1-2. (a) Aber a Paul kyerɛɛw krataa kɛmaa Ephesusfo no, nna ebɛn tsebea na ɔwɔ mu na ebɛnadze ntsi na ɔkyerɛɛw dɛm krataa no? (b) Ebɛn nsɛmbisa na yebosusu ho wɔ adzesua yi mu?

 ABER a nna ɔsomafo Paul da efiadze wɔ nankasa ne fie wɔ Rome no, nna ɔpɛ dɛ ɔhyɛ ne mfɛfo agyedzifo no nkuran. Naaso nna orunntum nnkɛsera hɔn. Dɛm ntsi ɔkyerɛɛw nkrataa dze kɛhyɛɛ hɔn nkuran. Ɔkyerɛɛw dɛm nkrataa yi mu kor dze kɛmaa Ephesusfo no, na ɔkyerɛwee wɔ bɛyɛ afe 60 anaa 61 H.B.—Eph. 1:1; 4:1.

² Bɛyɛ mfe du ansaana Paul rekyerɛw dɛm krataa yi no, nna oedzi kan akɛtsena Ephesus kakra aka asɛmpa no na ɔakyerɛkyerɛ nkorɔfo so. (Andw. 19:​1, 8-10; 20:​20, 21) Nna ɔdɔ enuanom no paa, dɛm ntsi nna ɔpɛ dɛ ɔboa hɔn ma wɔkɔ do dzi Jehovah nokwar. Naaso, ebɛnadze ntsi na Paul kyerɛɛw sum na kan ho asɛm kɛmaa Christianfo a nna wɔasera hɔn yi? Na ebɛnadze na Christianfo nyina botum esua efi afotu a ɔdze kɛmaa hɔn no mu? Hom mma yensusu dɛm nsɛmbisa yi ho.

HOM EFI SUM MU ABA KAN MU

3. Ebɛn ntotoho na Paul yɛe wɔ krataa a ɔkyerɛwee kɛmaa Ephesusfo no mu?

³ Paul kyerɛwee kɛmaa Christianfo a nna wɔwɔ Ephesus no dɛ: “Nkan no nkyɛ hom yɛ sum, na afei dze, hom yɛ kan.” (Eph. 5:8) Paul dze abrabɔ a nna Ephesusfo no wɔ mu no totoo sum ho na ɔdze nsesa a wɔayɛ no totoo kan ho. Hom mma yɛnhwɛ siantsir a Paul kaa kyerɛɛ Ephesusfo no dɛ nna ‘wɔyɛ sum’ no.

4. Ebɛn kwan do na ator som ntsi nna Ephesusfo no wɔ sum mu?

⁴ Ator som ntsi, nna wɔwɔ sum mu. Ansaana Ephesusfo a Paul kyerɛɛw hɔn krataa yi rebɛyɛ Christianfo no, nna ator nkyerɛkyerɛ  na gyedzihun dze hɔn ayɛ nkowaa. Nna Ephesus kurow no mu na Greekfo hɔn nyamebaa Artemis a ɔagye dzin no n’abosom dan wɔ. Nna hɔn a wɔwɔ hɔ dɛm aber no bu dɛm abosom dan yi dɛ ɔka ndzɛmba esuon a ɔyɛ nwanwa paa a nyimpa ayɛ wɔ wiadze yi mu no ho. Hɔn a nna wɔsom wɔ bea a ɔtse dɛm no, nna abosonsɔr agye hɔn tsir tam. Nna edwimfo a wɔwɔ hɔ no yɛ abosom dan no ne sɛso nye hɔn nyamebaa no honyi na wɔtɔn dze nya sika pii. (Andw. 19:​23-27) Afei so, nna nyimpa pii a wɔwɔ kurow no mu no yi nkongyaa.—Andw. 19:19.

5. Ebɛn kwan do na ɔbrafun ntsi, nna Ephesusfo no wɔ sum mu?

⁵ Ɔbrafun ntsi, nna wɔhyɛ sum mu. Nna wonyim Ephesusfo no dɛ wɔyɛ nkorɔfo a hɔn bra asɛɛ na wɔmmfɛr hɔn bra bɔn no ho. Beebi a ebɛfa biara, dɛ ɔyɛ agodzibea o, hɔn som afahyɛ ase o, nna dza wɔka ho asɛm paa nye ɔbarimba na ɔbaa ntamu nda. (Eph. 5:3) Nna Ephesusfo no mu pii “enyi nnto hwee.” Asɛmfua “enyi nnto hwee” no, sɛ wɔkyerɛ ase tsenn a, dza ɔkyerɛ nye “wɔnntse yaw bio.” (Eph. 4:​17-19) Ansaana Ephesusfo no rubohu dza Jehovah pɛ nye dza ɔmmpɛ no, nna sɛ wɔyɛ biribi bɔn a, hɔn tsibowa nnhaw hɔn. Afei so, nna wɔtse nka dɛ wɔnye Jehovah nnyi akontaabu biara. Osian dɛm ndzɛmba yi ntsi, nna Paul botum aka hɔnho asɛm dɛ ‘sum ahyɛ hɔn adwen mu, na wɔyɛ Nyankopɔn nkwa no ho ananaben.’

