Mateo 13
1 Da no ara Yesu fii adi kɔtenaa mpoano.
That same day Jesus, [along with us] disciples, left the house [where he was teaching and went] to [Galilee lake]. He sat down there,
2 Nnipakuw kyeree so wɔ hɔ a ɛmaa no kɔtenaa ɔkorow bi mu a na nnipakuw no nso gyinagyina mpoano hɔ.
and a very large crowd gathered around him to [listen to his teaching]. So, [in order that they would not jostle him] (OR, [to speak to the people better]), he got into a boat and sat down [to teach them]. The crowd stood on the shore [and was listening].
3 Ofii ase kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn wɔ mmebu mu se, “Da bi okuafo bi kɔɔ nʼafum koguu aba.
He was telling them many parables. [One of the parables] that he told them was this: “Listen! A man went out [to his field] to sow [some seeds].
4 Ogu so regu no, aba no bi guu ɔkwan mu maa nnomaa bɛsosɔw ne nyinaa.
As he was scattering [them over the soil], some [of the] seeds fell on the path. Then some birds came and ate those seeds.
5 Bi nso koguu ɔbotan so. Ankyɛ na aba no fifii.
Other [seeds] fell on ground where there was not much soil [on top of the] rock. Those seeds sprouted very soon, [because the sun quickly warmed] the shallow soil.
6 Esiane sɛ na dɔte a ɛwɔ ɔbotan no so sua no nti, owia bɔɔ so no, ne nyinaa hyewee.
But when [the young plants came up], they were scorched by the sun, and they withered because they did not have [deep] roots.
7 Aba no bi nso guu nsɔe mu, na nsɔe no nyin no emiaa no.
Other seeds fell on [ground that contained roots of] thorny [weeds]. The thorny weeds grew [together with the young plants], and [they] crowded out [the plants].
8 Aba no bi guu asase pa mu. Enyin, sow aba mmɔho aduasa; bi aduosia na afoforo nso ɔha.
[But] other seeds fell on good soil, and [the plants grew and] produced [a lot of] grain. Some [plants produced] 100 times [as many seeds as were planted]. Some [plants produced] 60 times [as much]. Some [plants produced] 30 times [as much].
9 Nea ɔwɔ aso no, ma ontie!”
If you want to understand this [MTY], you should consider [carefully what I have just said].”
10 Owiee ne nkyerɛkyerɛ no, nʼasuafo no baa ne nkyɛn bebisaa no se, “Adɛn na daa wonam mmebu so kasa kyerɛ nnipa no?”
[We] disciples approached Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowd?”
11 Yesu buaa wɔn se, “Mo de, wɔde Ɔsoro Ahenni ho ahintasɛm ama mo na wɔn de, wɔmmfa mmaa wɔn ɛ.
He answered [us] saying, “God [EUP/MTY] is revealing to you what he did not reveal before, about [how he wants to] rule [over people’s lives]. But he has not revealed it to others.
12 Nea ɔwɔ biribi no, wɔbɛma no bi aka ho na wanya ama abu no so. Na nea onni ahe bi no, kakra a ɔwɔ no mpo, wobegye afi ne nsam.
Those who [think about what I say and] understand [it], God will enable them to understand more. But those who do not [think carefully about what I say] will forget even what they already know.
13 Nea enti a ɛma mekasa kyerɛ wɔn mmebu mu no ne sɛ, “Wohu de, nanso wonhu; wɔte de, na wɔnte ase.
That is why I use parables when I speak to people, because although they see [what I do], they do not perceive [what it means], and although they hear [what I say], they do not really understand [what it means].
14 Wɔn so na ɛnam ama Yesaia nkɔm a ɔhyɛe se, “‘Ɔte de, mobɛte, nanso morente ase; ohu de, mubehu, nanso morenhu no, aba mu.
What these people do completely fulfills what [God told] the prophet Isaiah [to say long ago to the people who did not] try to understand what he said, You will hear [what I say], but you will not understand it. You will keep seeing [what I do], but you will not understand [what it means] [DOU].
