Mra Be Mli Kristojamɔ Kɛ Roma Nyɔŋmɔi Lɛ

BITINIA amralo ni atsɛɔ lɛ Pliny Fio lɛ ŋma wolo eyaha Roma Nɔyelɔ Trajan, ni ewie yɛ mli akɛ: “Nɛkɛ ji bɔ ni mikɛ mɛi ni afolɔɔ amɛnaa akɛ amɛji Kristofoi lɛ yeɔ. Mibiɔ amɛ kɛji amɛji Kristofoi, ni kɛ́ amɛkpɛlɛ nɔ lɛ, miyaa nɔ mibiɔ amɛ shii enyɔ sɔŋŋ, ni yɛ eko fɛɛ eko mli lɛ, miwoɔ amɛhe gbeyei akɛ magbala amɛtoi. Kɛ́ amɛkɛɛ doo akɛ Kristofoi ji amɛ lɛ, mifãa koni ayagbe amɛ.” Shi Pliny ŋma yɛ amɛteŋ mɛi ni kwaa Kristojamɔ kɛtsɔ loomɔ ni amɛlomɔɔ Kristo, kɛ jamɔ ni amɛjáa Roma nɔyelɔ lɛ he amaga kɛ wɔji ni akɛbaa kojomɔhe lɛ nɔ lɛ ahe akɛ: “Miŋmɛɔ amɛhe ni amɛyaa.”

Awa mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ ayi ejaakɛ amɛkpoo akɛ amɛaajá Roma nɔyelɔ lɛ kɛ wɔji srɔtoi lɛ. Te Roma Nɔyeli lɛ fee enii yɛ jamɔi krokomɛi ni yɔɔ enɔyeli lɛ shishi lɛ ahe eha tɛŋŋ? Mɛɛ nyɔŋmɔi amɛjá, ni te Romabii lɛ bu nakai nyɔŋmɔi lɛ amɛha tɛŋŋ? Mɛni hewɔ awa Kristofoi lɛ ayi yɛ kpoomɔ ni amɛkpoo akɛ amɛaashã afɔle amɛha Roma nyɔŋmɔi lɛ hewɔ lɛ? Sanebimɔi nɛɛ ahetoi baaye abua wɔ koni kɛ́ wɔkɛ kaa ni baanyɛ aha wɔkwa Yehowa kpe lɛ, wɔna nɔ ni esa akɛ wɔfee.

Jamɔi ní Hi Roma Nɔyeli lɛ Shishi

Roma Nɔyeli lɛ ye mɛi ni wieɔ wiemɔi srɔtoi ni yɔɔ kusumii srɔtoi anɔ, ni nakai nɔŋŋ hu ajá nyɔŋmɔi srɔtoi babaoo yɛ nɔyeli lɛ shishi. Eyɛ mli akɛ Romabii lɛ bu Yuda jamɔ akɛ eyɛ srɔto kwraa moŋ, shi amɛbu lɛ akɛ eji religio licita, ni shishi ji jamɔ ni akpɛlɛ nɔ, ni amɛbu he. Akɛ toobii enyɔ kɛ tsina nuu shã afɔle shii enyɔ daa gbi yɛ Yerusalem sɔlemɔtsu lɛ mli aha Kaisare kɛ Roma maŋ lɛ. Kɛji afɔlei nɛɛ saa nyɔŋmɔ kome hiɛ jio, nyɔŋmɔi babaoo ahiɛ jio lɛ, no jeee Romabii lɛ ahe sane ko. Yɛ amɛgbɛfaŋ lɛ, nifeemɔ nɛɛ tsɔɔ akɛ Yudafoi lɛ fĩɔ Roma Nɔyeli lɛ sɛɛ.

Wɔŋjamɔ kui srɔtoi hi maji srɔtoi ni yɔɔ nɔyeli lɛ shishi lɛ amli. Mɛi babaoo he Hela adesãi lɛ amɛye, ni klamɔ hu he shi. Asia Bokagbɛ jamɔi srɔtoi lɛ ha amɛjamɔŋbii lɛ ná hemɔkɛyeli akɛ amɛsusuma gboŋ, Nyɔŋmɔ baajie ehe kpo etsɔɔ amɛ, ni ákɛ amɛbaabɛŋkɛ nyɔŋmɔi lɛ kɛ́ amɛtsu kusumii komɛi ní yɔɔ hwanyaŋŋ ahe nii. Jamɔi nɛɛ he shi yɛ Roma Nɔyeli lɛ mli fɛɛ. Yɛ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ shishijee afii ohai lɛ amli lɛ, Mizraim nyɔŋmɔ ni ji Serapis kɛ nyɔŋmɔyoo ni ji Isis, Aram lòo nyɔŋmɔyoo ni ji Atargatis, kɛ Persiabii lɛ ahulu nyɔŋmɔ ni ji Mithra lɛ ajamɔ he shi waa.

