Luka 13
1 Le ɣe ma ɣi me la, ame aɖewo ka ale si Pilato na be wowu Galileatɔwo hetɔtɔ woƒe ʋu kple woƒe numemewo la ta nɛ.
Some people who were [listening to Jesus] at that time told him about some people from Galilee [district who had gone to Jerusalem]. Pilate, [the Roman governor], had [ordered soldiers to] kill them [MTY] while they were offering sacrifices [in the Temple there].
2 Yesu trɔ bia ameawo be, “Ɖe miebu be ame siwo wowu la ƒe nu vɔ̃wo sɔ gbɔ wu Galileatɔ bubuwo tɔ tae wowu wo ɖoa?
Jesus replied to them, “Do you think [that this happened to those] people from Galilee [because] they were more sinful than all the other people from Galilee?
3 Gbeɖe, mele eme nenema o! Miawo hã minya be yewoatsrɔ̃ alea ke nenye be miegbe be yewomatrɔ dzi me o.
I assure you, [that was] not [so]! But instead of [being concerned about them, you need to remember that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior.
4 “Aleke miebu tso ame wuienyi siwo dzi Siloam gbetakpɔxɔ la mu dze woku la ŋu? Woawoe nye nu vɔ̃ wɔla gãtɔwo wu le Yerusalem mahã?
Or, [consider] the 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam [outside Jerusalem] fell on them. Do you think [that this happened to them because] they were more sinful than all the other people who lived in Jerusalem?
5 Gbeɖe, menye woawoe o. Miawo hã miatsrɔ̃ nenye be miegbe be yewomatrɔ dzi me o.”
I assure you, [that was] not so! But instead, you [need to realize that God] will similarly punish you [eternally] if you do not stop your sinful behavior!”
6 Azɔ Yesu yi dzi do lo sia be, “Ŋutsu aɖe do kutsetseti aɖe ɖe eƒe abɔ me, eye wòvaa atia te edziedzi be yeakpɔ be etse ku aɖe mahã, gake mekpɔa kutsetse aɖeke le edzi o.
Then Jesus told them this illustration [to show what God would do to the Jews, whom he continually blessed, but who did not do things that please him]: “A man planted a fig tree on his farmland. ([Each year/Many times]) he came to it looking for figs, but there were no figs.
7 Mlɔeba la, egblɔ na abɔdzikpɔla be nelã atia ƒu anyi. Egblɔ kpe ɖe eŋu dzikutɔe be, ‘Melala ʋuu ƒe etɔ̃ sɔŋ, gake ati sia metse ku ɖeka pɛ hã kpɔ o! Lãe ƒu anyi. Nu ka ta magana wòanɔ te? Ele mɔ xem na anyigba la.’
Then he said to the gardener, ‘Look [here]! I have been looking for fruit on this fig tree every year for the past three years, but there have been no figs. Cut it down! (It is just using up the nutrients in the soil for nothing!/Why should it continue using up the [nutrients in] the soil [for nothing]?) [RHQ]’
8 “Abɔdzikpɔla la ɖo eŋu nɛ be, ‘Aƒetɔ, na wòaganɔ anyi ƒe ɖeka kpɔ. Matrɔ asi le eŋu nyuie agbugbɔ aɖu ado ɖe ete.
But the gardener replied to the owner, ‘Sir, leave it here for another year. I will dig around it and put manure around it.
9 Nenye be etse ku la, enyo, ke ne metse ku o la, malãe ƒu anyi.’”
If it bears fruit next year, we [(inc)] will allow it to keep growing. If it does not bear fruit next year, you [(sg)] can cut it down.’”
10 Gbe ɖeka esi Yesu nɔ nu fiam le Yudatɔwo ƒe ƒuƒoƒe le Dzudzɔgbe ŋkekea dzi la,
One (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest), [Jesus] was teaching people in one of the Jewish meeting places.
11 ekpɔ nyɔnu aɖe si dɔléamegbɔgbɔ na wònɔ dɔ lém vevie ƒe wuienyi sɔŋ. Dɔléle la na be wòxa gobaa, ale be mate ŋu adzɔ ɖe tsitrenu o.
There was a woman there whom an evil spirit [MTY] had crippled for 18 years. She was always bent over; she could not stand up straight.
12 Yesu yɔe va eɖokui gbɔe eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Nyɔnu, èvo tso wò dɔléle la si me!”
When Jesus saw her, he called her over to him. He said to her, “Woman, [I am] freeing you [(sg)] from your illness!”
13 Azɔ eka asi eŋu, eye enumake nyɔnu la ƒe dɔa vɔ nɛ, eye wòdzɔ ɖe tsitre kã hekafu Mawu.
He put his hands on her. Immediately she stood up straight, and she praised God!
