Mark 12
1 Then Jesus told [those Jewish leaders] a parable. [He wanted to show what God would do to those who rejected the former prophets and himself. He said], “A certain man planted a vineyard. He built a fence around it [in order to protect it]. He made a stone tank [to collect the juice that] they would press [out of the grapes]. He also built a tower [for someone to sit in to guard his vineyard]. Then he leased the vineyard to some men to care for it and [to] give him some of the [grapes] in return. Then he went away to another country.
Yesu nam mmɛbuo so kyerɛɛ nnipa no sɛ: “Ɛda bi, okuafoɔ bi yɛɛ bobefuo, gyee ban faa ho, na ɔtuu amena bi a wɔkyi bobe mu nsuo wɔ mu, na ɔsii ɔwɛn aban wɔ mu. Afei, ɔde afuo no gyaa akuafoɔ bi, na ɔtuu ɛkwan.
2 When the time came to harvest the [grapes], he sent a servant to the men [who were taking care of the vineyard] in order to receive from them his share of the grapes that the vineyard had produced.
Ɛduruu ɛberɛ a bobe no bereeɛ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔte no, ɔsomaa ne ho onipa bi sɛ ɔnkɔgye ne kyɛfa mmrɛ no.
3 But [after the servant arrived], they grabbed him and beat him, and they did not give him any fruit. Then they sent him away.
Nanso, akuafoɔ no boroo no, ma ɔde ne nsapan sane kɔeɛ.
4 Later the one who owned the vineyard sent another servant to them. But they beat that one on his head, and they insulted him.
Okuafoɔ no sane somaa onipa foforɔ kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn, na ɔno nso, wɔboroo no, pirapiraa no sene deɛ ɔdi ɛkan no.
5 Later he sent another servant. That man they killed. They mistreated many other servants [whom he sent]. Some they beat and some they killed.
Onipa a ɔsomaa no bio no deɛ, wɔkumm no. Afoforɔ a akyire no wɔkɔeɛ no nso, wɔhwee ebinom, na wɔkumm ebinom nso.
6 The man still had one other [person with him]. It was his son. He loved him very much. So, finally he sent his son to them because he thought that they would respect him [and give him some of the grapes].
“Nanso, na aka ɔbaako a ɔyɛ ne ba a ɔdɔ no. Ɔsomaa ɔno nso kɔɔ wɔn nkyɛn, susuu sɛ wɔbɛfɛre no de anidie ama no.
7 But [when they saw his son coming], those men who were looking after the vineyard said to each other, ‘Look! Here comes the man who will some day inherit the vineyard! So let’s kill him in order that this vineyard will be ours!’
“Nanso, ɛberɛ a akuafoɔ no hunuu no sɛ ɔreba no, wɔkaa sɛ, ‘Ɔdedifoɔ no na ɔreba no. Momma yɛnkum no, na agyapadeɛ no ayɛ yɛn dea!’
8 They seized him and killed him. Then they threw his body outside the vineyard.
Wɔkyeree no, kumm no, twee no firii bobe turom hɔ kɔtoo no twenee baabi.
9 So (do you know what the man who owns the vineyard will do?/I will tell you what the man who owns the vineyard will do [RHQ]). He will come, and he will kill those evil men who were taking care of his vineyard. Then he will arrange for other people to take care of it.
“Mogye di sɛ, sɛ afu wura no ba a ɛdeɛn na ɔbɛyɛ akuafoɔ no? Ɔbɛba abɛkum wɔn, na ɔde afuo no ama nnipa foforɔ.
10 [Now think carefully about these words], which you have read [in] the Scriptures: The men who were building the building rejected one stone. But others [put that same stone in its proper place, and] it has become the most important stone in the building [MET]!
Monnkanee yei wɔ Atwerɛsɛm no mu pɛn sɛ: “‘Ɛboɔ a adansifoɔ apo no, ɛno ara na abɛyɛ ɛdan no ntweaso tiboɔ;
11 The Lord has done this, and we marvel as we look at it.”
Awurade na wayɛ yei, na ɛyɛ nwanwa wɔ yɛn ani so?’”
12 Then [the Jewish leaders] realized that he was accusing them when he told this story [about what those wicked people did]. So they wanted to seize him. But they were afraid of what the crowds [would do if they did that]. So they left him and went away.
Na ɛsiane saa bɛ a ɔbuiɛ no enti, Yudafoɔ mpanin no pɛɛ sɛ wɔkyere no, ɛfiri sɛ, wohunuu sɛ wɔn ho asɛm na ɔreka no a ɛkyerɛ sɛ, wɔne saa akuafoɔ atirimuɔdenfoɔ no. Nanso na wɔsuro dɔm no. Yei ma wɔgyaee no, na wɔfirii hɔ kɔeɛ.