 Biblia mli wolo ni ji Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji lɛ haa wɔnaa bɔ ni mɛi já wɔji amɛha yɛ mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ abeaŋ lɛ faŋŋ. Ákɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, Roma amralo ni yeɔ Kipro nɔ lɛ kɛ Yudanyo ŋkunyaayelɔ ko bɔ. (Bɔf. 13:6, 7) Mɛi ni yɔɔ Listra lɛ susu akɛ Paulo ji Hela nyɔŋmɔ Herme ni Barnaba ji Dio. (Bɔf. 14:11-13) Beni Paulo yɔɔ Filipi lɛ, sane ko ba ekɛ tsulɔ yoo ko ni klamɔ mumɔ yɔɔ emli lɛ teŋ. (Bɔf. 16:16-18) Beni Paulo yɔɔ Ateene lɛ, ewie akɛ maŋbii lɛ ‘jáa wɔji pɛpɛɛpɛ.’ Ena afɔleshaalatɛ ko hu yɛ nakai maŋ lɛ nɔ, ni aŋma yɛ nɔ akɛ: “Nyɔŋmɔ ni aleko lɛ nɔŋ.” (Bɔf. 17:22, 23) Efesobii lɛ já nyɔŋmɔyoo Artemi. (Bɔf. 19:1, 23, 24, 34) Ŋshɔkpɔ ni ji Melita lɛ nɔ bii lɛ kɛɛ akɛ Paulo ji nyɔŋmɔ akɛni onufu ko kɔ̃ lɛ shi nɔ ko nɔ ko efeee lɛ lɛ hewɔ. (Bɔf. 28:3-6) Ehe bahia ni Kristofoi ni yɔɔ shihilɛ ni tamɔ nɛkɛ mli lɛ akwɛ jogbaŋŋ yɛ nibii ni baanyɛ abule amɛjamɔ krɔŋŋ lɛ ahe.

Romabii Ajamɔ

Beni maji ni Romabii lɛ yeɔ nɔ lɛ faa lɛ, Romabii lɛ kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ maji nɛɛ awɔji lɛ nɔŋŋ ji Romabii lɛ awɔji lɛ, ni ákɛ amɛhiɛ su kroko kɛkɛ. Romabii lɛ kpataaa maji ni amɛye amɛnɔ kunim lɛ awɔji lɛ ahiɛ, shi moŋ, amɛkpɛlɛ amɛnɔ ni amɛŋɔ amɛ amɛfata amɛwɔji lɛ ahe. No hewɔ lɛ, bɔ ni Romabii lɛ ye maji srɔtoi babaoo anɔ lɛ, nakai nɔŋŋ hu amɛjá wɔji srɔtoi babaoo. Romabii lɛ susuuu akɛ esa akɛ ajá nyɔŋmɔ koome ko pɛ. Amɛsusumɔ ji akɛ, mɛi baanyɛ amɛjá wɔji srɔtoi babaoo yɛ be kome too lɛ nɔŋŋ mli.

Jupiter ní atsɛɔ lɛ hu akɛ Optimus Maximus, ofe ni nɔ bɛ, lɛ ji Romabii anyɔŋmɔi lɛ ateŋ otu. Amɛhe amɛye akɛ ejieɔ ehe kpo yɛ ahum, nugbɔnɛmɔ, srawa, kɛ nugbɔshiimɔ mli. Romabii lɛ he amɛye akɛ Jupiter nyɛmi yoo kɛ ehefatalɔ ní atsɛɔ lɛ Juno, ní amɛkɛ nyɔŋtsere lɛ feɔ ehe mfoniri lɛ, kwɛɔ yei ashihilɛ mli saji fɛɛ anɔ. Jupiter bi yoo Minerva ji nyɔŋmɔyoo ni kwɛɔ nibii ni agbɔɔ, ninenaa nitsumɔi, nitɛŋmɔi, kɛ tawuu nɔ.

