Matthew 22
1 Then Jesus told [the Jewish leaders] other parables [in order to illustrate what will happen to the people who do not accept him as the King God promised to send]. [This is one of those parables: ]
Yesu de mmɛbuo ahodoɔ kyerɛɛ sɛdeɛ Ɔsoro Ahennie no teɛ.
2 “[God] [MTY/EUP] [is like] a king [SIM] who [told his servants that they should] make a wedding feast for his son.
Ɔse, “Ɔsoro Ahennie no te sɛ ɔhene bi a ne babarima hyiaa ayeforɔ na ɔtoo pon maa no.
3 [When] the feast [was ready], the king sent his servants to tell the people who had been {whom he had} invited that it was time for them to come to the wedding feast. [The servants did that]. But the people who had been invited did not want to come.
Ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ nnipa pii. Ɛberɛ no duruiɛ no, ɔsomaa nʼasomfoɔ sɛ wɔnkɔfrɛfrɛ nnipa no na wɔmmra. Nanso, nnipa no amma.
4 So he sent other servants [to] again [tell the people whom he had invited that they should come to the feast]. He said [to those servants], ‘Say to the people whom I invited [to come to the feast], “The king says that he has prepared the food. The oxen and the fattened calves have been butchered [and cooked]. Everything is ready. It is time [now for you to] come to the wedding feast!’”’
“Ɔsane somaa nʼasomfoɔ foforɔ sɛ, ‘Monkɔka nkyerɛ wɔn sɛ, wɔawie biribiara. Wɔakum mʼanantwie ne me nyɛmmoa de anoa aduane awie. Mommra ayeforɔ no ase mmɛdidi!’
5 [But when the servants told them that, they] disregarded [what the servants said]. Some of them went to their own fields. Others went to their places of business.
“Nanso, ne ho yɛɛ wɔn a ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ wɔn no sere. Obiara kɔdii ne dwuma. Obi kɔɔ nʼafuom. Ɔfoforɔ nso kɔdii ne dwa.
6 The rest of them seized the king’s servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
Afoforɔ nso kyeree nʼasomfoɔ no hwee wɔn, pirapiraa wɔn, kunkumm ebinom nso.
7 [When the king heard what had happened], he became furious. He commanded his soldiers to go and kill those murderers and burn their cities.
Ɔhene no tee deɛ nnipa no ayɛ nʼasomfoɔ no, ne bo fuiɛ. Ɔsomaa nʼasraafoɔ ma wɔkɔkunkum awudifoɔ no, hyee wɔn kuro no pasaa.
8 [After his soldiers had done that], the king said to his other servants, ‘I have prepared the [wedding] feast, but the people who were {whom I} invited do not deserve to [come to it because they did not consider it an honor to have been invited].
“Ɔsane frɛɛ nʼasomfoɔ ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Wɔawie ayeforɔ aduane no. Nanso, wɔn a mefrɛɛ wɔn no mfata sɛ wɔba apontoɔ no ase.
9 So, go to the intersections of the main streets. Tell whomever you find that they should come to the [wedding] feast.’
Enti, monkɔ mmɔntene so na obiara a mobɛhunu no no, momfrɛ no mmra apontoɔ no ase.’
10 So the servants went there, and they gathered everyone they saw [who wanted to come to the feast]. They gathered [both people that were considered] to be evil and [those that were considered to be] good. They brought them into the hall where the wedding [feast took place]. The hall was filled with people.
Asomfoɔ no firii adi kɔɔ mmɔntene so kɔfrɛɛ nnipa dodoɔ a wɔhunuu wɔn no nyinaa. Wɔfrɛɛ nnipa pa ne nnipa bɔne, maa ɛdan a wɔtoo ɛpono wɔ mu no yɛɛ ma.
11 But when the king went [into the hall] to see the guests who were there, he saw someone who was not wearing clothes [that had been provided for the guests to wear] at a wedding [feast].