14 Yudatɔwo ƒe kplɔla si nɔ ƒuƒoƒe ma dzi kpɔm la do dziku vevie le nu si Yesu wɔ la ta, elabena eyɔ dɔ na nyɔnu la le Dzudzɔgbe ŋkekea dzi. Edo ɣli gblɔ na ameha la be, “Ŋkeke ade sɔŋ le kɔsiɖa ɖeka me esiwo dzi woawɔ dɔ le, esiae nye ŋkeke siwo dzi wòle be nàva woayɔ dɔ wò, ke menye le Dzudzɔgbe ŋkeke dzi o!”
But the man in charge (of the synagogue/of the meeting place) was angry because Jesus had healed her (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day). [He considered that healing was doing work]. So he said to the people, “There are six days [each week] in which [our Jewish] laws permit people to work. [If you need healing], those are the days to come ([to the synagogue/to the meeting place]) and be healed. Do not come on our Jewish day of rest!”
15 Aƒetɔ la ɖo eŋu be, “Mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Ɖe mieɖea ka miaƒe tedziwo alo nyiwo le woƒe kpowo me le Dzudzɔgbe dzi, eye miekplɔa wo yina ɖanaa tsi wo wonona oa? Esia hã nye dɔwɔwɔ le Dzudzɔgbe ŋkekea dzi.
Then the Lord replied to him, “You [(sg) and your fellow religious leaders are] hypocrites! (On the Sabbath/On our Jewish day of rest), [just like on every other day], (each of you unties his ox or donkey, and then leads it from the food trough to where it can drink water./does not each of you untie his ox or donkey, and then lead it from the food trough to where it can drink water?) [RHQ] [That is work, too]!
16 Ke nu vɔ̃ wònye nye ya mewɔ be meɖe ga Yuda nyɔnu, Abraham ƒe dzidzimevi sia, le Dzudzɔgbe ŋkeke dzia? Ame si Satana bla kple dɔléle ƒe wuienyi sɔŋ la?”
This woman [is more important than an animal; she is a Jew], descended from Abraham! But Satan has [kept her] [MET] [crippled] for 18 years, [as though] he had tied her up [and not let her escape]! So (it is certainly right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Sabbath day!/was it not right that she be freed {that [I] free her}, [even if this] is a Jewish rest day?) [RHQ]”
17 Eƒe nya siawo na be ŋu kpe eƒe futɔwo katã, eye ame sia ame kpɔ dzidzɔ le nukunu gã siwo katã wòwɔ la ta.
After Jesus said that, all the people [there] who opposed him were ashamed. But all the [other] people [there] were happy about all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 Azɔ egade asi nufiafia amewo me le mawufiaɖuƒe la ŋuti. Ebia wo be, “Aleke mawufiaɖuƒe la le? Nu ka ŋue miate ŋu atsɔe asɔ ɖo?
Then Jesus said, “(I will tell you how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]./Do you know how [the number of people who let] God rule [MET] [their lives will increase]?) [RHQ] I will tell you what I can compare it to.
19 Ele abe atiku sue aɖe si wodo ɖe agble me ene. Atiku sia tsi kabakaba va zu ati kɔkɔ aɖe, eye wòɖe alɔwo fũu, eye xeviwo va wɔ atɔ ɖe alɔawo me.”
It is like a [tiny] mustard seed that a man planted in his field. It grew until it became [big, like] a tree. It was [so big that] birds built nests in its branches.”
20 Egabia ake be, “Nu ka ŋu matsɔ mawufiaɖuƒe asɔ ɖo?
Then he said, “I will tell [RHQ] you something else, to illustrate how the people who let God rule [MET] [their lives can influence their society more and more].
21 Eɖi nuʋãnu si nyɔnu aɖe tsɔ de abolomɔ me, eye wòwɔ dɔ to abolomɔ blibo la me va se ɖe esime wòʋã nyuie.”
It is like [a little bit of] yeast that a woman mixed with about 50 pounds of flour. [That small amount of yeast made] the whole batch of dough swell up.”
22 Azɔ Yesu nɔ tsatsam le du kple kɔƒewo me nɔ nu fiam amewo, ke ekpɔ egbɔ be yenɔ tetem ɖe Yerusalem ŋu.
[Jesus] continued traveling, along [with his disciples], through various towns and villages on the way to Jerusalem. As they went, he was teaching [the people].
23 Ame aɖe va egbɔ va biae be, “Aƒetɔ, ame ʋɛ aɖewo koe le ɖeɖe kpɔ gea?” Eɖo eŋu na wo be,
Someone asked him, “Lord, will there be only a few people who are saved {whom [God] saves}?” He replied to them, “[There will not be many, because] the way [to heaven] [MET] is [like] a narrow door.
24 “Miʋli be miage ɖe eme to agbo xaxɛ la me, elabena ame geɖewo adi be yewoage ɖe eme, ke mele egblɔm be womate ŋui o.
[Therefore, try hard] to enter that narrow doorway, because I tell you that many people will try to enter [heaven by some other way], but they will not be able to get in.