13 The [Jewish leaders] sent to [Jesus] some Pharisees [who thought that the Jews should pay only the tax that their own Jewish authorities required people to pay]. They also sent some members of the party that supported Herod [Antipas and the Roman government]. They wanted to make Jesus say something wrong [that would make one of those groups very angry with him].
Wɔsomaa Farisifoɔ ne Herodefoɔ bi baa Yesu nkyɛn sɛ wɔne no mmɛkasa, na wɔnam nʼanom asɛm so anya no akyere no.
14 After they arrived, they said to him [deceivingly], “Teacher, we know that you [teach] the truth. We also know that you are not concerned about [what] people [say about you, even if an important person does not like what you say]. Instead, you teach truthfully what God wants [us to do]. So [tell us what you think about this matter: ] Is it right that we pay taxes to the Roman government, or not [MTY]? Should we pay the taxes, or should we not pay them?”
Wɔbisaa no sɛ, “Ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ, yɛnim sɛ woyɛ ɔnokwafoɔ a, wotaa ka nokorɛ. Deɛ onipa ka no ntumi nnane wʼadwene. Afei, wokyerɛkyerɛ nnipa Onyankopɔn akwan. Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛbisa wo sɛ, ɛyɛ sɛ wɔyi toɔ ma Roma Hempɔn Kaesare anaa ɛnyɛ?”
15 Jesus knew that they did not really want to know [what God wanted them to do]. So he said to them, “(I [know that] you are [just] trying to make me say something wrong for which you can arrest me./Why are you [just] trying to make me say something wrong for which you can arrest me?) [RHQ] [But I will answer your question anyway]. Bring me a coin so that I might [ask you something after] I look at it.”
Yesu hunuu wɔn adwemmɔne no kaa sɛ, “Adɛn enti na mosɔ me hwɛ, momfa sika a wɔde yi toɔ no bi nkyerɛ me, na mɛma mo mmuaeɛ.”
16 After they brought him a coin, he asked them, “Whose picture is [on] this [coin]? And [whose] name [is on it]?” They replied, “It is a picture and the name of Caesar, [the man who rules the Roman government].”
Wɔde maa no, ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, “Hwan mfoni ne atwerɛ na ɛwɔ so?” Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Kaesare deɛ.”
17 Then Jesus said to them, “[That is correct, so] give to the government [MTY] what they [require], and give to God what he [requires].” They were [frustrated at his answer but] amazed at what he said, [because they were not able to accuse him of anything because of what he said].
Yesu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɛnneɛ momfa Kaesare deɛ mma no, na momfa Onyankopɔn deɛ mma Onyankopɔn!” Ne mmuaeɛ no maa wɔn ho dwirii wɔn.
18 [Men who belong to the] Sadducee [sect] deny that people become alive again after they die. [In order to discredit] Jesus [by ridiculing the idea that people will live again, some of] them came to him and asked him,
Afei, Sadukifoɔ a wɔka sɛ owusɔreɛ nni hɔ no, baa ne nkyɛn bɛbisaa no sɛ,
19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [Jews] that if a man who has no children dies, his brother should marry the dead man’s widow. [Then if those two bear children, everyone will consider that those children are the] children of the man who died, [and in that way the dead man will continue to have descendants].
“Ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ, Mose yɛɛ mmara maa yɛn sɛ, sɛ ɔbarima bi anwo na ɔwu a, ne nuabarima mfa ne yere no kunabaa na ɔne no nwo mma mma owufoɔ no.
20 [So here is an example]. There were seven boys [in one family]. The oldest one married [a woman], but [he and his wife] did not bear any children. Then he [later] died.
Anuanom baason bi tenaa ase. Deɛ ɔdi ɛkan no waree yere, na ɔne no anwo na ɔwuiɛ.
21 The second [brother followed this law and] married that woman and he, too, did not bear any children. Then he [later] died. The third [brother did] like [his other brothers did. But he also did not bear any children, and later died].
Na deɛ ɔtɔ so mmienu no nso waree okunafoɔ no, na ɔno nso, ankyɛre na ɔwuiɛ a ɔne no anwo. Na deɛ ɔtɔ so mmiɛnsa no nso waree no a, ɔne no anwo na ɔwuiɛ.
22 Eventually all seven [brothers married that woman, one by one], but they had no children, and one by one they died. Afterwards the woman died, too.
Yei kɔɔ so kɔsii sɛ, anuanom yi nyinaa waree ɔbaa no, na ɔbaa no nso wuiɛ.