“Ɔhene no baa hɔ sɛ ɔrebɛhwɛ nnipa a wɔaba no, ɔhunuu obi a ɔnhyɛ ayeforɔhyia atadeɛ wɔ hɔ.
12 The king said to him, ‘Friend, (you should never have entered this hall, because you are not wearing the clothes [that guests wear] at wedding [feasts]!/how did you enter this hall, because you are not wearing the clothes [that are appropriate for guests to wear] at a wedding [feast]?) [RHQ]’ The man did not say anything, [because he did not know what to say].
Ɔbisaa no sɛ, ‘Damfo, ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wonhyɛ ayeforɔhyia atadeɛ, na wotumi baa ha?’ Nanso, damfo no antumi ammua.
13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie this person’s feet and hands and throw him outside where there is total darkness. People who are there cry out [because they are suffering] and they gnash their teeth [because of their severe pain].’”
“Afei, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfoɔ no sɛ, ‘Monkyekyere ne nan ne ne nsa na monkɔto no ntwene akyirikyiri esum mu, deɛ esu ne agyaadwoɔ wɔ no.’
14 [Then Jesus said, “The point of this story is that God] has invited many [to come to him], but only a few people are the ones whom he has chosen [to be there].”
“Wɔafrɛ bebree, nanso kakra bi na wɔayi wɔn.”
15 After Jesus said that, the Pharisees met together in order to plan how they could cause him to say something that would enable them to accuse him.
Farisifoɔ no tuu Yesu ho agyina, pɛɛ ɛkwan bi a wɔnam nʼanom asɛm so bɛnya no akyere no.
16 They sent to him some of their disciples, [who thought that the Israelites should pay only the tax that the Jewish authorities required them to pay]. They also sent some members of the party that supported Herod. [The members of that party thought that the Israelites should pay only the tax that the Roman government required them to pay]. [Those who were sent came and] said to Jesus, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you teach the truth about what God wants [us to do]. We also know that you do not change what you teach because of what someone says about you, even if it is an important person who does not like what you [IDM] teach.
Wɔsii no gyinaeɛ sɛ, wɔbɛsoma wɔn nnipa bi ne Herodefoɔ aba Yesu nkyɛn abɛbisa no sɛ, “Owura, yɛnim sɛ woyɛ ɔnokwafoɔ, na wonam nokorɛ kwan so kyerɛ nnipa ɛkwan a ɛkɔ Onyankopɔn nkyɛn a wonsuro akyire asɛm, ɛfiri sɛ, wonhwɛ nnipa anim.
17 So tell us what you think [RHQ] [about this matter]: Is it right that we pay taxes to the Roman government [MTY], or not?”
Ka ma yɛntie. Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔyi toɔ ma Roma Hempɔn Kaesare anaa ɛnyɛ?”
18 But Jesus knew that what they really wanted to do was evil. [They were wanting him to say something that would get him in trouble with either the Jewish authorities or the Roman authorities. So he said to them], “You are (hypocrites/pretending to ask a legitimate question), but you are just wanting [RHQ] me to say something for which you can accuse me.
Yesu hunuu wɔn adwemmɔne no ma ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Mo nyaatwomfoɔ! Adɛn enti na mopɛ sɛ mode nnaadaa sɔ me hwɛ?
19 Show me [one of] the coins with [which people pay] the [Roman] tax.” So they showed him [a coin called] a denarius.
Momfa sika a wɔde yi toɔ no bi nkyerɛ me.” Wɔde bi kyerɛɛ no.
20 He said to them, “Whose picture is [on] this [coin]? And [whose] name [is on it]?”
Ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, “Hwan mfoni na ɛda so, na hwan din nso na ɛwɔ so?”
21 They answered, “[It has the picture and name of] Caesar, [the head of the Roman government].” Then he said to them, “Okay, give to the government what they [require], and give to God what he [requires].”
Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Kaesare.” Yesu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɛnneɛ, momfa Kaesare deɛ mma Kaesare, na momfa Onyankopɔn deɛ mma Onyankopɔn.”
