John 3
1 And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Kwakulendoda engumFarisi eyayithiwa nguNikhodimasi, ililunga lomphakathi wamaJuda abusayo.
2 This man came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou hast come as a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs which thou doest, unless God be with him.
Yaya kuJesu ebusuku yathi, “Rabi, siyazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovela kuNkulunkulu. Ngoba kakho obengayenza imimangaliso oyenzayo wena nxa uNkulunkulu engelaye.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngempela ngiqinisile ngithi kini, akakho ozawubona umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuba azalwe kutsha.”
4 Nicodemus saith to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time, and be born?
UNikhodimasi wathi, “Kanti umuntu angazalwa kanjani yena esemdala na? Ngeqiniso, angazake angene ngokwesibili esiswini sikanina ukuze azalwe!”
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngempela ngiqinisile ngithi, ngaphandle kokuthi umuntu azalwe ngamanzi langoMoya, angeke awungene umbuso kaNkulunkulu.
6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
Inyama izala inyama, kodwa uMoya uzala umoya.
7 Marvel not that I said to thee, Ye must be born again.
Ungamangaliswa yikuthi ngithi, ‘Kumele lizalwe kutsha.’
8 The wind bloweth where it will; and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Umoya uphephethela loba kungaphi lapho othanda khona. Ungakuzwa ukuvunguza kwawo, kodwa ungeke utsho ukuthi uvela ngaphi loba ukuthi uya ngaphi. Ngakho kunjalo emuntwini wonke ozelwe ngoMoya.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
UNikhodimasi wabuza wathi, “Lokhu kungenzeka kanjani na?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?
UJesu wathi, “Ungumfundisi wako-Israyeli, pho kungani ungazwisisi izinto lezi na?
11 Truly, truly do I say to thee, We speak that which we know, and testify that which we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony.
Ngiqinisile ngithi sikhuluma ngesikwaziyo njalo sifakaza ngesikubonileyo, kodwa lina bantu kalibamukeli ubufakazi bethu.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
Ngikhulume kini ngezinto zalapha emhlabeni, kodwa kalikholwa; pho lizakholwa kanjani nxa ngingakhuluma ngokwasezulwini?
13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man.
Kakho osewake waya ezulwini ngaphandle kwalowo owavela ezulwini, iNdodana yoMuntu.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up
NjengoMosi owaphakamisa inyoka enkangala, ngokunjalo iNdodana yoMuntu kumele iphakanyiswe,
ukuze kuthi lowo lalowo okholwa kuyo abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.” (aiōnios g166)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave the only begotten Son, that every one who believeth in him may not perish, but may have everlasting life. (aiōnios g166)
UNkulunkulu walithanda ilizwe kangaka waze wanikela iNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa ukuze kuthi loba ngubani okholwa kuyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe lokuphila okungapheliyo. (aiōnios g166)
17 For God sent not the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved.
Ngoba uNkulunkulu kathumanga iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni ukuze iwulahle umhlaba, kodwa ukuze umhlaba usindiswe ngayo.
18 He that believeth in him is not condemned; he that believeth not hath already been condemned, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Loba ngubani okholwa kuyo kalahlwa, kodwa ongakholwayo uvele uselahliwe ngoba kakholwanga ebizweni leNdodana eyiyo yodwa kaNkulunkulu.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light hath come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
Nanku ukuqunywa kwecala: Ukukhanya sekufikile emhlabeni, kodwa abantu bathanda ubumnyama kulokukhanya ngoba imisebenzi yabo yayimibi.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Wonke umuntu owenza ububi uyakuzonda ukukhanya, njalo kezi ekukhanyeni ngoba esesaba ukuthi izenzo zakhe zizabekwa obala.
21 But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Kodwa loba ngubani ophila ngeqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni ukuze kubonakale kamhlophe ukuthi lokho akwenzileyo ukwenze ngoNkulunkulu.
22 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judaea; and there he remained with them, and baptized.
Ngemva kwalokhu uJesu labafundi bakhe basuka baya emaphandleni aseJudiya lapho ahlala labo okwesikhathi esithile ebhaphathiza.
23 And John also was baptizing in AEnon, near Salim, because there was much water there; and they came, and were baptized.
Ngalesosikhathi uJohane laye wayebhaphathiza e-Ayenoni eduze leSalimi ngoba kwakulamanzi amanengi njalo abantu babethululeka kokuphela bezobhaphathizwa.
24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.
(Lokhu kwakumandulo kokuphoselwa kukaJohane entolongweni.)
25 Then there arose a question on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying.
Kwavuka ukuphikisana phakathi kwabanye abafundi bakaJohane lomunye umJuda mayelana lomkhuba wokuzihlambulula.
26 And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, he baptizeth, and all men are going to him.
Beza kuJohane bathi kuye, “Rabi, indoda leyana eyayilawe ngaphetsheya kweJodani; yona leyana owafakaza ngayo; iyabhaphathiza bonke abantu sebesiya kuyo.”
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from heaven.
Waphendula uJohane wathi, “Umuntu wamukela kuphela lokho akuphiwayo kuvela ezulwini.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before that man.
Lina ngokwenu lingakufakaza ukuthi ngathi, ‘Kangisuye uKhristu, kodwa ngithunyiwe ukumandulela.’
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy then hath become full.
Umtshakazi ngowomyeni. Umkhaphi womyeni uyamnakekela, amlalele, abelokuthokoza nxa esizwa ilizwi lomyeni. Lokho kuthokoza ngokwami njalo okwamanje sekuphelele.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Yena ufanele abemkhulu; mina kufanele kunciphe ukuqakatheka kwami.”
31 He that cometh from above is above all. He that is from the earth is earthly, and speaketh earthly things; he that cometh from heaven
Lowo ovela phezulu ungaphezulu kwakho konke; lowo ovela emhlabeni ungowomhlaba, ukhuluma njengalowo ovela emhlabeni. Lowo ovela ezulwini ungaphezu kwakho konke.
32 testifieth what he hath seen and heard; and no one receiveth his testimony.
Ufakaza ngalokho akubonileyo lakuzwileyo, kodwa kakho owamukela ubufakazi bakhe.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set his seal that God is true.
Lowomuntu obamukelayo usegcizelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu uqinisile.
34 For he whom God sent speaketh the words of God; for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
Ngoba lowo uNkulunkulu amthumileyo ukhuluma amazwi kaNkulunkulu; yena uNkulunkulu umupha umoya kungelakulinganiswa.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
UYise uyayithanda iNdodana njalo useyiphe amandla phezu kwezinto zonke.
36 He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; and he that disobeyeth the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (aiōnios g166)
Loba ngubani obeke ithemba lakhe eNdodaneni ulokuphila okungapheliyo, kodwa loba ngubani oyilahlayo iNdodana kazukuyibona leyompilo ngoba ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lohlala luphezu kwakhe. (aiōnios g166)
