< Matthew 3 >

1 THEN in those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the desert country of Judea,
Ɛberɛ a Yesu ne nʼawofoɔ wɔ Nasaret no, Yohane Osubɔni bɛkaa asɛm wɔ Yudea ɛserɛ so sɛ,
2 and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh.
“Monnu mo ho; momfa mo ho mma Onyankopɔn na ɔsoro ahennie no abɛn”
3 For this is the person spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths strait.”
Yohane ne deɛ odiyifoɔ Yesaia kaa ne ho asɛm sɛ, “Nne bi reteam wɔ ɛserɛ so sɛ, ‘Monsiesie ɛkwan mma Awurade; momma nʼatempɔn ntene!’”
4 Now this John had his garment made of camel’s hair, and a girdle of leather about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Saa ɛberɛ no na Yohane fira yoma ho nwi ntoma, bɔ aboa nhoma abɔsoɔ. Na nʼaduane yɛ ntutummɛ ne ɛwoɔ.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the regions about Jordan,
Yerusalemfoɔ ne Yudeafoɔ ne nnipa a wɔte Asubɔnten Yordan ho no nyinaa kɔɔ ne nkyɛn wɔ ɛserɛ no so hɔ kɔtiee asɛm no bi.
6 and were baptized by him in Jordan, on making confession of their sins.
Wɔkaa wɔn bɔne ma ɔbɔɔ wɔn asu wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan mu.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, O ye broods of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Yohane hunuu sɛ Farisifoɔ ne Sadukifoɔ pii reba ne nkyɛn ma wɔabɔ wɔn asu no, ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Awɔ mma! Hwan na ɔka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ monnwane mfiri Onyankopɔn abufuo a ɛreba no ano?
8 Produce then worthy fruits of repentance:
Monkɔbɔ ɔbra pa mfa nkyerɛ sɛ moasakyera ampa.
9 and think not to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say unto you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Na monnhoahoa mo ho sɛ moyɛ Abraham asefoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn bɛtumi ama saa aboɔ yi adane nnipa ma wɔabɛyɛ Abraham asefoɔ.
10 And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore which produceth not good fruit, is hewing down, and casting into the fire.
Onyankopɔn de nʼabonnua ato dua biara a ɛnso aba pa nhini ho sɛ ɔde bɛtwa, na ɔde agu ogya mu ahye no.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:
“Me deɛ, mede nsuo na ɛrebɔ wɔn a wɔasakyera wɔn su no asu. Nanso deɛ ɔdi mʼakyi reba no deɛ, ɔso sene me a ne mpaboa mpo mensɛ sɛ mekura. Ɔno deɛ, sɛ ɔba a, ɔde Honhom Kronkron ne ogya na ɛbɛbɔ mo asu.
12 whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will collect the wheat into his granary; but the chaff will he burn up with fire unquenchable.
Ɔbɛhuhu aburoo no so ayiyi mu aba pa no afiri ntɛtɛ no mu, na ɔde aba pa no akɔsie, na ɔde ogya a ɛnnum da ahye ntɛtɛ no pasaa.”
13 Then came Jesus from Galilee unto Jordan to John, that he might be baptized by him.
Yesu tee Yohane Osubɔni nka no, ɔfiri Galilea baa Asubɔnten Yordan ho sɛ Yohane mmɔ no asu.
14 But John earnestly withheld him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Yohane hunuu sɛ ɔmfata sɛ ɔbɔ Yesu asu. Yei enti, ɔkaa sɛ, “Wo na ɛsɛ sɛ wobɔ me asu, na ɛnyɛ me.”
15 But Jesus answering said unto him, Permit it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he permitted him.
Ɛnna Yesu nso ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛtwa ara na ɛtwa sɛ wobɔ me asu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a deɛ Onyankopɔn ahyɛ ato hɔ no bɛba mu.” Yesu asɛm a ɔkaeɛ no enti, Yohane bɔɔ no asu.
16 And Jesus, after his baptism, came straight from the water: and lo! the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as it were a dove, and coming upon him:
Wɔbɔɔ Yesu asu wieeɛ no, ɔfirii nsuo no mu, na hwɛ ɔsoro bueɛ. Ɔhunuu Onyankopɔn Honhom sɛ ɛresiane ba ne so sɛ aborɔnoma.
17 and lo! a voice from the heavens, saying, This is my Son, the beloved, in whom is my delight.
Ɛhɔ ara, ɛnne bi firi ɔsoro kaa sɛ, “Yei ne me Dɔ Ba a ɔsɔ mʼani.”

< Matthew 3 >