25 Nenye be Aƒetɔ la tsi tsitre hetu ʋɔa la, ekema mietsi megbe. Mianɔ tsitre ɖe ʋɔa godo anɔ eƒom be, ‘Aƒetɔ, ʋu ʋɔa na mi.’ “Ke aɖo eŋu na mi be, ‘Nyemenya mi kple afi si mietso o.’
[God is like] the owner of a house. [Some day] he will lock his door. Then [some of] you will begin to stand outside that door and knock. You will say, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘[No, I will not open it, because] I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from!’
26 “Miawo miaɖo eŋu nɛ be, ‘Mí kpli wò míede asi agba ɖeka me ɖu nu kpɔ, eye nèfia nu le míaƒe ablɔwo dzi hã kpɔ.’
Then you will say, ‘([You must have forgotten!/Surely you know us, because]) [RHQ] we [(exc)] ate [meals] with you [(sg)], and you taught [people] in the streets of our [towns]’!
27 “Ke agaɖo eŋu na mi be, ‘Megblɔe na mi be nyemenya mi o. Miate ŋu ava eme o, elabena nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo mienye. Midzo le afi ma.’
But he will say, ‘[I tell you again], I do not know you, and I do not know where you are from. You [are] wicked people! Get away from here!’”
28 “Miafa avi aɖu aɖukli le esime miele tsitre ɖe xexe le Abraham, Isak, Yakob kple nyagblɔɖila siwo katã le mawufiaɖuƒea me la kpɔm ɖo ɖa.
Then Jesus continued, saying, “[From where God will send you], you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the distance. All the prophets [who lived long ago will also be there], in the kingdom where God [is ruling]. But you will be outside, crying and grinding your teeth [because you will have severe pain]!
29 Amewo atso ɣedzeƒe kple ɣetoɖoƒe kple anyiehe kple dziehe ava eye woanɔ kplɔ̃ ŋu le mawufiaɖuƒe la me.
Furthermore, many [non-Jewish] people will [be inside]. There will be ones who have come from [lands to] the north, east, south, and west. They will be feasting in (that place where God is ruling/God’s kingdom).
30 Mina nya sia nanɔ susu me na mi be ame siwo womebuna ɖe naneke me fifia o la axɔ bubu gã aɖe le dziƒo, eye ame siwo nye ame ŋkutawo le afi sia la, womabu wo ɖe naneke me le afi ma o.”
Think about this: Some people whom others do not [consider] important [now, God will make] them very important [then], and some people whom [others consider] very important [now, God will make] to be not important [then].”
31 Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, Farisitɔ aɖewo va gblɔ nɛ be, “Ne èdi be yeatsi agbe la, ekema dzo le afi sia, elabena Fia Herod le diwòm be yeawu.”
At that very time, some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Leave this area, because [the ruler] Herod [Antipas] wants to kill you [(sg)]!”
32 Yesu ɖo eŋu na wo be, “Miyi ɖagblɔ na ayetɔ ma be manɔ gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyanya dzi, eye mawɔ nukunu geɖewo, ayɔ dɔ amewo egbea kple etsɔ. Ke le ŋkeke etɔ̃a gbe la, mawu nye dɔ nu, eye maɖo afi si yim mele.
He replied to them, “Herod is [MET] [as cruel as] a fox, [but also as insignificant as a fox]. [So I do not worry about him]. But [to show him that no one can harm me until it is the time and place God has determined], go tell him this [message from me]: ‘Listen! I am expelling demons and performing miracles today, and [I will continue doing] it for a short time. After that, I will finish my work.
33 Ɛ̃, egbea, etsɔ kple ŋkeke si akplɔe ɖo la, mawu nye dɔ nu! Elabena menyo be Mawu ƒe nyagblɔɖila aɖeke naku ɖe afi aɖeke tsɔ wu Yerusalem o.
But I must continue my trip [to Jerusalem] during the coming days, because [they killed many other] prophets there, and [since I am also a prophet], no other place is appropriate for people to kill [me].’”
34 “O, Yerusalem, Yerusalem! Du si me tɔwo wua nyagblɔɖilawo, eye woƒua kpe ame siwo woɖo ɖa be woakpe ɖe wo ŋu la. Zi geɖe la, medina vevie bena maƒo mia viwo nu ƒu abe ale si koklonɔ ƒoa viawo nu ƒui ɖe eƒe aʋala te ene, gake mieɖe mɔ nam o.
[Then Jesus said], “O [people of] [MTY] Jerusalem [APO]! You killed the prophets [who lived long ago, and you killed others], whom [God] sent to you, [by throwing] stones [at them]. Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you] [SIM] like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings. But you did not want [me to do that].
35 Fifia miaƒe aƒee ma zu aƒedo. Mele egblɔm na mi be, miegale kpɔ nye ge o, va se ɖe esime miagblɔ be, ‘Woayra ame si gbɔna le Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔ me.’”
So listen to this: Your city [MTY] (OR, your temple) is going to be abandoned (OR, God will no longer protect it). I will [MTY] also tell you this: I [will enter your city only once more. After that], you will not see me until the time when [I return and] you say [about me], ‘God is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY]!’”
