John 1
1 The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) has always existed (from the beginning [MTY] [of everything/before everything began]). He has always existed with God, and he has God’s nature.
Va thonono, Diambu dikibela, Diambu diba va kimosi ayi Nzambi ayi Diambu diawu Nzambi.
2 He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
Diambu diba va thonono va kimosi ayi Nzambi.
3 He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
Bima bioso bivangimina mu diawu, kuisi ko kima kikambu vangu mu kambu diawu mu bibioso bikivangulu.
4 He is the one who [caused everything to] live. He, who caused us people to live, [revealed to us the truth about God as] a light [MET] [reveals what is in the darkness].
Mu diawu muba Luzingu. Luzingu beni luba kiezila ki batu.
5 People do not want him to reveal [that what they do is evil] [MET], just [like] darkness [is evil]. But [just like] darkness cannot put out light [MET], [evil people have never prevented the one who was like a light from revealing God’s truth] (OR, [evil people have never] understood the [one who was like] a light.)
Kiezila kilembo kienzuka mu tombi vayi tombi kisia kisudika ko.
6 A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
Vaba Mutu wumosi wutumu kuidi Nzambi, dizina diandi Yowani.
7 He came to tell people [about the one who was like] [MET] a light. He came to show that everything that the [one who was like a light] [MET] said was true, in order that he could enable all people to believe [in the one who was like a light].
Wuyiza mu telama kimbangi; mu telama kimbangi mu diambu di kiezila muingi batu boso bawilukila mu niandi.
8 John himself was not the [one who was like a] light [MET]. Instead, he came to tell others about that [one who was like a] light.
Niandi veka kasia ba kiezila ko, vayi, niandi wuyiza kaka mu telama kimbangi mu diambu di kiezila.
9 [While John was doing that], the one who was truly [like] a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people [to know about God, as] a light [MET] enables [people to know what is in the darkness].
Kiezila ki kiedika kiawu kioki kiyiza va ntoto, kioki kieti kienzulanga batu boso.
10 Although the one [who was like a light] was [here] on the earth, and although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people [MTY, HYP] did not realize who he [was]. (OR, although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people did not accept him.)
Niandi diambu diyiza va ntoto ayi ntoto wuvangu mu niandi vayi ntoto wusia kunzaba ko.
11 Although he came to the land that belonged to him [because he created it, most of] his own people, [the Jews], rejected him (OR, did not accept him).
Niandi wuyiza ku tsiꞌandi vayi basi tsiꞌandi basia kuntambula ko.
12 But those [of us who welcomed him, God] authorized [that we would have a relationship with] him [MET] [like] children [have a relationship with their father]. We were people who believed [that what he said] about himself [MTY] [was true].
Vayi kuidi batu boso bantambula, niandi wuba vana lulendo lukitukila bana ba Nzambi; bobo bawilukila mu dizina diandi.
13 We became [like God’s children], not because our ancestors [belonged to God], or because of someone’s sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become [like] his children.
Bika sia ti bana beni mu menga voti mu luzolo lu nsuni babutukila, voti mu luzolo lu mutu vayi babutu mu luzolo lu Nzambi.
14 The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) became a human being, and he lived among us [for a while]. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from [God] his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted (kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve), and he always [spoke] truthfully to us [about God].
Diambu dikituka nsuni ayi diyiza zinga va khatitsikꞌeto. Beto tumona nkembo andi; banga nkembo wu Muana wumosi kaka wowo wuba kuidi Tata. Nkembo beni wuba wuwala mu nlemvo ayi mu kiedika.
15 [One day] when John was telling people about him, [he saw Jesus]. Then he shouted to them, “I told you [previously] that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me. This [is the man I was talking about]!”
Yowani wuntelimina kimbangi bu katuba mu yamikina: —Talanu mutu wawu, niandi ndiyolukila mu thangu ndilukamba: mutu wowo wunkuiza ku manima mama wundutidi munneni, bila niandi wutuama kukibela ayi minu.
16 We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
Mu diambu di fuluka ku nlemvo andi, beto boso tutambula lusakumunu va mbata lusakumunu.
17 Moses proclaimed [God’s] laws [to our ancestors]. But what Jesus Christ did for us [was much better]. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth [about God].
Bila Moyize niandi wuvana Mina vayi Yesu Klisto niandi wunata nlemvo ayi kiedika.
18 No one has ever seen God. But God’s only Son, [Jesus], who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
Kadi mutu kamuenieti Nzambi ko vayi Muanꞌandi wumosi kaka widi va ndambu yi Tata, niandi wunzabikisidi.
19 The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem [city] sent some [Jewish] priests and (Levites/men who worked in the temple) to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you [claim about] yourself?”
Vava vadi kimbangi ki Yowani mu thangu Bayuda baba ku Yelusalemi bafidisa zinganga Nzambi ayi Balevi muingi banyuvula: “ngeyo widi nani e?”