6. Ebɛnadze ntsi na Paul kaa kyerɛɛ Ephesusfo no dɛ “afei dze hom yɛ kan”?

⁶ Naaso Ephesusfo no mu binom wɔ hɔ a, wɔannkɔ do anntsena sum no mu. Paul kaa hɔnho asɛm dɛ “afei dze, hom yɛ kan wɔ Ewuradze mu.” (Eph. 5:8) Afei dze, nna wɔdze Kyerɛwnsɛm mu nokwar a ɔtse dɛ kan a woebohu no robɔ hɔn bra. (Ndw. 119:105) Nna Ephesusfo a woebohu nokwar no atwe hɔnho efi ator som mu ndzeyɛɛ nye ɔbrafun ho. Nna wɔabɛyɛ nkorɔfo a ‘worusuasua Nyankopɔn’ na wɔreyɛ dza wobotum biara dɛ wɔbɔsom no na wɔayɛ dza ɔsɔ n’enyi.—Eph. 5:1.

7. Ansaana yerubohu nokwar no, nna ebɛn kwan do na hɛn tsebea tse dɛ Christianfo a nna wɔwɔ Ephesus no mu pii?

⁷ Hɛn so ansaana yerubosua nokwar no ho  adze no, nna ator som na ɔbrafun ntsi yɛwɔ sum mu. Nna hɛn mu binom dze hɛnho hyɛ nyamesom mu afahyɛ ahorow a onngyina Bible do mu. Afei so, nna hɛn mu binom abrabɔ asɛɛ koraa. Naaso aber a yebosuaa dza Jehovah pɛ nye dza ɔmmpɛ ho adze no, yɛsesaa hɛn abrabɔ koraa na yɛhyɛɛ ase yɛɛ ndzɛmba a Jehovah pɛ. Dɛm a yɛyɛe no ama yeenya nhyira pii. (Isa. 48:17) Naaso, yɛda ho ara hyia ɔhaw afofor so. Sum a yɛatwe hɛnho efi ho no, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛhwɛ yie na yaammbɛn ho bio. Mbom no, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛkɔ do ‘nantsew dɛ kan mba.’ Yebesi dɛn ayɛ dɛm?

HOM NTWE HOMHO MFI SUM NO HO

8. Dɛ mbrɛ Ephesusfo 5:​3-5 ma yehu no, nna ebɛnadze na ɔsɛ dɛ Ephesusfo no twe hɔnho fi ho?

⁸ Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:​3-5. Mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ na Christianfo a wɔwɔ Ephesus no atwe hɔnho efi ɔbrafun ho no, nna ɔsɛ dɛ wɔkɔ do pow ndzeyɛɛ a Jehovah kyir. Nna dɛm ndzeyɛɛ no bi nye edwamambɔ nye nsɛnkwaa a kasafi wɔ mu. Paul tuu Ephesusfo no fo dɛ, sɛ wɔpɛ dɛ wonya “egyapadze wɔ Christ nye Nyankopɔn Ahendzi no mu” a, ɔsɛ dɛ wɔtwe hɔnho fi ndzeyɛɛ a ɔtsetse dɛm no ho.

