Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant
(Matthew 8.5-13John 4.43-54)1 After Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 In this town an army officer's servant was sick and about to die. The officer liked his servant very much. 3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal the servant.
4 The leaders went to Jesus and begged him to do something. They said, “This man deserves your help! 5 He loves our nation and even built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
When Jesus wasn't far from the house, the officer sent some friends to tell him, “Lord, don't go to any trouble for me! I am not good enough for you to come into my house. 7 And I am certainly not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will get well. 8 I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith!”
10 The officer's friends returned and found the servant well.
A Widow's Son
11 Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. 12 As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.
13 When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”
14 Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” 15 The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.
16 Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”
17 News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.
John the Baptist
(Matthew 11.1-19)18-19 John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”
20 When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”
21 At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. 22 Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. 23 God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”
24 After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:
What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 25 What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. 26 What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 27 In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” 28 No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
29 Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.
31 Jesus went on to say:
What are you people like? What kind of people are you? 32 You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,
“We played the flute,
but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
but you would not cry!”
33 John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” 34 But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.
Simon the Pharisee
36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.
37 When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. 38 Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.
41 Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50. 42 Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44 He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”
50 But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved. May God give you peace!”
Ongamburiro yomuhongore Omuroma
(Mt 8:5-13)1 Nu Jesus tja manene okuraera ovandu omambo we aehe, wa ire kOkapernaum. 2 Pa ri omuhongore wotjimbumba tjovarwe wovita ngwa ri nomukarere omusuverwa ku ye; nomukarere ngwi wa verere tjinene, nu wa ri pokuṱa. 3 Omuhongore ngwi tja zuvire Jesus, arire tja hindi ovanene tjiva vOvajuda okukemuningira kutja e ye okuverukisa omukarere we. 4 Nowo ve ya ku Jesus nave riyarikaṋa tjinene ku ye nave tja: “Omundu ngwi, tjiri, wa pu pokuvaterwa i ove. 5 Tara, eye wa suvera otjiwaṋa tjetu, nu we tu tungira osinagoge.”
6 Jesus opa ira puna wo. Nu eye ngunda e ri ohumburuko kaṱiṱi nondjuwo, omuhongore arire tja hindi omapanga we kutja ve katje nai ku ye: “Muhona, arikana o ri pe oviungura ovingi, orondu hi pwire kutja ove u hite mondjuwo yandje. 7 Nu opu mba zu okurivara omuini kutja hi sere okuya kove. Hungira indi erakizambo uriri, nomukarere wandje ma veruka. 8 Ami omuini wina owami omundu ngu mbi ri kehi youvara wovanane wokombanda, nu mbina ovarwe wovita kehi yandje. Mbi tja nai ku umwe: ‘Twende,’ a i; nu e tja komukwao: ‘Indjo,’ eya; nu e tja komukarere wandje: ‘Tjita nai,’ nu a tjiti nao.”
9 Jesus tja zuva omambo nga wa himisirwe iyo murumendu ngwi tjinene; eye wa tanaukira kotjimbumba tjovandu mbaa ve mu kongorere na tja: “Tjiri, ami me mu raere, hi na pu mba muna ongamburiro ndji ṱa mba, nangarire mOisrael!”
10 Novahindwa tji va kotoka kondjuwo, va vaza ingwi omukarere a veruka.
Jesus ma pendura omuzandu womuhepundu movakoke
11 Tjimanga kombunda yanao Jesus wa ire kotjirongo tji tji isanewa kutja Nain, ama kongorerwa i ovahongewa ve notjimbumba otjinene tjovandu. 12 Nu eye tje ya pomuvero wotjirongo ho, otji papitisiwa omukoke umwe ngwaa twarewa okukapakwa; neye wa ri omuatje omukwatwa erike waina omuhepundu, novandu ovengi tjinene votjirongo tjandje ve ri puna ingwi omukazendu. 13 Muhona tja muna omukazendu ngwi, we mu ṱira ondjenda na tja: “O riri!” 14 Tjazumba otje ya popezu, a ṱunu ko ruara, nu imba mba toorere arire tji va kurama. Jesus wa tja: “Muzandona, ami me ku raere, penduka!” 15 Ingwi omukoke arire tja kengama, nu a utu okuhungira. Nu Jesus we mu yandja ku ina.