20 So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
Buna wuba kamba kiedika mu kambu memata: —Minu ndisi ama Klisto ko.
21 Then they asked him, “Then what [do you say about yourself]? Are you [the prophet] Elijah [that was prophesied to return] {([someone/another prophet]) [prophesied would return]} [before the Messiah]?” He replied, “No, [I] am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet [like Moses that] ([we are waiting for/God promised to send])?” He replied, “No.”
Babuela kunyuvula: —Vayi buna widi nani e? Widi Eli? Wuba vutudila: —Ndisi ama Eli ko! Bawu babuela kunyuvula: —Widi mbikudi e? Wuba vutudila: —Nana.
22 So they asked him, “Then who do you [claim to be]? [Tell us] so that we can [go back and] report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Buna babuela kunyuvula diaka: —Vayi widi nani e? Wutukamba muingi tubaka buvanina mvutu kuidi bobo batutumini. Mbi wuntuba mu diambu di ngeyo veka e?
23 John replied, “[I] am the one [the prophet Isaiah said] would proclaim [this new message] loudly [to the people who would pass by] in this desolate area: ‘Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes [MET], [just like people prepare] a road [for an important official].
Buna wuba kamba: —Minu ndidi mbembo yi mutu wowo wulembo yamikina mu dikanga: luludika nzila yi Pfumu banga bu bikudila mbikudi Ezayi.
24 Some of those people [who were questioning] John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee [religious group] {whom the Pharisee [religious group] had sent}.
Batu Bobo bafidusu baba mu dikabu di Bafalisi;
25 They asked John, “Since [you say] you are not the Messiah, nor [the prophet] Elijah, nor the prophet [like Moses], [what authority] do you have? [Furthermore], why are you baptizing [Jews, treating them as though they were non-Jews who wanted to become Jews]?”
banyuvula: —Enati wisi Klisto ko voti Eli ko, voti mbikudi ko vayi buna bila mbi wulembo botikila e?
26 John replied, “I am [just] baptizing people with water [to prepare them to welcome the Messiah]. But [right now] someone is among you whom you people do not know.
Yowani wuba vutudila: —Minu ndilembo lubotikila mu nlangu, vayi va khatitsikꞌeno vadi mutu wumosi wulukambulu zaba,
27 He [will preach to you] after I [am gone]. [He is so important that] I am not worthy to [serve him as a slave] [MET] [by] untying his sandals.”
mutu wowo wunkuiza ku manima mama, ndisi fuana ko mu nianguna minsinga mi zisapatu ziandi.
28 Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
Mambu mama ku Betani maviokila, buala buidi va disimu di nzadi Yolidani, kuna Yowani kaba botikilanga batu.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said to the people, “Look! Here is the [man whom] God [has appointed to be a sacrifice] [MET], [like] the lambs [that the people of Israel sacrificed! By sacrificing himself] he will [make it possible for everyone in] the world to be no longer [guilty for having] sinned.
Mu lumbu kilanda, Yowani wumona Yesu wunkuiza kuidi niandi, buna wutuba: —Tala, Muana dimemi di Nzambi wumbotulanga masumu ma nza.
30 He is the one about whom I said [before], ‘Someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me.’
Niandi mutu wowo ndiluyolukila bu ndilukamba ti: “Mutu wowo wunkuiza ku manima mama wundutidi munneni bila niandi wutuama kukibela ayi minu.”
31 I myself did not [previously] recognize that he [was the Messiah]. But [now I know who he is], and I have baptized people with water to enable [you people of] Israel to recognize who he is.”
Minu ndisia tuama kunzaba ko, vayi mu diambu kazabakana kuidi Iseli diawu minu ndilembo botikila mu nlangu.
32 John spoke clearly [what God had shown him about Jesus]. He said, “I saw [God’s] Spirit as he was descending from heaven in the form of a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
Yowani wutelama kimbangi bu katuba: —Ndimona Pheve yitotukila ku Diyilu banga dibembe, yivuanda va niandi.
33 I myself did not know [previously] that he [was the Messiah]. However, [God] sent me to baptize people with water, [people who said they wanted to turn from their sinful ways. While I was doing that], God told me, ‘The man on whom you will see my Spirit descend and remain is the one who will put the Holy Spirit within you [(pl) to truly change your lives].’
Kuidi minu, ndisi kunzaba ko; vayi mutu wowo wuthuma mu kuiza botika mu nlangu niandi wukhamba: “Va mutu wowo wela mona Pheve yikulukidi va niandi ayi yivuendi va niandi; buna niandi mutu wela botikila mu Pheve Yinlongo.”
34 I saw [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
Buna minu ndimona ayi nditelama kimbangi ti mutu wawu niandi muana Nzambi.
35 The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
Diaka mu lumbu kilanda, Yowani wuba diaka vana ayi minlonguki miandi miodi.