9. Ebɛnadze ntsi na ɔsɛ dɛ yɛhwɛ hɛnho yie paa na yɛannyɛ biribiara a ɔbɛma yɛdze hɛnho akɛhyɛ edwamambɔ mu?

⁹ Hɛn so, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛkɔ do ko tsia ‘sum ndwuma a ɔnnsow aba no,’ amma yaammfa hɛnho annkɛhyɛ mu. (Eph. 5:11) Nsɛm a osisi ma yehu dɛ sɛ obi hwɛ ndwamansɛm ho mfonyin, otsie ho nsɛm anaa ɔnye nkorɔfo bɔ ho nkɔmbɔ a, ɔnnyɛ dzen dɛ ɔdze noho bɛhyɛ ndzeyɛɛ bɔn mu. (Gen. 3:6; Jas. 1:​14, 15) Dɛ nhwɛdo no, wɔ ɔman bi mu no, enuanom binom tseew anyɛnkofo kuw bi wɔ sohyial media do a nna wɔnye hɔnho dzi nkitaho. Nna hɔn a wɔwɔ kuw no mu no dɔɔ so. Ahyɛse no dze, nna hɔn mu pii bɔ sunsum afamu nkɔmbɔ. Naaso ber rokɔ do no, nkɔmbɔ no danee, na nna ndzɛmba a wɔka ho asɛm no ho nntsew. Okowiee ase no, nna nkɔmbɔ no ne fa kɛsenara ebegyina nda mu nkitahodzi do. Ekyir yi hɔn mu pii kaa dɛ dza nna wɔbɔ ho nkɔmbɔ no maa wɔdze hɔnho kɛhyɛɛ nda mu ɔbrasɛɛ mu.

10. Ebɛn kwan na Satan fa do daadaa hɛn? (Ephesusfo 5:6)

¹⁰ Satan no wiadze no bɔ mbɔdzen dɛ ɔbɛdaadaa hɛn ma yaagye edzi dɛ dza Jehovah aka dɛ ɔyɛ ɔbrafun na no ho nntsew no, ɔnnyɛ dɛm na ɔtse koraa. (2 Pet. 2:19) Naaso iyi nnyɛ hɛn nwanwa koraa! Ebɛnadze ntsi a? Siantsir nye dɛ ofi tsetse nyina Abɔnsam abɔ mbɔdzen dɛ ɔbɛsɛɛ nyimpa hɔn adwen mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a worunnhu papa na bɔn mu nsonsonee. (Isa. 5:20; 2 Cor. 4:4) Ntsi ɔnnyɛ nwanwa dɛ ndɛ sene ahorow, TV do dwumadzi nye nsɛm ahorow a wɔdze gu intanɛt do no hyɛ ndzɛmba a Jehovah kyir ho nkuran! Satan robɔ mbɔdzen dɛ ɔbɛdaadaa hɛn ma yeenya adwen dɛ asɛm biara nnyi ndzeyɛɛ a no ho nntsew nye abrabɔ fun a woebu do wɔ wiadze yi mu ndɛ no ho. Afei so, ɔpɛ dɛ yenya adwen dɛ sɛ yɛdze hɛnho hyɛ mu a, hɛn enyi bɛgye na ɔremmfa ɔhaw biara mmberɛ hɛn.—Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:6.

11. Ebɛn kwan do na Angela n’asɛm no ma yehu dɛ ohia paa dɛ yɛdze afotusɛm a ɔwɔ Ephesusfo 5:7 no yɛ edwuma? (Hwɛ mfonyin no so.)

¹¹ Satan pɛ dɛ yɛfa hɔn a wɔbɛma wɔayɛ dzen ama hɛn dɛ yebedzi Jehovah ne mbra do no nyɛnko. Iyi ntsi Paul tuu Ephesusfo no fo dɛ, hɔn a wɔyɛ dza ɔnntsen wɔ Nyankopɔn n’enyi do no, ‘mma wɔnnye hɔn nnya anyɛnkofa biara.’ (Eph. 5:7) Naaso ɔsɛ dɛ yɛhwɛ hɛnho yie paa kyɛn Ephesusfo no. Osiandɛ ndɛ, ɔnnyɛ hɔn a yehu hɔn enyim na enyim no nkotsee na yebotum nye hɔn abɔ. Mbom no, yebotum nye hɔn a wɔwɔ sohyial media do no so abɔ. Angela a a ɔtse Asia no bohun dɛ sohyial media do nkitahodzi yɛ hu paa. Ɔkaa dɛ: “Obotum ayɛ tse dɛ efir, na ɔdze no nkakrankakra botum  asesa mbrɛ yesi susu ndzɛmba ho no. Odur beebi no, nna ɔnnhaw me bio dɛ m’anyɛnkofo mmfa Bible mu afotusɛm mmbɔ hɔn bra. Owiee ase no, mibenyaa adwen dɛ sɛ mobɔ bra a Jehovah n’enyi nngye ho koraa mpo a, ɔnnyɛ hwee.” Enyigyesɛm nye dɛ asafo mu mpanyimfo fi ɔdɔ mu boaa Angela ma ɔyɛɛ nsesa. Angela kaa dɛ: “Sesei, medze m’adwen si ebusuabɔ a menye Jehovah wɔ no do, na ɔnnyɛ sohyial media do nkitahodzi.”