15 Efisɛ ɔman yi koma apirim. Wɔyɛ asoɔden; wɔakatakata wɔn ani. Sɛ ɛnte saa a anka wɔn ani behu ade, na wɔn aso ate asɛm na wɔn koma ate asɛm ase, na wɔanu wɔn ho asan aba me nkyɛn na masa wɔn yare.’
[God also said to Isaiah], These people have become unresponsive [MTY] [to what they see me do and to what they hear me say]. They listen unwillingly [MTY] [to what I say], and they do not pay attention to [MTY] [what I do]. If it were not so, they would perceive [MTY] [what I am doing], they would understand [MTY] [what I say to them], and they would turn [away from their sinful lives] and turn [to me], and I would save them [from being punished for their sins] [MET].
16 Na mo de, wɔahyira mo ani efisɛ ehu ade; wɔahyira mo aso efisɛ ɛte asɛm.
But as for you, God is pleased with you because you [SYN] have seen [what I have done] and because you [SYN] understand [what I say] [DOU].
17 Na me de, mereka akyerɛ mo se, adiyifo ne atreneefo pii pɛɛ sɛ wohu nea muhu no, nanso wɔanhu. Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wɔte nea mote no, nanso wɔante.
Note this: Many prophets and righteous people [who lived long ago] longed to see what you are seeing [me do], but they did not see it. They longed to hear the things that you have been hearing [me say], but they did not hear [what you hear me say].” [DOU]
18 “Afei muntie bɛ a ɛfa ogufo a okoguu aba wɔ nʼafum no no nkyerɛase.
“[Since God wants] you [to understand what I am teaching you], listen as I [explain] the parable about the man who sowed [seeds in various kinds of soil].
19 Wɔn a wotie Onyankopɔn asɛm no, na wɔnte ase no te sɛ aba a eguu ɔkwan mu no. Ɔbɔnefo no ba, behwim nea wɔadua wɔ wɔn koma mu no.
The people who hear about how God rules over people’s lives and do not understand [what they have heard] are [like] the path where [some of] the seeds fell. [Satan], the Evil One, comes and causes these people to forget [MET] what they have heard [MET].
20 Aba a eguu ɔbotan so no gyina hɔ ma wɔn a wɔte asɛm no, na wɔde anigye so mu.
[Some people are like the] shallow soil on top of rock. When they hear God’s message, they immediately accept it joyfully.
21 Nanso asɛm no nnyina wɔ wɔn mu. Eyi nti ɛnkyɛ na asɛm no awu. Esiane sɛ asɛm no awu nti, sɛ ɔhaw anaa ɔtaa bi ba a, wɔpa abaw.
[But because it does not penetrate deeply into their inner beings, they believe it for only] a [short] time. [They are like the plants that] did not have [deep] roots. When they are treated badly and caused to suffer because they believe [God’s message], they soon stop believing [it].
22 Aba a eguu nsɔe mu no gyina hɔ ma wɔn a wotie asɛm no, nanso wiase yi mu abrabɔ mu haw ne agyapade ho dadwen nti ɛmma asɛm no ntumi nyɛ wɔn mu adwuma. (aiōn g165)
[Some people are like the soil that had the roots of] thorny [weeds] in it. They hear God’s message, but they desire to be rich, [so they] worry [only] about [MTY, PRS] material things. As a result, they [PRS] forget [God’s] message, and they do not do [IDM] the things that God wants them to do. (aiōn g165)
23 Na aba a eguu asase pa mu no gyina hɔ ma wɔn a wotie asɛm no, na wɔte ase. Wɔsow aba mmɔho aduasa; bi aduosia; na afoforo nso, ɔha.”
But [some people are like the] good soil where [some of the seeds] fell. [Just like the plants that grew in this soil] produced a lot of grain, [these people] hear my message and understand it. [Some of them] do many things [IDM] [that please God, some do] even more [things that please God, and some do] very many [things that please God].”