16 Avehe va kamburwa i omburuma, nu ave hivirike Ndjambi ave tja: “Mwa penduka omuprofete omunene mokati ketu, nu Ndjambi wa varura otjiwaṋa tje!”
17 Ombuze yotjiṋa hi Jesus tja tjita ya zuvaka mehi arihe ra Judea na motukondwa atuhe ongondoroka.
Ovandu mba hindwa i Johanes Omupapitise
(Mt 11:2-19)18 Ovahongewa va Johanes tji ve mu serekarerera oviṋa avihe mbi, eye wa isana ovahongewa vevari, 19 nu e ve hindi kutja ve kapure Muhona nai: “Hapo oove ngwi ngu kwa za mo ya, poo ingee ngatu undje warwe?”
20 Novarumendu mbo tji ve ya ku Jesus va tja: “Johanes Omupapitise we tu hindi tu ku pure kutja hapo oove ngwi ngu kwa za mo ya poo ingee ngatu undje warwe?”
21 Moiri tjingeyo ndjo Jesus tjandje wa verukisa ovandu ovengi komitjise, komihihamo, nokupitisa ozombepo ozohakohoke mu wo, nokumunisa ovapoṱu ovengi. 22 Eye wa zira nai kovahindwa va Johanes: “Twendeye mu karaere Johanes imbi mbi mwa munu na mbi mwa zuu: Ovapoṱu nambano mave munu, oviṱeṱu mavi ka wondja, imba mba vera omutjise wongana va kohororwa, ozomboro nambano maze zuu, ovaṱi mave pendurwa movakoke, nOmbuze Ombwa mai zuvarisiwa kovasyona. 23 Nomuṋingandu ingwi ngu hi nakuivaiva mu ami!”
24 Ovahindwa va Johanes tji va zapo, Jesus wa uta okuhungira ohunga na Johanes kotjimbumba a tja: “Tji mwa ya ku Johanes mokuti onguza mwa ira okukamuna tjike? Oruu ndu maru hingwa i yombepo, 25 poo mwa ira okukamuna tjike? Omundu ngwa zara ozombanda ozombwa? Ovandu mbe zara ozombanda ozombwa nu mba vyara mbe kara mozondjuwo zouhona! 26 Ndji raereye kutja hapo eṋe mwa ira okukamuna tjike? Omuprofete? Tjiri, me mu raere, eye omunene pomuprofete. 27 Orondu Johanes onguri tjike ngwi ngu maku zu nai momatjangwa: ‘Ndjambi ma tja: Tara, ami me hindi omuhindwa wandje komurungu woye kutja e kekuṱunine ondjira yoye.’ ” 28 Jesus wa weza a tja: “Ami me mu raere, Johanes omunene povandu avehe mba kwatwa kombanda yehi. Nungwari ingwi ngu ri okaṱiṱiṱiṱi mouhona wa Ndjambi, eye omunene pu Johanes.”
29 Ovandu avehe tji va zuva nai; avehe, nu tjinene ovasutise votjisuta tjouhona, va yakura kutja Ndjambi omusemba, owo tjinga ava kara nonḓuviro komarakiza wa Ndjambi omasemba, nave papitisiwa i Johanes. 30 Nungwari imba Ovafarisei nozonongo zomambo va nakaura omambo wa Ndjambi, nga hungirirwa wo nu ave panḓa okupapitisiwa i Johanes.
