1-2. (a) Lia-woo kɛɛ leŋ ɓe Zisɛ e dɛɛ ŋɔpolu-ɓelai pɔ? (b) Le ɓe gɛ Ŋɔpolu-ɓelai dikɛ nɛɛ naa fii kpɛɛ kɛ pa dipɔi? (Ya pɔri ŋɔnɔ votooi kaai.)

 “THE spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak.” a (Matt. 26:41b) From what Jesus say, it show that he understand that we not perfect and we can make mistake. But he was also warning us that we must not trust our self too much. That same night before Jesus say this one, the disciples promise that they will never move from behind him. (Matt. 26:35) It show that they wanted to do the right thing. But they never knew how it was coming be easy for them to do the wrong thing when they under pressure. So Jesus gave them this advice: “Keep on the watch and pray continually, so that you may not enter into temptation.”—Matt. 26:41a.

² Sad to say, the disciples not keep on the watch. When they arrest Jesus, you think his disciples stay with him or they were scary and run away? Because they not keep on the watch, the disciples do the same thing they say they will never do, they move from behind Jesus.—Matt. 26:56.

3. (a) A gɛɛ ku lɛɛ Ziova polu, le mɛni ɓe maa fe nɛ̃ɛ ni la ku mo a gɛɛ kufe pai wɔlɔ pɔara-mɛni-maa kɛi? (b) Le ɓe kwa pai maa-kɔrii zɛŋ-lɛɛi ŋi su?

³ We must not trust our self too much that we always able to do the right thing. That true, we not want do anything that will make us to leave Jehovah. But also, we not perfect and we can always face temptation to do the wrong thing. (Rom. 5:12; 7:​21-23) Sometime, when we not expecting it, we can find our self in situation that can make bad thing to be looking good. To continue sticking  to Jehovah and his Son, we must follow Jesus advice to protect our self when we face temptation to sin. This article will help us to do it. First, we will talk about some situations we really need to avoid. Then, we will talk about how we can protect our self when we face temptation. The last one we will talk about, that how we can continue to protect our self.

MAA NƐ̃ƐI KU KUKPIŊ MƐI KAA SUKƆƆŊ-ŊA KƐƐ LEŊ SU?

4-5. Le mɛni ɓe maa nɛ̃ɛi kukpiŋ mɛi kaa la sɔnyɔŋ pɛlɛpɛlɛɛ yeei?

⁴ Even though some sins can’t be serious, it can still spoil our friendship with Jehovah. Also, it can make you to commit sins that more serious.

⁵ All of us can face temptation to sin. But all us get different-different weakness, so each of us get certain thing that can really tempt us. For example, somebody can be fighting hard to not put their hand in boyfriend and girlfriend business. Maybe another person fighting the temptation to do something wrong, like playing with their private parts, or looking at naked man and naked woman picture or video. And maybe somebody else fighting against fear of man, pride, quick temper, or something else. That the reason why James say, “each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire.”—Jas. 1:14.

6. Le mɛni ɓe maa nɛ̃ɛi kukɛ a kukpiŋ kɔlɔŋɔɔ lai?

⁶ You know the thing them that can really tempt you? We will be fooling our self if we think that we not get any weakness, or we too strong to commit sin. (1 John 1:8) Remember, Paul say that if those “who have spiritual qualifications” not protect their self, it possible for them to sin when they face temptation. (Gal. 6:1) We must be honest with our self and know our weakness.—2 Cor. 13:5.

7. Le ɓe maa nɛ̃ɛi ku gɛ e pilaŋ kufii kpɛɛ mɛni-ŋai dia? Gɔɔŋ-maa lɛ.

⁷ When we know the thing them that can really tempt us, wetin we must do? We must work hard to fight against the temptations! For example, in Bible time, the city gate was the easy place for enemy to pass. That the reason why plenty soldier people use to guard the gate. That the same way we must really pay attention to anything that can tempt us.—1 Cor. 9:27.

 BEREI KWA PƆRI KUKPIŊ MƐI KAAI LAI

8-9. Nyaŋkpai nyii Tare-woo-ŋa 7 e lono e pilaŋ maai eei pɔri sɔnyɔŋ maa laai leŋ? (Tare-woo-ŋa 7:​8, 9, 13, 14, 21)

⁸ How we can protect our self when we face temptation? Let see what we can learn from the young man Proverbs chapter 7 talk about. He love to one prostitute. Verse 22 tell us that this young man was “quick” to follow her. But the verse them before verse 22 show that he do some wrong thing them that make it more easy for him to sin.