24 Yesu de bɛ foforo kaa asɛm se, “Ɔsoro Ahenni no te sɛ okuafo bi a oduaa aburow wɔ nʼafum.
Jesus also told the crowd another parable, [by which he tried to explain that although] God [MTY/EUP] is a king, [he will not immediately judge and punish all the wicked people]. Jesus said, “[God] is like a landowner [who sent his servants] to sow good [wheat] seed in his field.
25 Da koro anadwo a wada no, ne tamfo nso beduaa nwura fraa aburow a wadua no.
While those servants were sleeping [and not watching the field], an enemy of the landowner came and scattered weed [seeds] in the midst of the wheat. Then he left.
26 Aburow no renyin no, na nwura no nso renyin.
After [the seeds] sprouted and the green plants [grew], the heads of grain began to form. But the weeds also grew.
27 “Okuafo no apaafo bɛka kyerɛɛ no se, ‘Owura, aburow a wuduae no, nwura bi afifi wɔ ase!’
So the servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, you [RHQ] [gave us good seeds and those are the ones we] [RHQ] [planted] in your field. So where did the weeds come from?’
28 “Okuafo no buae se, ‘Ɔtamfo bi na oduae!’ “Apaafo no bisaa no se, ‘Wopɛ sɛ yekotutu saa nwura no ana?’
The landowner said to them, ‘[My] enemy did this.’ His servants said to him, ‘So, do you want us to pull up [the weeds and] put them in a pile?’
29 “Obuaa wɔn se, ‘Dabi da!’ Anyɛ a na moatutu aburow no bi afra nwura no.
He said [to them], ‘No, [do not do that, because] you might pull up [some of] the wheat at the same time.
30 Momma ne nyinaa nyin nkosi twabere na mama atwafo ayiyi nwura no afi aburow no mu ahyew no, na wɔde aburow no nso agu asan so.”
Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest [time].’ At that time I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather the weeds, tie them into bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat [and put it] into my barns.’”
31 Yesu buu wɔn bɛ foforo se, “Ɔsoro Ahenni te sɛ onyaa aba ketewa bi a obi duaa wɔ nʼafum.
Jesus also told this parable: “The [number of] (OR, [God’s influence in the lives of]) [people whose] lives God rules over [will continue to grow. It is very much] like mustard seeds grow after a man plants them in his field.
32 Ɛyɛ aba ketewaa bi, nanso sɛ enyin a, ɛyɛ dutan kɛse ma nnomaa kosisi ne mman so.”
Although mustard seeds are among the smallest of all the seeds [that people plant, here in Israel they become large plants. When the plants have fully grown, they are larger than the other garden plants. They become shrubs that are large enough for birds to build nests in their branches.”]
33 Obuu wɔn bɛ foforo se, “Ɔsoro Ahenni te sɛ mmɔkaw bi a brodotofo de fɔtɔw mmɔre ma etu.”
Jesus also told this parable: “[The way people who let] God [MTY/EUP] rule their lives [MET] [can influence the world] is like yeast that a woman mixed with about 50 pounds of flour. [That small amount of yeast made] the whole batch of dough swell up.”
34 Yesu nam mmebu so ɔkasa kyerɛɛ nnipadɔm no.
Jesus told the crowd parables [to teach them] all these things. When he spoke [HYP] to them, he habitually used such illustrations.
35 Enti ɔhyɛɛ nea adiyifo no ahyɛ ho nkɔm no mma se: “Mɛkasa mmebu mu, na maka anwonwade mu ahintasɛm a efi adebɔ mfiase.”
By doing that, [he] fulfilled what [God told one of] the prophets to write [long ago]: I will speak [MTY] in parables; I will tell [parables to teach] what I have kept secret since I created the world.
36 Afei Yesu fii nnipadɔm no nkyɛn kɔɔ fie. Nʼasuafo no baa ne nkyɛn bɛka kyerɛɛ no se ɔnkyerɛ wɔn bɛ a ɛfa nwura ne aburow ho no ase.
