɔ ɖevi sue aɖe va eɖokui gbɔ, eye wòtsɔe ɖo nusrɔ̃lawo ƒe ŋkume.
3 and said, 'Verily I say to you, if ye may not be turned and become as the children, ye may not enter into the reign of the heavens;
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 whoever then may humble himself as this child, he is the greater in the reign of the heavens.
eya ta ame si bɔbɔ eɖokui abe ɖevi sue sia ene la, eyae age ɖe dziƒofiaɖuƒe la me.
5 'And he who may receive one such child in my name, doth receive me,
Eye mia dometɔ si axɔ ɖevi aɖe abe esia ene le nye ŋkɔ me la, nyee nye ema wòxɔ.
6 and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth 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 the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come!
“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 'And if thy hand or thy foot doth cause thee to stumble, cut them off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into the life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast to the fire the age-during. (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 thine eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee one-eyed to enter into the life, rather than having two eyes to be cast to the gehenna of the fire. (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 'Beware! — ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,
“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 did come to save the lost.
Amegbetɔ Vi la va be yeaɖe ame siwo bu la.]
12 'What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not — having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains — seek that which is 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 it may come to pass that he doth find it, verily I say to you, that he doth rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone 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 so it is not will in presence of your Father who is in the heavens, that one of these little ones may perish.
Nenema ke menye Fofonye si le dziƒo ƒe didi be ɖevi sue siawo dometɔ ɖeka pɛ hã nabu o.
15 'And if thy brother may sin against thee, go and show him his fault between thee and him alone, if he may hear thee, thou didst gain thy 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 and if he may not hear, take with thee yet one or two, that by the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may stand.
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 may not hear them, say [it] to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.
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 'Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.
“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 you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask — it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens,
“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 where there are two or three gathered together — to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'
Elabena afi si ame eve alo etɔ̃ ƒo ƒu ɖo le nye ŋkɔ me la, manɔ wo dome.”
21 Then Peter having come near to him, said, 'Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him — till 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 saith to him, 'I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.
Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Gbeɖe, menye zi adre o, ke boŋ zi blaadre teƒe adre.”
23 'Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with 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 he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents,
Esi wònɔ akɔnta la wɔm la, wokplɔ eƒe fenyila ɖeka vɛ; ame sia nyi fe sidi akpe akpewo le esi.
25 and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made.
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 The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
“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 and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him.
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 'And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.
“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 His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;
“Ŋutsu sia hã dze klo ɖe kuku nɛ be, ‘Meɖe kuku, gbɔ dzi ɖi nam vie ekema maxe fe la katã na wò.’
30 and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing.
“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 'And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done;
Ŋutsu nublanuitɔ sia xɔlɔ̃ aɖe kpɔ nu si dzɔ la, eye wòyi ɖagblɔ nya la na fia la.
32 then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon 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 did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee?
Nu ka ta wò hã màkpɔ nublanui na amewo abe ale si nye hã mekpɔ nublanui na wò ene o?’
34 'And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him;
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 also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.'
“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 >