12. Ebɛnadze na ɔbɔboa hɛn ma yaakɔ do dze Jehovah ne mbra abɔ hɛn bra?

¹² Adwen a wiadze no wɔ dɛ sɛ obi dze noho hyɛ ndwamanbra mu a mfom biara nnyi ho no, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛko tsia. Osiandɛ yenyim dɛ adwen a ɔtse dɛm no nnyɛ papa. (Eph. 4:​19, 20) Dɛm ntsi, ɔyɛ papa dɛ yebisa hɛnho nsɛm a odzidzi do yi: ‘Meyɛ dza mubotum biara dɛ merennye m’edwumamufo, mo skuulfo anaa hɔn a wɔmmfa Jehovah ne mbra nnyɛ hwee no mmbɔ? Meda akokodur edzi, na midzi Jehovah nokwar aber mpo a nkorɔfo bu me dɛ menngye dza afofor pɛ dɛ wɔyɛ no nnto mu no?’ Dɛ mbrɛ 2 Timothy 2:​20-22 ma yehu no, bi a no ho behia dɛ yɛhwɛ hɔn a yɛfa hɔn nyɛnko wɔ Christianfo asafo no mu no so yie. Ɔsɛ dɛ yɛma ɔtsena hɛn adwen mu dɛ nnyɛ enuanom a wɔwɔ asafo no mu no nyina na wobotum aboa hɛn ma yaakɔ do edzi Jehovah nokwar.

HOM NNANTSEW “DƐ KAN MBA”

13. Sɛ wɔka dɛ yɛnkɔ do “nnantsew dɛ kan mba” a, ɔkyerɛ dɛn? (Ephesusfo 5:​7-9)

¹³ Paul hyɛɛ Christianfo a nna wɔwɔ Ephesus no nkuran dɛ wɔnkɔ do ntwe hɔnho mfi sum ho na wɔnkɔ do “nnantsew dɛ kan mba.” (Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:​7-9.) Dɛm asɛm yi kyerɛ dɛn? Dza ɔkyerɛ nye dɛ yɛbɔbɔ hɛn bra dɛ nokwar Christianfo aber nyina. Kwan kor a yebotum afa do ayɛ dɛm nye dɛ yɛbɛyer hɛnho esua Bible no nye asafo nwoma ahorow no. Ohia paa dɛ yesuasua Jesus Christ a ɔyɛ “wiadze kan no” no nhwɛdo, na yedzi ne nkyerɛkyerɛ ekyir.—John 8:12; Mbɛ. 6:23.

14. Nyankopɔn no sunsum krɔnkrɔn no besi dɛn aboa hɛn?

¹⁴ Bio so, yehia Nyankopɔn no sunsum krɔnkrɔn no ama yeetum akɔ do abɔ hɛn bra “dɛ kan mba.” Ebɛnadze ntsi a? Osiandɛ ɔyɛ dzen paa dɛ obi bɔbɔ bra a no ho tsew wɔ wiadze a  efifidze na ndwamansɛm ahyɛ mu ma yi mu. (1 Thess. 4:​3-5, 7, 8) Nyankopɔn no sunsum krɔnkrɔn no botum aboa hɛn ma yaapow wiadze adwen. Bi nye wiadze nyansapɛ nye nsusui ahorow a ɔnye Nyankopɔn ne dze nnhyia no. Afei so, sunsum krɔnkrɔn no botum aboa hɛn ma yaayɛ ‘papa nye dza ɔtsen’ aber nyina.—Eph. 5:9.

15. Sɛ yɛpɛ dɛ yenya sunsum krɔnkrɔn no a, ebɛnadze na yebotum ayɛ? (Ephesusfo 5:​19, 20)

¹⁵ Kwan kor a yebotum afa do enya sunsum krɔnkrɔn nye dɛ yɛbɛserɛ efi Nyankopɔn hɔ. Jesus kaa dɛ Jehovah ‘dze sunsum krɔnkrɔn bɛma hɔn a wobisa no no.’ (Luke 11:13) Afei so, sɛ yɛnye hɛn nuanom bɔ mu yi Jehovah ayɛw wɔ asafo nhyiamu ase a, yenya sunsum krɔnkrɔn. (Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:​19, 20.) Nyankopɔn no sunsum krɔnkrɔn no bɔboa hɛn ma yaayɛ dza ɔsɔ n’enyi.