After Jesus dismissed the crowds, he went inside. Then [we] disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable about the weeds [that grew] in the [wheat] field.”
37 Yesu buaa wɔn se, “Me Onipa Ba no, mene okuafo a oduaa aburow no.
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed represents [me], the one who came from heaven.
38 Afuw no ne wiase, na aburow no nso gyina hɔ ma wɔn a wɔyɛ Ahenni no mma; nwura no nso gyina hɔ ma wɔn a wɔyɛ ɔbonsam mma.
The field represents this world [MTY], [where people live]. The seeds [that grew] well represent the people who let God rule their lives [MET]. The weeds represent the people who do what [the devil], the Evil One, [tells them to do].
39 Ɔtamfo a oduaa nwura fraa aburow no ne ɔbɔnefo no. Otwabere no yɛ wiase awiei; atwafo no ne abɔfo no. (aiōn g165)
The enemy who sowed the weed seeds represents the devil. The [time when the reapers will] harvest [the grain] represents the time when the world will end. The reapers represent the angels. (aiōn g165)
40 “Sɛnea asɛnka no mu, wotutuu nwura no fii aburow no mu kɔhyew no no, saa ara na ɛbɛyɛ wɔ wiase awiei. (aiōn g165)
The weeds are gathered and burned. {The reapers gather the weeds. Then they burn them.} That represents [the judging of people, which God will do] when the world will end. [It will be like this]: (aiōn g165)
41 Onipa Ba no bɛsoma nʼabɔfo, na wɔabɛboaboa wɔn a wɔpɛ bɔne, nsɛmmɔnedifo nyinaa ano afi Ahenni no mu,
I, the one who came from heaven, will send my angels, and they will gather [from everywhere the people] who cause others to quit believing in me [MET] and all those who disobey [God’s] commands.
42 na wɔatow wɔn agu ogyatannaa no mu, ahyew wɔn. Ɛhɔ na osu ne setwɛre wɔ.
They will throw those people into the fires of [hell]. There those people will weep and grind their teeth [because of the great pain that they are suffering]. (questioned)
43 Na atreneefo no bɛhyerɛn sɛ owia wɔ wɔn Agya Ahenni no mu. Nea ɔwɔ aso no, ma ontie!”
[God’s] brightness will shine [on] the people who have lived as he wants them to. It will shine [on them as brightly] as the sun [shines]. It will shine on them in the place where [God], their Father, rules over them. If you want to understand this [MTY], you should think [carefully] about what I have just said.”
44 Yesu toaa mmebu no so se, “Ɔsoro Ahenni no te sɛ ademude bi a obi kohuu wɔ afuw bi mu. Ɔkataa so, na ɔde ahopere kɔtɔn nʼahode nyinaa, de kɔtɔɔ afuw no.
“[What people do who begin to allow] God [MTY/EUP] to rule their lives is like [what a certain man did to acquire a treasure]. A treasure was hidden in a field by someone {Someone hid a treasure in a field [and never dug it up again]}. When [another] man found it, he hid it [by burying it again in order that no one else would find it]. Being very happy [that he had found something very valuable, he went and] sold all his possessions [to obtain money to buy the field the treasure was in]. He then went and bought the field, [and so he was able to acquire that treasure].
45 “Bio, Ɔsoro Ahenni te sɛ obi a odi nhene pa ho gua a ɔrehwehwɛ nhene pa atɔ.
Also, what [people do who begin to allow] God [MTY/EUP] to rule their lives is like [what] a merchant [did who was] looking for good quality pearls [to buy].
46 Okonyaa bi a ɛyɛ fɛ mmoroso, enti ɔkɔtɔn nʼahode nyinaa de kɔtɔe!”
When he found one very costly pearl [that was for sale], he sold all his possessions [to acquire enough money to buy that pearl]. Then he [went and] bought it.