31 Jesus wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Hapo ovandu vanambano mba va sokusasanekwa na tjike? 32 Owo ve ri otja ovanatje, mba haama poruveze romarandisiro, nu mbu mave ravaerasana nai: ‘Twe mu tonene ozohiva, neṋe amu ha pundu; twa imbura omaimburiro womutambo, neṋe amu ha kamburire!’ 33 Johanes Omupapitise weya, e ritjaera kovikurya nu a ha nu omavinu, neṋe mwa tja: ‘Eye u nombepo ohakohoke!’ 34 Omuna wOmundu tje ya, eye aa ri nu aa nu, neṋe mu tja: ‘Tareye omundu ngo omunararu, nomunwe womavinu, nepanga rovasutise votjisuta tjouhona novanauvi!’ 35 Nungwari imba avehe mbe ri ovanatje va Ndjambi mave raisa kutja Ounongo wa Ndjambi owo ouatjiri.”
Jesus pondjuwo ya Simon Omufarisei
36 Omufarisei umwe wa ṋangere Jesus okuyekurya puna ye, nu Jesus wa kahita mondjuwo ye na kakara pehi potjiriro. 37 Nu motjirongo ho mwa ri omukazendu omurunde. Neye tja tjiwa kutja Jesus u ri potjiriro mondjuwo yOmufarisei, arire tja eta ekende nde urire nomaze omavawa, 38 a kakurama kongotwe ya Jesus pozombaze ze ama riri nokuningenisa ozombaze za Jesus nomahoze we. Nu omukazendu ngwi wa yeka ozombaze za Jesus nozondjise zotjiuru tje, e ze hupite, nu e ze hu nomaze omavawa. 39 Nomufarisei ngwi ngwa ṋangere Jesus tja muna otjiṋa hi, we rihungirira a tja: “Omundu ngwi, tjiri, andakuzu omuprofete, atja tjiwa kutja omukazendu ngu ma ṱunu ku ye ngwi ouṋe; atja tjiwa kutja eye omukazendu omurunde!”
40 Jesus wa hungira na tja ku ye: “Simon, mbi notjiṋa okukuraera!”
Eye a ziri a tja: “Osemba, Muhonge, ndji raera!”
41 Jesus wa hungira a tja: “Pa ri ovarumendu vevari, mba ri nozondjo zomuyazemise wovimariva. Umwe wa ri nozondjo zovimariva ovisilveri omasere yetano, nomukwao wa ri nozondjo zovimariva ovisilveri omirongo vitano. 42 Nowo tjinga ave ha ri notjiṋa tji mave sutu na tjo, omuyazemise arire tje ve isire aveyevari. Ngu me mu suvera tjinene pomukwao ouṋe?”
43 Simon wa zira nai: “Me tjangovasi eye ngwi ngwa isirwa ozondjo ozengi pomukwao.”
Jesus wa tjere: “Ove wa ziri osemba.” 44 Okuzambo Jesus wa tanaukira komukazendu na tja ku Simon: “Omukazendu ngwi mo mu munu? Tara, ami mba hiti moyoye nove ko ndji pere omeva okurikoha na wo ozombaze, nungwari eye wa ningenisa ozombaze zandje nomahoze we, nu e ze yeka nozondjise zotjiuru tje. 45 Ove ko na pu we ndji hupite, nungwari eye okuza nga mba hiti mwi ngamba wa panḓere pokuhupita ozombaze zandje. 46 Ove ko na pu we ndji tirire omaze womiṋinga motjiuru, nungwari eye wa hu ozombaze zandje omaze omavawa. 47 Opu me zu okukuraera omaurunde we omengi ya isirwa, eye tja suvere tjinene. Nungwari ingwi ngwa isirwa kaṱiṱi, ma raisa orusuvero oruṱiṱi.”
48 Jesus wa tja komukazendu: “Ourunde woye ove wa isirwa.”
49 Nu imba mba ri puna ye potjiriro va uta okurihungirira kutja: “Hapo omukendu ngwi ngu isira ourunde?” 50 Nungwari Jesus wa tjere komukazendu: “Ongamburiro yoye ye ku vatere; Twende mohange.”