Romabii lɛ já wɔji babaoo. Weku fɛɛ weku yɛ wɔŋ ko ni ejáa, ni atsɛɔ wɔji nɛɛ akɛ Lares kɛ Penates. Vesta ji shĩa latɛ nyɔŋmɔyoo. Janus ni ji nyɔŋmɔ kɛha nibii fɛɛ ashishijee lɛ yɛ hiɛi enyɔ, ekome kwɛɔ esɛɛgbɛ ni ekome hu kwɛɔ ehiɛgbɛ. Ninenaa nitsumɔ fɛɛ ninenaa nitsumɔ yɛ enyɔŋmɔ. Romabii lɛ he amɛye po akɛ adesai asubaŋi lɛ fɛɛ eko yɛ enyɔŋmɔ. Pax baa toiŋjɔlɛ yi, Salus baa gbɔmɔtsoŋ hewalɛnamɔ  yi, Pudicitia baa heshibaa kɛ jeŋba hetsemɔ yi, Fides baa anɔkwayeli yi, Virtus baa ekãafeemɔ yi, ni Voluptas baa miishɛɛnamɔ yi. Romabii lɛ he amɛye akɛ nyɔŋmɔi lɛ náa nibii fɛɛ ní amɛfeɔ yɛ amɛshihilɛ mli lɛ nɔ hewalɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, bɔni afee ni amɛye omanye yɛ nɔ ko ní amɛmiitao amɛfee lɛ mli lɛ, amɛsɔleɔ, amɛshãa afɔlei, ni amɛyeɔ gbii juji amɛhaa nyɔŋmɔ ni kwɛɔ nakai nifeemɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ.

Ŋkunyaayeli ji gbɛ kome ni amɛtsɔɔ nɔ amɛbiɔ wɔji lɛ anii. Gbɛ titri ni amɛtsɔɔ nɔ amɛyeɔ ŋkunyaa ji akɛ, amɛkwɛɔ kooloi ni amɛkɛshãa afɔlei lɛ amusuŋnii amli. Amɛhe amɛye akɛ bɔ ni kooloo lɛ musuŋnii lɛ yɔɔ ha lɛ tsɔɔ kɛji nyɔŋmɔi lɛ kpɛlɛɔ nɔ ni amɛyaafee lɛ nɔ loo amɛkpɛlɛɛɛ nɔ.

Afi 100 D.Ŋ.B. afii lɛ naagbee gbɛ lɛ, Romabii lɛ kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ amɛnyɔŋmɔi wuji lɛ nɔŋŋ ji Helabii lɛ anyɔŋmɔi wuji lɛ—Jupiter ji Dio, Juno ji Hera, kɛ ekrokomɛi ni fata he. Romabii lɛ kpɛlɛ Hela nyɔŋmɔi lɛ ahe adesãi lɛ hu nɔ. Adesãi nɛɛ ejieee nyɔŋmɔi lɛ ayi kwraa, shi moŋ etsɔɔ akɛ amɛyɛ sui gbohii kɛ gbɔjɔmɔi tamɔ adesai nɔŋŋ. Ákɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, awie Dio he akɛ eji kabonaatolɔ kɛ mɔ ni feɔ gbekɛbii bɔlɛnamɔ mli niseniianii, ní kɛ adesai kɛ nyɔŋmɔi krokomɛi náa bɔlɛ. Bei pii lɛ mɛi jieɔ hiɛgbejianii ní nyɔŋmɔi lɛ feɔ lɛ ayi jogbaŋŋ yɛ shwɛmɔi ni ashwɛɔ yɛ blema shwɛmɔhei lɛ amli, ni enɛ haa nyɔŋmɔi nɛɛ ajálɔi lɛ naa akɛ amɛ hu amɛbaanyɛ amɛkɛ amɛhe awo nifeemɔi gbohii nɛɛ amli.

Eka shi faŋŋ akɛ mɛi ni le woloŋ lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo heee adesãi nɛɛ amɛyeee. Amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi bu saji nɛɛ akɛ amɛji abɛbuai. Ekolɛ enɛ hewɔ Pontio Pilato bi akɛ, “Mɛni ji anɔkwale?” lɛ. (Yoh. 18:38) Asusuɔ akɛ nakai sanebimɔ lɛ kɛ “susumɔ ni mɛi ni le woloŋ lɛ hiɛ akɛ anyɛŋ ale anɔkwale ni yɔɔ saji nɛɛ amli lɛ” kpãa gbee.

