Matthew 3
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
E rile fa ba sa ntse ba le mo Nasaretha, Johane wa Mokolobetsi a simolola go rera mo sekakeng sa Judea. Thero ya gagwe gangwe le gape e ne e re,
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
“Sokologang mo dibeng tsa lona, boelang mo Modimong, gonne Bogosi jwa Legodimo bo atametse.”
3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
Isaia moporofiti mo makgolong a dingwaga a a fetileng, o boletse ka ga thuto ya ga Johane. O ne a kwadile a re, “Ke utlwa lentswe le le goang mo sekakeng, ‘Baakanyang tsela ya Morena, tlhamalatsang tsela e a tlaa tsamayang mo go yone.’”
4 John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
Diaparo tsa ga Johane di ne di dirilwe ka boboa jwa kamele, o ne a itlama ka moitlamo wa letlalo; dijo tsa gagwe e ne e le tsie le dinotshe tsa naga.
5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan.
Batho ba ba tswang Jerusalema le ba ba tswang mo tikologong yotlhe kwa moseja ga mogogoro wa Jorodane, le ba ba tswang mo kgaolong nngwe le nngwe ya Judea ba tswela kwa sekakeng go mo reetsa a rera,
6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
mme fa ba sena go ipolela dibe tsa bone, a ba kolobetsa mo nokeng ya Jorodane.
7 But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Mme e rile a bona Bafarasai le Basadukai ba le bantsi ba tla go kolobediwa, a ba nyatsa a re, “Losika lwa dinoga ke lona! Yo o lo reileng a re lo ne lo ka falola mo bogaleng jwa Modimo jo bo tlang ke mang?
8 Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.
Pele ga lo kolobediwa supang gore lo sokologile mo dibeng ka go dira ditiro tse di tshwanetseng.
9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Lo seka lwa ikaketsa lwa re, ‘Re falotse ka re le Bajuda, losika lwa ga Aberahame.’ Moo ga go reye sepe. Modimo o ka fetola maje a a fano a, go nna Bajuda!
10 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
“Mme le jaanong selepe sa katlholo ya Modimo se tsepame go kgaola setlhare sengwe le sengwe se se sa ungweng. Di tlaa rengwa di tshubiwa.
11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
“Nna ke kolobetsa mo metsing ba ba sokologileng mo dibeng tsa bone; mme mongwe o e tla; yo mogolo go mpheta thata, o bogolo jo e leng gore ga ke a lekana go tshola ditlhako tsa gagwe. Ene o tlaa lo kolobetsa ka Mowa o o Boitshepo le ka molelo.
12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
O tlaa tlhopa mmoko mo mabeleng, a fisa mmoko ka molelo o o sa khutleng, a ba a boloka mabele mo polokelong.”
13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
Mme a tswa mo ga gabo mo Galalea a ya kwa nokeng ya Jorodane go kolobediwa teng ke Johane.
14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
Johane o ne a sa batle go mo kolobetsa a re, “Mo ga go a tshwanela, ke nna ke tlhokang go kolobediwa ke wena.”
15 “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
Mme Jesu a fetola a re, “Tswee-tswee dira jalo ka gore ke tshwanetse go dira tshiamo yotlhe.” Jalo he, Johane a mo kolobetsa.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
Morago ga kolobetso, fela fa Jesu a tswa mo metsing, magodimo a mmulegela mme a bona Mowa wa Modimo o fologa o le mo setshwanong sa lephoi.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
Mme lentswe la tswa kwa legodimong le re, “Yo ke morwaake yo o rategang, ke itumela thata ka ene”.