22 When those men heard Jesus say that, they marveled [that his answer did not enable anyone to accuse him]. Then they left Jesus.
Ne mmuaeɛ a ɔmaa wɔn no maa wɔn ho dwirii wɔn ma wɔgyaa no hɔ kɔeɛ.
23 During that same day, some Sadducees came to Jesus. [They are a Jewish sect who do not] believe that people will become alive again after they die. They [wanted to] ask [Jesus] a question.
Ɛda no ara, Sadukifoɔ a wɔnnye owusɔreɛ nni no baa Yesu nkyɛn bɛbisaa no sɛ,
24 [In order to discredit the idea that dead people will live again], they said [to him], “Teacher, Moses wrote [in the Scriptures], ‘If a man dies who did not have any children, his brother must marry the [dead man’s] widow in order that she can have a child by him. The child [will be considered] the descendant of the man [who died], [and in that way the dead man will have descendants].’
“Owura, Mose kaa sɛ, ‘Sɛ ɔbarima bi anwo na ɔwu a, ne nuabarima mfa ne yere no kunabaa na ɔne no nwo mma owufoɔ no.
25 Well, there were seven boys in a family [living] near us. The oldest one married someone. He [and his wife] did not have any children, and he died. So the second brother married the widow. [But he also died without having a child].
Anuanom baason bi ne yɛn tenaa ha. Ɔpanin no wareeɛ a wanwo ba na ɔwuiɛ. Enti, ne nua a ɔtɔ so mmienu no faa ne yere no kunabaa.
26 The same thing [happened to] the third [brother], and also to the other four [brothers, who one by one married this same woman].
Deɛ ɔtɔ so mmienu no nso wuiɛ, maa deɛ ɔtɔ so mmiɛnsa no faa ɔbaa no kunabaa. Ɔno nso wuiɛ a wanwo ba, maa ɔfoforɔ nso faa ɔbaa no kunabaa. Yei toaa so ara kɔsii sɛ anuanom baason no nyinaa waree ɔbaa no.
27 Last of all, the widow also died.
Deɛ ɛdi akyire ne sɛ, ɔbaa no nso wuiɛ.
28 So, at the time when people are raised from the dead, which of the seven [brothers do you think] will be her husband? Keep in mind that they had all been married to her.”
Ɛno enti, owusɔreberɛ no, nnipa baason yi mu hwan na ɔbaa no bɛyɛ ne yere? Ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa waree no!’”
29 Jesus replied to them, “You are certainly wrong [in what you are thinking]. You do not know [what is written in] the Scriptures. [You] also do not know [that] God has [the] power [to make people alive again].
Yesu buaa wɔn sɛ, “Mo mfomsoɔ a moayɛ no firi nim a monnim Atwerɛsɛm no ne Onyankopɔn tumi a ɔwɔ no!
30 The fact is that [the woman will not be the wife of any of them, because] after [God causes all dead] people [to] live again, no one will be married. Instead, [people] will be like the angels in heaven. [They do not marry].
Na owusɔreberɛ no, awadeɛ nni hɔ; obiara bɛyɛ sɛ abɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ ɔsoro no.
31 But as for dead people becoming alive again, God said something about that. (I’m sure you have read it./Have you not read it?) [RHQ] [Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses],
Afei, ɛfa owusɔreɛ no ho no nso, monnkanee deɛ Onyankopɔn aka afa ho no pɛn? Monhunu sɛ Onyankopɔn kasa kyerɛɛ mo ɛberɛ a ɔkaa sɛ,
32 ‘I am the God whom Abraham [worships] and the God whom Isaac [worships] and the God whom Jacob worships.’ 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]!”
‘Mene Abraham Onyankopɔn, Isak Onyankopɔn ne Yakob Onyankopɔn no?’ Yei kyerɛ sɛ. Onyankopɔn nyɛ awufoɔ Onyankopɔn na mmom, ateasefoɔ Onyankopɔn.”