Nɔyelɔ lɛ Jamɔ

Augustus nɔyeli lɛ beaŋ (27 D.Ŋ.B. kɛyashi 14 Ŋ.B.) aje nɔyelɔi lɛ ajamɔ shishi. Mɛi babaoo ahiɛ sɔ Augustus jogbaŋŋ, titri lɛ mɛi ni hi Bokagbɛ shikpɔji ní awieɔ Hela wiemɔ yɛ mli lɛ anɔ lɛ, ejaakɛ eha shweremɔ kɛ toiŋjɔlɛ ba yɛ ta ko ni akɛ be kakadaŋŋ wu lɛ sɛɛ. Mɛi tao akɛ amɛná adesa ko ni ji nɔyelɔ ni yɔɔ hewalɛ ni baaya nɔ abu amɛhe. Amɛshwe koni amɛná nɔyeli ko ni baaha amɛ fɛɛ amɛjá nɔ kome, amɛdɔ amɛmaŋ lɛ he, ni eha jeŋ muu lɛ fɛɛ afee ekome yɛ eshishi akɛ “amɛyiwalaherelɔ.” Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, ababu nɔyelɔ lɛ akɛ eji nyɔŋmɔ.

Eyɛ mli akɛ beni Augustus yɔɔ wala mli lɛ, eŋmɛɛɛ gbɛ ni mɛi atsɛ lɛ nyɔŋmɔ moŋ, shi ema nɔ mi doo akɛ ajá nyɔŋmɔyoo, ni ji Roma Dea, ni feɔ Roma maŋ lɛ he mfoniri lɛ. Shi beni Augustus gbo lɛ, amɛjá lɛ akɛ nyɔŋmɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ maŋbii lɛ ajamɔ kɛ amɛmaŋhedɔɔ nifeemɔi fɛɛ amli lɛ, amɛgbalaa amɛjwɛŋmɔ kɛyaa Roma nɔyeli lɛ maŋtiase lɛ kɛ enɔyelɔi lɛ anɔ. Etsɛɛɛ ni jamɔ ni ajáa nɔyelɔ lɛ he shi yɛ nɔyelihei lɛ fɛɛ amli, ni ebatsɔ gbɛ ni atsɔɔ nɔ ajieɔ bulɛ kpo atsɔɔ Maŋ lɛ kɛ gbɛ ni akɛtsɔɔ akɛ afĩɔ Maŋ lɛ sɛɛ.

Domitian, ni ye nɔ kɛjɛ afi 81 kɛyashi 96 Ŋ.B. lɛ, ji Roma nɔyelɔ klɛŋklɛŋ ni bi ní ajá lɛ akɛ nyɔŋmɔ. Yɛ ebeaŋ lɛ, efee faŋŋ eha Romabii lɛ akɛ, esoro Kristofoi lɛ yɛ Yudafoi lɛ ahe, ni amɛte shi amɛwo Kristojamɔ ejaakɛ amɛbu lɛ akɛ eji jamɔ kuu hee. Eka shi faŋŋ akɛ Domitian beaŋ ni atswa bɔfo Yohane naneshishi tu kɛtee ŋshɔkpɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Patmo lɛ nɔ, akɛni ‘eye Yesu he odase’ lɛ hewɔ.—Kpoj. 1:9.

Yohane ŋma Kpojiemɔ wolo lɛ beni eyɔɔ Patmo lɛ. Etsĩ Antipa, ni ji Kristofonyo ko ni agbe lɛ yɛ Pergamo, he ko ni jamɔ ni ajáa nɔyelɔ lɛ he shi waa yɛ lɛ, tã yɛ ewolo lɛ mli. (Kpoj. 2:12, 13) Eeenyɛ efee akɛ yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ,  nɔyeli lɛ bɔi bimɔ akɛ Kristofoi lɛ kɛ amɛhe awo Maŋ lɛ jamɔŋ nifeemɔi amli. Kɛ́ nakai ni jio, jeee nakai ni jio lɛ, beni shɛɔ afi 112 Ŋ.B. lɛ, Pliny bi ni Kristofoi ni yɔɔ Bitinia lɛ kɛ amɛhe awo nakai jamɔŋ nifeemɔi lɛ amli, taakɛ wolo ni eŋma eyaha Trajan, ní wɔwie he yɛ shishijee mli lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ.