36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! There is the man God [has appointed to be a sacrifice, like] the lambs [MET] [the people of Israel have sacrificed!]”
Mu thangu kamona Yesu wumviokila vana buna wutuba: —Tala, Muana dimemi di Nzambi.
37 (When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
Minlonguki mi miodi minwa bu katuba, buna milandakana Yesu.
38 Jesus turned around and saw us/them coming behind him. So he asked us/them, “What do you want?” We/They replied, “Teacher, [tell us] where you are staying, [because we want to talk with you].”
Yesu bu kabaluka wuba mona balembo nlandakana. Diawu kaba yuvudila: —A mbi luntomba e? Bamvutudila: —Labi bu dinsundula Nlongi, kuevi wukala e?
39 He replied, “Come [with me], and you will see [where I am staying]!” So we/they went with him and saw where he was staying. We/They stayed with him until about 4 o’clock (OR, from about 4 PM until the next day).
Wuba kamba: —Yizanu ayi malumona. Bayenda ayi bamona va kaba nkalanga. Bakala yandi mu lumbu kina; yiba nduka-nduka thangu yi nya yi masika.
40 (One of us/One of the two men) who heard what John had said and who went with Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s [younger] brother.
Andele, khomba yi Simoni Piela, wuba wumosi mu minlonguki beni miodi miomi miwa mambu ma Yowani ayi milandakana Yesu.
41 [After Andrew left Jesus], the first thing he did was to find his own [older] brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!”
Ku nzimunina, niandi wuyenda bata theti khombꞌandi Simoni, wunkamba: —Beto tumueningi Mesiya Tsundu Mesiya Klisto.
42 Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him, and then said, “You are Simon. Your father’s name is John. You will be given {[I] will give you} the name Cephas.” [Cephas is an Aramaic name that means ‘solid rock’. It] means [the same in Greek as the name] Peter.
Buna wunnata kuidi Yesu. Yesu bu kantala, buna wunkamba: —Ngeyo widi Simoni, muana Zonasi. Ngeyo wela tedolongo Sefasi. Tsundu Sefasi “Ditadi”.
43 The next day [Jesus] decided to leave [the Jordan River valley]. He went to Galilee [district] and (OR, on the way there he) found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Come with me!”
Mu lumbu kilanda, Yesu wukana kuenda ku Ngalili. Wumona Filipi ayi wunkamba: —Wundandakana!
44 Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
Filipi wuba muisi Betesayida, divula dimosi ayi Andele ayi Piela.
45 Then Philip [searched for] Nathaniel and found him, and said to him, “We have met [the Messiah], the one Moses [wrote about]! The prophets also [prophesied that he would come]. He is Jesus, from Nazareth [town]. His father’s name is Joseph.”
Filipi wuyenda tala Natanayeli ayi wunkamba: —Beto tumueningi mutu wowo Moyize kayolukila mu Mina ayi wowo mimbikudi miyolukila, dizina diandi Yesu, muana zozefu muisi Nazaleti.
46 Nathaniel replied, “Nazareth? (Nothing good can come from [such an unimportant place]!/Can anything good come from [such an unimportant place]?) [RHQ]” Philip replied, “Come and see!”
Natanayeli wunkamba: —Buna ku Nazaleti kulenda kuandi totukila diambu dimboti e? Filipi wumvutudila: —Yiza ayi mona.
47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
Yesu wumona Natanayeli wulembo yizi ku kaba, buna wutuba: —Tala muisi Iseli wukiedika, mu niandi mukambulu mayuya.
48 Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know what I [am like]?” Jesus replied, “I saw you before Philip called you, when you were [by yourself] under the fig tree.”
Natanayeli wunyuvula: —Kuevi wunzabidi e? Yesu wumvutudila: —Tuamina Filipi kiza kambi, bu vuendingi kuna tsi nti wu figi, minu ndimueningi.
49 Then Nathaniel declared, “Teacher, you [must be] (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man)! You are the King of Israel [we have been waiting for]!”
Buna Natanayeli wunkamba: —Nlongi, ngeyo widi Muana Nzambi, widi ntinu wu Iseli.
50 Jesus replied to him, “You [RHQ] believe [those things about me] because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree. [I was able to see you supernaturally even though I was far away from you]. But you will see [me do] things that are more surprising than that!”
Yesu wumvutudila: —Ngeyo wilukidi bu ndikembi ti ndimueningi bu vuendingi ku tsi nti wu figi e? Wela mona mambu manneni viokila mama.
51 Then Jesus said to him, “This is the absolute truth: [Just like what your ancestor Jacob saw long ago in a vision], some day you [(pl)] will see heaven opened up, and you will see God’s angels ascending from me and descending on me, the one who came from heaven.”
Buna wubuela kamba: —Bukiedika ndikulukamba, luela mona Diyilu dizibukidi ayi zimbasi zi Nzambi ziela maka ayi kuluka va muana mutu.