23 Therefore, [if it were true what some people say, that people will become alive again after they die], whose wife do you think that woman will be when people become alive again? ([Keep in mind that] she was married to all seven [brothers]!/She was married to all seven [brothers, so how can anyone decide] [RHQ]?)”
Deɛ yɛpɛ sɛ yɛhunu ne sɛ, owusɔreɛ no mu, sɛ wɔnya sɔre a, wɔn mu hwan na ɔbaa no bɛyɛ ne yere?”
24 Jesus replied to them, “You are certainly wrong [RHQ]. You do not know [what they have written in] the Scriptures [about this]. You also do not understand God’s power [to make people alive again].
Yesu buaa wɔn sɛ, “Mo mfomsoɔ a moyɛ no firi nim a monnim Atwerɛsɛm no, ne Onyankopɔn tumi a ɔwɔ.
25 [That woman will not be the wife of any of them], because when people have become alive again, instead of men having wives and women having husbands, they will be like the angels in heaven, [who do not marry].
Sɛ anuanom baason yi ne ɔbaa no sɔre firi awufoɔ mu a, wɔrenware; wɔbɛyɛ sɛ abɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ ɔsoro no.
26 But as to people becoming alive again after they die, in the book that Moses [wrote, he said something about people who have died] that I am sure that you have read [RHQ]. When Moses [was looking at] the bush [that was burning], God said to him, ‘I am the God whom Abraham [worships] and the God whom Isaac [worships] and the God whom Jacob [worships].’
Afei, ɛfa awufoɔ owusɔreɛ no ho no nso, monnkanee Mose nwoma no mu asɛm a ɛfa Mose ne wira a na ɛrehyeɛ no ho da? Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ, ‘Mene Abraham Onyankopɔn, Isak Onyankopɔn ne Yakob Onyankopɔn.’
27 It is not dead people who worship God. It is living people who worship him. [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died long before Moses lived, but God said that they were still worshipping him, so we know their spirits were still alive]! So your [claim that dead people do not become alive again] is very wrong.”
Na Onyankopɔn reka akyerɛ Mose sɛ, ɛwom sɛ, saa nnipa yi awuwu mfeɛ pii a atwam no deɛ, nanso wɔte ase. Anyɛ saa a anka ɔrenka sɛ ɔyɛ ateasefoɔ Onyankopɔn, na ɔnyɛ awufoɔ Onyankopɔn. Moayɛ mfomsoɔ kɛseɛ.”
28 A man who taught the [Jewish] laws heard their discussion. He knew that Jesus answered the question well. So he stepped forward and asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important?”
Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ no mu baako a ɔgyina hɔ retie no no hunuu sɛ, wabua wɔn sɛdeɛ ɛfata no, ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Mose mmaransɛm no mu deɛ ɛwɔ he na ɛkyɛn ne nyinaa?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, [you people of] Israel! [You must worship] the Lord, our God, our only Lord.
Yesu buaa no sɛ, “Deɛ ɛkyɛn ne nyinaa ne deɛ ɛka sɛ, ‘Israel, tie! Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, yɛ Awurade korɔ;
30 [You must show that you love him in all the ways that you live] Show it in all that you want and feel, in all that you think, and in all that you do!’
na dɔ Awurade wo Onyankopɔn firi wʼakoma ne wo kra ne wʼadwene ne wʼahoɔden nyinaa mu,’ no.
31 The next [most important commandment] is: ‘You must love people you come in contact with as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these two!”
Na deɛ ɛtɔ so mmienu no ne: ‘Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho.’ Mmaransɛm bi nni hɔ a ɛkyɛn eyinom.”
32 The man said to Jesus, “Teacher, [you have answered] well. You correctly said that he is the only [God] and that there is no other God [we must worship/obey].
Atwerɛsɛm no ɔkyerɛkyerɛfoɔ no buaa no sɛ, “Owura, woaka nokorɛ sɛ, Onyankopɔn baako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ, na obi foforɔ nka ne ho,
33 You have also said correctly that we ([should/must show that we]) love God by all that we are, by all that we think, and by the way that we live. And you have said correctly that we must love (people with whom we come in contact/others) as much as we love ourselves. And you have also implied that doing these things [pleases God] more than offering/giving animals to him or burning [other] sacrifices.”
na menim nso sɛ, sɛ mɛdɔ no afiri mʼakoma ne mʼadwene ne mʼahoɔden nyinaa mu, na mɛdɔ me yɔnko sɛ me ho no, sene afɔdeɛ biara a wɔbɔ.”
34 Jesus realized that this man had answered wisely. So he said to him, “[I perceive that] you will soon [decide to let] God rule your life.” After that, [the Jewish leaders] were afraid to ask him any more questions [like that to try to trap him].