33 When the crowds of people heard [Jesus teach] that, they were amazed.
Nnipadɔm no tee ne nkyerɛkyerɛ no, ɛyɛɛ wɔn nwanwa.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had answered the Sadducees in such a way that the Sadducees could not [think of anything that they might say to] respond to him, the Pharisees gathered together to [plan what they would say to him]. [Then they approached him].
Farisifoɔ no tee sɛ Yesu abu afa Sadukifoɔ no so no, wɔkɔhyiaa Yesu.
35 One of them was a man who had studied well the laws [that God gave Moses]. He wanted to see if Jesus [could answer] his question well [or if he would say something wrong]. He asked him,
Wɔn mu baako a ɔyɛ mmaranimfoɔ bisaa Yesu sɛ,
36 “Teacher, which commandment in the laws [that God gave Moses] is the most important?”
“Owura, Mose mmaransɛm no mu deɛ ɛwɔ he koraa na ɛkyɛn ne nyinaa?”
37 Jesus [quoted the Scriptures as he replied], “‘You must love the Lord your God with all [IDM] your (inner being/heart). [Show that you love him] in all that you desire, in all that you feel, and in all that you think.’
Yesu buaa no sɛ, “‘Dɔ Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, wʼakoma nyinaa mu ne wo ɔkra nyinaa mu ne wʼadwene nyinaa mu.’
38 That is the most important commandment [in the laws that God gave Moses].
Yei ne mmaransɛm no mu deɛ ɛdi ɛkan na ɛkyɛn ne nyinaa.
39 The next most important commandment [that everyone must surely obey] is: ‘You must love the people you come in contact with as much as [you love] yourself.’
Deɛ ɛtɔ so mmienu no te sɛ ɛno ara: ‘Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho.’
40 These two commandments are the basis of every law [that Moses wrote in the Scriptures] and also of all that the prophets [wrote].”
Mose mmaransɛm ne adiyifoɔ no nkyerɛkyerɛ no nyinaa gyina saa mmaransɛm mmienu yi so.”
41 While the Pharisees were still gathered together [near] Jesus, he asked them,
Farisifoɔ no twaa Yesu ho hyiaeɛ no, ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ,
42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose descendant is he?” They said to him, “[He is] the descendant of [King] David.”
“Ɛdeɛn na mowɔ ka wɔ Agyenkwa no ho? Hwan ba ne no?” Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Dawid Ba.”
43 Jesus said to them, “[If the Messiah is King David’s descendant], then (David should not have called him ‘Lord’ when David was saying [what] the [Holy] Spirit [prompted him to] say./Why did David call the Messiah ‘Lord’ when David was speaking [what] the [Holy] Spirit [prompted him to] say?) [RHQ]
Yesu bisaa wɔn sɛ “Ɛnneɛ, adɛn na Dawid nam Honhom Kronkron so frɛ no ‘Awurade’? Ɛfiri sɛ, Dawid kaa sɛ,
44 [David wrote this in the Scriptures about the Messiah]: ‘God said to my Lord, “Sit [here beside me] on my right, [the place of greatest honor you] [MTY]. [Sit here] while I completely defeat your enemies [MTY].”’
“‘Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me wura sɛ, “Tena me nifa kɔsi sɛ mɛma woadi wʼatamfoɔ nyinaa so.”’
45 So, since [King] David called [the Messiah] ‘my Lord’, ([the Messiah] cannot be [just someone] descended from David!/how can he be [only] the descendant of [King] David?) [RHQ] [He must be much greater than David]!”
Sɛ Dawid frɛ no ‘Awurade’ a, ɛnneɛ ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na watumi ayɛ ne ba?”
46 No one [who heard what Jesus said] was able to think of even one word to say to him [in response]. And after that, no one else ever dared to ask him another question [to try to trap him].
Obiara antumi ammua. Yei akyi nso, obiara antumi ammisa no nsɛm bio.