47 Yesu toaa so bio se, “Ɔsoro Ahenni no te sɛ obi a okoguu asau wɔ asu bi mu yii nsumnam ahorow bebree.
What God [MTY/EUP] [will do to people who falsely say that they are letting him] rule their lives is like what certain [fishermen] did [with the fish they caught] in a lake, using a large net. They caught all classes [of fish, both useful and worthless fish].
48 Asau no yɛɛ ma no, ɔtwe baa konkɔn so. Afei ɔtenaa ase yiyii nam pa no guu kɛntɛn mu na ɔtow nea enye no gui.
When the net was full, the [fishermen] pulled it up onto the shore. Then they sat there and put the useful [fish] into buckets, and threw the worthless ones away.
[What they did in separating the good fish from the bad ones] is like [what will happen to people] when the world ends. The angels will come [to where God is judging people], and will separate the wicked [people] from the righteous [ones]. (aiōn g165)
50 na wɔatow abɔnefo no agu ogyatannaa no mu; ɛhɔ na osu ne setwɛre wɔ.
They will throw the wicked people into the fire [in hell]. And those wicked people will weep and gnash their teeth [because of the intense pain they are suffering].” (questioned)
51 “Mote ase?” Nʼasuafo no buaa no se, “Yiw.”
[Then Jesus asked us], “Do you understand all these [parables I have told you]?” We said to him,
52 Yesu toaa ne nkyerɛkyerɛ no so se, “Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo a wɔabɛyɛ mʼasuafo no te sɛ ofiwura a wada nʼagyapade foforo ne dedaw nyinaa adi.”
“Yes, [we understand them].” Then he said to us, “Because [you understand all these parables], [you will understand the following parable: You, along with] all others, will teach people what [you heard me say] about God ruling people’s lives. [You will add that to what you formerly learned. You will be] like a manager of a household who takes both new things and old things out of his storage room.”
53 Yesu wiee ne mmebu no, ofii faako a ɔwɔ hɔ no.
When Jesus had finished [telling] these parables, he took [us] and left that [area].
54 Ɔkɔɔ ne kurom Nasaret. Ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔ hyiadan mu maa wɔn a wotiee no no ho dwiriw wɔn. Wobisabisaa wɔn ho wɔn ho se, “Ɛhe na saa ɔbarima yi konyaa nyansa a ɔde yɛ anwonwade sɛɛ yi?
We went to [Nazareth, his hometown. (On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day]) he began to teach the people in the Jewish worship house. The result was that the people there were astonished. But [some] said, “[This man is just an ordinary person like us. So] how is it that he knows so much and understands so much [RHQ]? And how is it that he is able to do [such] miracles [RHQ]?
55 Ɛnyɛ dua dwumfo no ba no ni? Ɛnyɛ ne na ne Maria? Ɛnyɛ ne nua barimanom ne Yakobo ne Yosef ne Simon ne Yuda?
(He is [just] the son of the carpenter!/Isn’t he [just] the son of the carpenter [that lived here]?) [RHQ] His mother is Mary, and his younger brothers are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas [RHQ]!
56 Ɛnyɛ yɛne ne nuabeanom na ɛte ha? Na afei ɛhe na okonyaa eyinom nyinaa yi?”
(And his sisters [also live] here in our [town]./Do not his sisters [live] in our [town]?) [RHQ] So how is he able to do all these [miracles]?”
57 Wɔn bo fuw no. Yesu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Odiyifo wɔ anuonyam baabiara, gye ne man mu anaa ne nkurɔfo mu!”
The people were unable to accept [that] he [was the Messiah. So] Jesus said to them, “[People] honor [me and other] prophets [everywhere else we go], but in [our] hometowns [we are] not [honored], and [even] our own families do not [honor us!]”
58 Esiane sɛ wɔannye no anni no nti, wanyɛ anwonwade bebree wɔ hɔ!
Jesus did not perform many miracles there because the people did not believe [that he was the Messiah].