Yesu hunuu sɛ wabua asɛm no nyansa mu no, ɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ne Onyankopɔn Ahennie ntam ɛkwan nware.” Na saa asɛm yi akyi, obi antumi ammisa no asɛm biara bio.
35 [Later], while he was teaching in the Temple [courtyard], Jesus said [to the people], “These men who teach the [Jewish] laws, (they must be wrong when they say that the Messiah is [merely] a descendant of [King] David!/why do they say that the Messiah is [merely] a descendant of [King] David?) [RHQ]
Ɛberɛ bi a Yesu rekyerɛkyerɛ wɔ asɔredan mu no, ɔbisaa nnipa no sɛ, “Adɛn na Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ no ka sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ Agyenkwa no yɛ Ɔhene Dawid ba?
36 The Holy Spirit caused David himself to say [about the Messiah], God said to my Lord, ‘Sit here beside me at the place where I will highly honor you! Sit here while I completely defeat your enemies! [MTY]’
Ɛfiri sɛ Dawid ankasa nam Honhom Kronkron mu kaa sɛ, “‘Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me wura sɛ: “Tena me nifa so kɔsi sɛ mede wʼatamfoɔ bɛyɛ wo nan ntiasoɔ.”’
37 Therefore, [because] David himself calls [the Messiah] ‘my Lord,’ (the Messiah cannot be [just] a man who descended [from King David!]/how can the Messiah be [just] a man who descended [from King David]?) [RHQ] [He must be much greater than David]”! Many people listened to him gladly [as he taught those things].
Sɛ Dawid frɛ no ‘Awurade’ a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na watumi ayɛ ne ba?” Ɛkwan a ɔfaa so kasaeɛ no maa nnipa no de anigyeɛ tiee no.
38 While Jesus was teaching [the people], he said to them, “Beware that you [do not act like] the men who teach our [Jewish] laws. They [like people to honor them, so] they put on long robes and walk around [in order to show people how important they are]. They also like people to greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces.
Ɛberɛ bi a nnipakuo bi de anigyeɛ retie Yesu no, ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monhwɛ mo ho yie wɔ Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ ho! Wɔhyɛ ntadeɛ akɛseɛ sɛ asikafoɔ na sɛ wɔnam badwa mu a, wɔpɛ sɛ obiara a ɔhyia wɔn no de obuo kyea wɔn.
39 [They like to sit] in the most important seats in our (synagogue/Jewish meeting place). At festivals, [they like to sit in] the seats where the most honored people sit.
Sɛ wɔkɔ hyiadan mu a, wɔtenatena mpanin adwa so, na sɛ wɔkɔ adidie ase a, wɔtena mpanin tenabea.
40 They (swindle/take for themselves) the houses [and property] of widows by cheating them. [Then] they pretend [that they are good] by praying long prayers [publicly. God] will certainly punish them severely!”
Wɔbɔ mpaeɛ hunu atentene kyerɛ nnipa sɛ wɔresom Onyankopɔn, nanso wɔsisi akunafoɔ. Yei enti wɔbɛnya asotwe a emu yɛ duru.”
41 [Later], Jesus sat down [in the Temple courtyard opposite the boxes in which people put offerings. As he was sitting there], he watched as all the people put money in the box. Many rich people put in large amounts [of money].
Ɛda bi a Yesu kɔɔ asɔredan mu no, ɔkɔtenaa afɔrebɔ adaka a ɛsi hɔ no anim hwɛɛ sɛdeɛ nkurɔfoɔ no de sika regu adaka no mu. Asikafoɔ no de sika a ɛdɔɔso guu mu.
42 Then a poor widow came along and put in two small copper coins, which had a very small value.
Ɔbaa kunafoɔ hiani bi nso baeɛ na ɔde sika nketewa mmienu bɛguu mu.
43 He gathered his disciples around him and said to them, “The truth is that these other people have a lot of money, [but] they gave [only a small part of it]. But this woman, who is very poor, has put in all the money that she had to pay for the things she needs. [So God considers that] this poor widow has put more money into the box than all the other people!”
Ɔfrɛɛ nʼasuafoɔ no baa ne nkyɛn ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Saa ɔbaa kunafoɔ hiani yi afɔdeɛ a ɔbɔeɛ no som bo sene afɔdeɛ akɛseakɛseɛ a asikafoɔ no bɛbɔeɛ no nyinaa.
Na wɔn nyinaa firi deɛ wɔanya ama abu wɔn so no mu na wɔyiyii bi de baeɛ, na ɔbaa yi deɛ, ɔfiri ne hia mu de deɛ ɔwɔ nyinaa na abɛgu mu no.”