Trajan jie Pliny yi yɛ gbɛ ni etsɔ nɔ etsu saji ni akɛbafɔ ehiɛ lɛ he nii lɛ hewɔ, ni efã ni agbe Kristofoi ni kpoɔ akɛ amɛaajá Romabii anyɔŋmɔi lɛ. Trajan ŋma akɛ, “Shi kɛ́ mɔ lɛ kɛɛ jeee Kristofonyo ji lɛ, ní ekã wɔnyɔŋmɔi lɛ anɔ kita kɛma enɛ nɔ mi lɛ, ha aŋɔke lɛ (kɛ́ nyɛyiŋ etɛɛɛ nyɛ yɛ ehe po) yɛ etsui tsakemɔ lɛ hewɔ.”

Ewa kɛha Romabii lɛ akɛ amɛaakpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ jamɔ ko aaabi ni emlibii lɛ atuu amɛhe kwraa amɛha nyɔŋmɔ kome pɛ. Roma nyɔŋmɔi lɛ biii ni amɛjálɔi lɛ afee nakai, no hewɔ lɛ mɛni hewɔ esa akɛ Kristofoi lɛ a-Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ abi nɔ ko nakai kɛjɛ Kristofoi lɛ adɛŋ? Amɛnu he akɛ kɛ́ mɔ ko já Romabii anyɔŋmɔi lɛ, nɔ ni etsɔɔ kɛkɛ ji akɛ mɔ lɛ kpɛlɛɔ Roma Nɔyeli lɛ nɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ́ mɔ ko kpoo akɛ eeejá Romabii anyɔŋmɔi lɛ, abuɔ lɛ akɛ maŋjwalɔ. Shi Pliny bayɔse akɛ gbɛ ko kwraa bɛ ni ebaanyɛ etsɔ nɔ enyɛ Kristofoi lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo anɔ ní amɛjá Romabii lɛ anyɔŋmɔi lɛ. Kristofoi lɛ bu nakai ní amɛaafee lɛ akɛ no tsɔɔ akɛ amɛyeee Yehowa anɔkwa, ni mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo hala akɛ amɛaagboi moŋ fe nɔ ni amɛkɛ amɛhe aaawo wɔŋjamɔ nifeemɔ ni ji nɔyelɔ lɛ jamɔ lɛ mli.

Mɛni hewɔ esa akɛ wɔsusu sane nɛɛ he ŋmɛnɛ lɛ? Yɛ maji komɛi anɔ lɛ, abiɔ koni maŋbii lɛ kɛ woo aha maŋ okadii. Ákɛ Kristofoi lɛ, esa akɛ wɔbu maŋ nɔyelɔi lɛ. (Rom. 13:1) Shi kɛ́ amɛkɛɛ wɔkɛ wɔhe awo maŋ nifeemɔi tamɔ aflaŋaa ŋamɔ mli lɛ, wɔhaa ehiɔ wɔjwɛŋmɔŋ akɛ Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ miisumɔ ni ajá ekome too pɛ, ni e-Wiemɔ lɛ woɔ wɔ ŋaa akɛ ‘wɔjo wɔŋjamɔ naa foi’ ní ‘wɔkwɛ wɔhe ni ahi yɛ wɔji ahewɔ.’ (1 Kor. 10:14; 1 Yoh. 5:21; Nah. 1:2) Yesu kɛɛ akɛ: ‘Yehowa o-Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ oja, ni lɛ kɛkɛ osɔmɔ!’ (Luka 4:8) Belɛ, nyɛhaa wɔyaa nɔ wɔyea Nyɔŋmɔ ní wɔjáa lɛ lɛ anɔkwa.

[Wiemɔ ni akɔ ni akɛmiitsu nii ni yɔɔ baafa 5]

Anɔkwa Kristofoi jáa Yehowa kome too pɛ

[Mfonirii ni yɔɔ baafa 3]

Mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ jáaa nɔyelɔ lɛ kɛ wɔji lɛ

Maŋtsɛ Domitian

Dio

[He ni Sane lɛ Jɛ]

Maŋtsɛ Domitian: Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com; Dio: Photograph by Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com, taken at Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 4]

Kristofoi ni hi Efeso lɛ kpoo akɛ amɛaajá nyɔŋmɔyoo Artemi ní mɛi babaoo já lɛ lɛ.—Bɔf. 19:23-41