⁹ Wetin make this young man to sin? First in the evening, he “passed along the street near [the immoral woman’s] corner.” Then, he pass near her house. (Read Proverbs 7:​8, 9.) When he see the woman, he not move from there. But he allow her to kiss him, and he listen to her while she talk about her sacrifice she can make to Jehovah. She was doing it because she wanted him to think that she not bad person. (Read Proverbs 7:​13, 14, 21.) If he was not coming make all this bad decision them, he was not coming sin.

10. Nuu a pɔri saa bɔara-mɛni-maa tɔnɔi ŋi kɛi leŋ?

¹⁰ The thing Solomon say about this young man just show what can happen to anybody who worshipping Jehovah. Maybe the person will commit serious sin and later on think that everything just happen quick-quick. Or maybe he will say, “I was not expecting it.” But if he think about what really happen, maybe he will see that he made some bad decisions that make him to commit that serious sin. Maybe he made friend with people who not love Jehovah. Or maybe some of the entertainment he choose, the website he use to go on, or the place them he use to go was not good for Christian. And maybe he also stop praying, reading the Bible, going to meetings or field service. That the same way the young man in Proverbs commit serious sin because he made bad decisions.

11. A gɛɛ kufe too sɔnyɔŋ su, le ɓe maa nɛ̃ɛi ku kupolu tɔɔ mai?

¹¹ What the lesson for us? We must not only avoid sin, but we must also avoid anything that will make us to sin. Solomon make that point clear after he talk the story about the young man and prostitute. When he was talking about the prostitute he say: “Do not stray onto her paths.” (Prov. 7:25) He also say: “Stay far away from her; do not go near the entrance of her house.” (Prov. 5:​3, 8) So, to protect our self from committing sin, we must avoid things and situation that will make us to do something wrong. b Even though some thing them not wrong for Christians, but we must avoid it if we know it will make us to sin.—Matt. 5:​29, 30.

12. Mɛni kpɛtɛɛ kɛɛ leŋ ɓe Zoo e gɛ, nyaŋ e kpɔŋ leŋ ma a gɛɛ ve too sɔnyɔŋ su? (Zoo 31:1)

¹² To avoid situations that will make us to sin, we must make decision about how to protect our self and stick to it. And that what Job do. He “made a covenant with [his] eyes” never to look at different woman and think about laying down with her. (Read Job 31:1.) Because Job stick to his decision, it help him to not even think about laying down with different  woman. We our self too can make good decision that will help us to not do anything that will make us to sin.

13. Le mɛni ɓe maa nɛ̃ɛi ku kukili-ŋa-siai mɛi kaa lai? (Ya pɔri ŋɔnɔ votooi kaai)

¹³ We must also protect our thinking. (Ex. 20:17) Some people believe that it not wrong to think about doing wrong thing so long they not doing it. But that kind na thinking wrong. When somebody continue to think on wrong thing, that the more they will want do it. If he continue thinking on it, he putting his self in situation that will make it hard for him to fight temptation. But sometime, some wrong thinking can just come in our head. When it happen, the important thing that to be quick to move it from there and put good things inside. When we do it, we will protect our self from committing serious sin because we not allow wrong thinking to grow in our heart.—Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:2; Jas. 1:​13-15.

14. Le ɓe pai ŋɔnɔ kpɔni kua a gɛɛ ku kukpiŋ mɛi kaa sɔnyɔŋ yeei?

¹⁴ Wetin else we can do to protect our self when we face temptation? We must really be convince that we will always benefit when we obey Jehovah laws. Sometime, it can be hard for us to think and feel the way Jehovah want us to do it. But when we try our best to do it, we will really be happy.

15. Kili-ŋa-sia lɛlɛɛ kɛɛ kuyee a kpɔŋ leŋ kua a gɛɛ ku kukpiŋ mɛi kaa sɔnyɔŋ yeei?

¹⁵ We must learn how to think the right way. If we learn to “hate what is bad and love what is good,” we will really want try our best to do the right thing and avoid any situation that will make us to sin. (Amos 5:15) When we get strong desire to do the right thing, we will also be able to fight against temptation even if we find our self in situation we not expecting.