16. Ebɛnadze na ɔbɔboa hɛn ma yeesisi gyinae pa? (Ephesusfo 5:​10, 17)

¹⁶ Sɛ ɔkɛba dɛ yerisi gyinae tsitsir bi a, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛhwehwɛ mu hu dza Jehovah pɛ ama yeetum esi gyinae a ɔnye dza ɔpɛ hyia. (Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:​10, 17.) Sɛ yɛhwehwɛ Bible mu afotusɛm a ɔfa hɛn tsebea no ho a yebotum dze ayɛ edwuma a, nna ɔkyerɛ dɛ yɛrohwehwɛ Nyankopɔn n’adwen wɔ asɛm no ho. Afei so, sɛ yɛdze dɛm afotusɛm no yɛ edwuma a, ɔbɔboa hɛn ma yeesisi gyinae pa.

17. Yebesi dɛn dze hɛn ber edzi dwuma yie? (Ephesusfo 5:​15, 16) (Hwɛ mfonyin no so.)

¹⁷ Paul sanee tuu Christianfo a nna wɔwɔ Ephesus no fo dɛ wɔmfa hɔn ber ndzi dwuma yie. (Kenkan Ephesusfo 5:​15, 16.) Hɛn tamfo Satan a wɔsan frɛ no ‘ɔbɔnfo no’ pɛ dɛ yɛdze hɛn ber nyina dzi wiadze yi mu ndzɛmba ekyir, mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a yennkenya ber dze asom Nyankopɔn. (1 John 5:19) Ɔnnyɛ dzen koraa dɛ Christiannyi bi dze n’adwen besi honam afamu ndzɛmba, nwomasua anaa edwuma do mbom kyɛn dɛ ɔbɔhwehwɛ hokwan ahorow a obotum dze ayɛ pii wɔ Jehovah no som mu. Sɛ ɔba dɛm a, ɔkyerɛ dɛ nyimpa a ɔtse dɛm no rusuasua suban a hɔn a wɔnnsom Jehovah no da no edzi no. Nokwasɛm nye dɛ dɛm ndzɛmba yi  nnyɛ bɔn, naaso ɔnnsɛ dɛ yɛma ɔbɛyɛ adze tsitsir wɔ hɛn asetsena mu. Sɛ yebotum anantsew “dɛ kan mba” a, ɔsɛ dɛ ‘yɛdze ber a yenya no dzi dwuma yie,’ kyerɛ dɛ, ɔsɛ dɛ yɛdze hɛn adwen si ndzɛmba a no ho hia paa no do.

18. Ebɛnadze na Donald yɛe mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a obotum dze ne ber edzi dwuma yie?

¹⁸ Hwehwɛ hokwan ahorow a ibotum dze ayɛ pii wɔ Jehovah no som mu. Dɛm na Donald a ɔtse South Africa no yɛe. Ɔkaa dɛ: “Mohwɛɛ m’abrabɔ mu na mobɔɔ Jehovah mpaa dɛ ɔmboa me ma muntum nyɛ pii wɔ asɛnka edwuma no mu. Meserɛɛ Jehovah dɛ ɔmboa me ma minnya edwuma a obotum ama meenya ber pii dze akɔ asɛnka. Jehovah boaa me ma minyaa edwuma a ɔtse dɛm. Iyi maa menye me yer nyina hyɛɛ akwampaa edwuma no ase.”

19. Yebesi dɛn akɔ do anantsew “dɛ kan mba”?

¹⁹ Ɔbɛyɛ dɛ krataa a Paul kyerɛwee kɛmaa Christianfo a nna wɔwɔ Ephesus no boaa hɔn paa ma wɔkɔr do dze nokwardzi soom Jehovah. Na afotu a ɔtse dɛm a ofi Jehovah hɔ no botum aboa hɛnara so. Dɛ mbrɛ yeebohu no, obotum aboa hɛn ma yeehu ndzɛmba a ɔfata a yebotum dze agyegye hɛn enyi. Obotum so aboa hɛn ma yaafa anyɛnkofo pa. Afei so, obotum ekenyan hɛn ma yaakɔ do ayer hɛnho esua Bible no da biara da. Na sɛ yɛyɛ dɛm a, nna yɛrema nokwar kan no akɔ do akyerɛ hɛn kwan wɔ hɛn asetsena mu. Ɔsan so ma yehu dɛ sunsum krɔnkrɔn no ho hia, osiandɛ obotum aboa hɛn ma yaada suban pa edzi. Sɛ yɛdze afotusɛm a Paul dze kɛmaa Ephesusfo no yɛ edwuma a, obotum aboa hɛn ma yeesisi gyinae pa, kyerɛ dɛ, yebesisi gyinae a ɔnye Jehovah n’apɛdze hyia. Sɛ yɛyɛ dɛm ndzɛmba yi a, ɔbɔboa hɛn ma yaatwe hɛnho efi wiadze a woedu sum yi ho na yaakɔ do anantsew kan no mu!