Matthew 22
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables.
Yesu gado lo bubu na ameha la gblɔ be,
2 “The kingdom of heaven,” he said, “may be compared to a king who gave a banquet in honor of his son’s wedding.
“Dziƒofiaɖuƒe la le abe fia aɖe si ɖo srɔ̃ɖekplɔ̃ gã aɖe na via ene.
3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the banquet, but they were unwilling to come.
Wokpe ame geɖewo ɖe kplɔ̃ sia ŋu, eye esi nu sia nu sɔ gbe vɔ la, fia la ɖo dɔlawo ɖe ame kpekpeawo be woava, elabena ɣeyiɣi la ɖo be wɔnawo nadze egɔme, gake ame kpekpeawo katã gbe womeva o.
4 A second time he sent some servants, with orders to say to those who had been invited ‘I have prepared my meal, my cattle and fat beasts are killed and everything is ready; come to the banquet.’
Fia la gadɔ dɔla bubuwo ɖo ɖe ame kpekpeawo gbɔ kple gbedeasi sia be, ‘Mewu nye nyitsu kple lã damiwo, nuɖuɖu la bi, eya ta miva. Ame sia ame neɖe abla va.’
5 They, however, took no notice, but went off, one to their farm, another to their business;
“Ke esi ame kpekpeawo se nya sia la, ɖeko woko nu, eye wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe dzo yi nu si dze eŋu la wɔ ge; ɖeka yi eƒe agble me, eye bubu yi asigbe.
6 while the rest, seizing his servants, ill-treated them and killed them.
Ke ɖewo do dɔmedzoe ɖe dɔlawo ŋu, ƒo wo vevie, eye woɖi gbɔ̃ ɖewo gɔ̃ hã.
7 The king, in anger, sent his troops, put those murderers to death, and set their city on fire.
“Fia la do dɔmedzoe, ale wòdɔ eƒe asrafowo woyi ɖawu hlɔ̃dola siawo, eye wotɔ dzo woƒe du la wòbi keŋ.
8 Then he said to his servants ‘The banquet is prepared, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Esia megbe la fia la gblɔ na eƒe dɔlawo be, ‘Nu sia nu sɔ gbe na ŋkeke la ɖuɖu, gake ame siwo mekpe la medze na bubu si mede wo ŋu o,
9 So go to the cross-roads, and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’
eya ta miyi mɔtatawo dzi kple ablɔwo ƒe dzogoewo me, eye ame sia ame si miakpɔ ko la, mikpee va kplɔ̃ la ŋuti.’
10 The servants went out into the roads and collected all the people whom they found, whether bad or good; and the bridal-hall was filled with guests.
“Dɔlawo wɔ ɖe nya sia dzi, eye eteƒe medidi o, wokplɔ amewo vɛ fũu, ame nyuiwo kple ame baɖawo siaa, eye ale srɔ̃ɖekplɔ̃ la ŋu yɔ fũu kple amewo.
11 But, when the king went in to see his guests, he noticed there a man who had not put on a wedding-robe.
Esi fia la ŋutɔ va do be yeado gbe na ame kpekpeawo la, ekpɔ ame ɖeka le wo dome si medo srɔ̃ɖewu si wotsɔ nɛ be wòado la o.
12 So he said to him ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding-robe?’ The man was speechless.
“Fia la biae be, ‘Xɔ̃nye, aleke wɔ mèdo srɔ̃ɖewu hafi va afi sia o?’ Ke ŋutsu la ƒe nu tsi te, elabena menya nya si tututu wòagblɔ o.
13 Then the king said to the attendants ‘Tie him hand and foot, and put him out into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
“Fia la ɖe gbe na eŋutimewo be, ‘Mibla eƒe asiwo kple afɔwo, eye miatsɔe aƒu gbe ɖe blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me le xexe, afi si avifafa kple aɖukliɖuɖu anɔ,’
14 For many are called, but few chosen.”
“Elabena woyɔ ame geɖewo, ke ame ʋɛ aɖewo koe nye ame siwo wotia.”
15 Then the Pharisees went away and conferred together as to how they might lay a trap for Jesus in the course of conversation.
Esia megbe la, Farisitɔwo kpe ta, eye wode ŋugble le ale si woawɔ atsɔ biabia aɖe atre mɔ na Yesu, alée la ŋu.
16 They sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him, “Teacher, we know that you are an honest person, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of anyone; for you pay no regard to a person’s position.
Wodɔ woƒe nusrɔ̃la aɖewo kpe ɖe Herod dunyahelawo ŋu, eye wobiae be, “Nufiala, míenyae be ame si de blibo lae nènye, eye nèfiaa Mawu ƒe mɔ le nyateƒe la nu. Amewo ƒe nyagbɔgblɔ meblea nuwò o, elabena mètsɔa ɖeke le nu si wonye la me o.
17 Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?”
Azɔ gblɔe na mí, nu kae nye wò susu? Ele eteƒe be woadzɔ duga na Kaisaro loo alo mele eteƒe o?”
18 Perceiving their malice, Jesus answered, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Ke Yesu nya nu vɔ̃ɖi si woɖo ɖe ta me, eya ta ebia wo be, “Mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Ame ka miedi be yewoatre mɔ na kple miaƒe ayebiabia sia?
19 Show me the coin with which the tax is paid.” And, when they had brought him a coin,
Mitsɔ kɔba aɖe si wotsɔna xea dugae la vɛ nam makpɔ.” Eye wotsɔ Roma ga ɖeka va fiae.
20 he asked, “Whose head and title are these?”
Azɔ ebia wo be, “Ame ka ƒe nɔnɔmetatae le ga sia dzi, eye ame ka ƒe ŋkɔe le ete?”
21 “The Emperor’s,” they answered, at which he said to them, “Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God.”
Woɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Kaisaro tɔe.” Yesu gblɔ na wo be, “Enyo, mitsɔ nu sia nu si nye Kaisaro tɔ la na Kaisaro, eye miatsɔ nu sia nu si nye Mawu hã tɔ la na Mawu.”
22 They wondered at his answer, and left him alone and went away.
Esi wose eƒe ŋuɖoɖoa la, wotsi yaa, elabena ewɔ nuku na wo ŋutɔ be wòɖo nya la ŋu nyuie alea, eya ta wogblẽe ɖi hedzo.
23 That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this, –
Gake le gbe ma gbe ke la, Zadukitɔ aɖewo, ame siwo mexɔe se be ame kukuwo atsi tsitre le nuwuwua o la va egbɔ va biae be,
24 “Teacher, Moses said – ‘should a man die without children, the man’s brother will become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.’
“Aƒetɔ, Mose de se na mí be ne ŋutsu aɖe ɖe srɔ̃, eye medzi vi hafi ku o la, nɔvia ŋutsu naɖe ahosi la, eye wòadzi vi kplii, ale be ɖeviawo nanyi ameyinugbe la ƒe dome.
25 Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother.
Azɔ nɔviŋutsu adre aɖewo nɔ mia dome, woƒe tsitsitɔ ɖe srɔ̃, gake medzi vi kple nyɔnu la hafi ku o, ale eyometɔ xɔ ahosi la ɖe.
26 The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven.
Gake eya hã medzi vi aɖeke kple nyɔnu sia hafi ku o, eye wo nɔvi etɔ̃lia xɔ ahosi la ɖe, gake kpao, eya hã ku vimadzimadzii. Ale nɔviŋutsu adreawo katã ɖe nyɔnu sia kpɔ, gake ɖeke medzi vi kplii o.
27 The woman herself died last of all.
Mlɔeba la, nyɔnu la ŋutɔ hã va ku.
28 At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having been married to her?”
Biabia lae nye be, ame ka tɔ nyɔnu sia azu le tsitretsitsiŋkeke la dzi? Elabena eɖe nɔvi adreawo katã kpɔ!”
29 “Your mistake,” replied Jesus, “is due to your ignorance of the scriptures, and of the power of God.
Yesu ɖo eŋu na wo be, “Miewɔ vodada gã aɖe ŋutɔ, elabena mienya mawunya kple Mawu ƒe ŋusẽ o.
30 For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in heaven.
Le tsitretsitsiŋkeke la dzi la, srɔ̃ɖeɖe maganɔ anyi o; amewo katã anɔ abe mawudɔla siwo le dziƒo ene.
31 As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God –
Ke le ame kukuwo ƒe tsitretsitsi ŋuti la, mabia mi be miexlẽ mawunya kpɔ oa? Mienyae be miawoe Mawu nɔ nu ƒom na esi wògblɔ be,
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of dead people, but of living.”
‘Nyee nye Abraham, Isak kple Yakob ƒe Mawu’ oa? Eya ta minyae be Mawu la menye ame kukuwo ƒe Mawu wònye o, ke boŋ ame gbagbewo ƒe Mawu wònye.”
33 The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching.
Yesu ƒe ŋuɖoɖo la wɔ nuku na ameha la ŋutɔ.
34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together.
Ke esi Farisitɔwo se be Yesu de ga nu na Zadukitɔwo la, woƒo wo ɖokuiwo nu ƒu,
35 Then one of them, a Student of the Law, to test him, asked this question –
eye wo dometɔ ɖeka, ame si nye sefiala gã aɖe la tee kpɔ hebiae be,
36 “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
“Nufiala, se kae nye gãtɔ wu le Mose ƒe seawo dome?”
37 His answer was, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Yesu ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Lɔ̃ Aƒetɔ wò Mawu la kple wò dzi blibo, wò luʋɔ blibo kple wò susu katã.
38 This is the great first commandment.
Esiae nye se gbãtɔ kple gãtɔ wu.
39 The second, which is like it, is this – You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Esi gakplɔe ɖo lae nye be, nàlɔ̃ hawòvi abe ale si nèlɔ̃ wò ŋutɔ ɖokuiwò ene.
40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets.”
Wotu se bubuawo katã kple Nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe nyawo ɖe se eve siawo dzi.”
41 Before the Pharisees separated, Jesus put this question to them –
Esia megbe la, Farisitɔwo va ƒo xlãe, eye wòbia wo be,
42 “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” “David’s,” they said.
“Aleke miekpɔ tso Kristo la ŋutɔ ŋu? Ame ka ƒe vie wònye?” Woɖo eŋu nɛ be, “David ƒe vie!”
43 “How is it, then,” Jesus replied, “that David, speaking under inspiration, calls him ‘lord,’ in the passage –
Yesu gabia wo be, “Ne enye David ƒe vi ɖe, nu ka ta esi Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la va David dzi wònɔ nu ƒom la, wòyɔ Kristo la be ‘Aƒetɔ’ ɖo? Miakpɔe le mawunya me be David gblɔ be,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies beneath your feet’?
“‘Mawu gblɔ na nye Aƒetɔ be: “Nɔ anyi ɖe nye nuɖusime va se ɖe esime matsɔ wò ketɔwo ade wò afɔ te.”’
45 Since, then, David calls him ‘lord,’ how is he David’s son?”
Esime David yɔ Kristo la be, ‘Aƒetɔ’ ɖe, aleke wɔ wòganye via?”
46 No one could say a word in answer; nor did anyone after that day venture to question him further.
Nyateƒe, biabia la lolo wu wo, ale womete ŋu ɖo eŋuti o. Esia megbe la, ame aɖeke medo dzi gabia nya aɖekee o.