16.Mɛni-ŋa kɛɛ leŋ ɓe a pɔri kpɔni kua a gɛɛ ku kukpiŋ mɛi kaa? (Ya pɔri ŋɔnɔ votooi kaai)

¹⁶ How we can get the desire to do  the right thing? We can get it when we continue to do things that will make our love for Jehovah more strong. When we in meetings or field service, it can be hard for us to do the wrong thing. In fact, our desire to make Jehovah happy can be more strong. (Matt. 28:​19, 20; Heb. 10:​24, 25) When we read and study the Bible and think good-good about what we read, it will help us to love good things and hate bad things. (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:​2, 3; 119:​97, 101) Remember, Jesus tell his disciples: “Pray continually, so that you may not enter into temptation.” (Matt. 26:41) When we pray to our Father in heaven, we give Him the opportunity to help us. Beside that, it will make us to want do our best to make Him happy.—Jas. 4:8.

KANAŊ IKPIŊ MƐI KAAI

17. Le ɓe kɛ a zia-nuui Pitɛ a tãi tamaa?

¹⁷ We able to overcome some of our weaknesses altogether. But we will need to continue fighting against some weaknesses for long time. Let look at the apostle Peter example. Because he was scare of other people, he deny Jesus three time. (Matt. 26:​69-75) Later on, it was looking like Peter overcome that weakness because he was brave to preach to the Sanhedrin about Jesus. (Acts 5:​27-29) But after some years, “fearing those of the circumcised class,” Peter stop eating with the Gentile Christians for some time. (Gal. 2:​11, 12) Peter weakness came back. Maybe Peter not overcome that weakness altogether.

18. Le ɓe a kɛ a kua a tãi taŋa a pa tua-pere nyɔŋ taŋa dia nyii ku kuyee kula zu a bɔlɔi?

¹⁸ Maybe we will find our self in that same situation. How? Sometime we will find our self fighting against certain weakness that we thought we na overcome. For example, one brother say: “I stop looking at naked man and naked woman picture and video for ten years. And I was convince that I na overcome my weakness. But when I face the temptation, I wanted to look at it again.” But he not give up. He got to know that he need to continue fighting against this  temptation every day. And maybe he will do it for the rest of his life. His wife and the elder them in his congregation help him to take strong action to fight against his weakness.

19. Kwa pɔri kupolu tɔɔi leŋ fii kpɛɛ mɛni ta ma nyii a pɔri pai polu kupɔi?

¹⁹ If we still fighting to overcome certain weakness that giving us hard time, wetin we can do so it can’t make us to sin? We can follow the counsel Jesus gave about temptation that say: “Keep on the watch.” Even when you feel that you able to fight temptation, continue to avoid any situation that will make you to do the wrong thing. (1 Cor. 10:12) Continue doing the thing them that na help you to overcome your weakness. Proverbs 28:14 say: “Happy is the man who is always on guard.”—2 Pet. 3:14.

MƐNI LƐLƐƐ-ŊAI KWA ZƆLƆ ƁO KWA KUKPIŊ MƐI KAAI

20-21. (a) Mɛni lɛlɛɛ-ŋa kɛɛ leŋ ɓe kwa pai zɔlɔ ɓoi kwa kanaŋ kukpiŋ mɛi kaai sukɔɔŋ-ŋa yeei? (b) Kwa kukpiŋ mɛi kaa, le ɓe Ziova a pai gɛi kua? (2 Kɔleŋtiɛŋ 4:7)

²⁰ We can be sure that when we protect our self when we face temptation, we will always benefit. No matter what “temporary enjoyment” we get from sin, when we live the way Jehovah want us to live, we will be more happy. (Heb. 11:25; Ps. 19:8) And this one can happen because God made us to obey him. (Gen. 1:27) So when we obey God, we will get clean conscience and one fine day we will live forever.—1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 1:3; Jude 20, 21.

²¹ That true, “the flesh is weak.” But this one not mean we not able to do anything about our weakness. Jehovah always ready to give us the strength we need. (Read 2 Corinthians 4:7.) But remember, God can only give us power that more than our normal strength. So that our responsibility to use our normal strength. That mean we must work hard every day to fight against temptation. If we do our part, we can be sure that Jehovah will answer our prayers to give us more strength when we need it. (1 Cor. 10:13) Yes, with Jehovah help, we able to fight against temptation.