Matthew 3
1 While [Jesus was still in Nazareth town], John, [whom the people called] the Baptizer, went to a desolate place in Judea [district].
Ku mazuba ao Joani mukolobezi chakeza na kutaza mwi halaupa ya Judea nata kuti,
2 He was preaching [to the people who came there]. He kept saying, “[You need to] turn away from your sinful behavior, because God [MET] will soon begin to rule [over people, and he will reject you if you do not turn away from your sinful life].”
“Mubake ka kuli mubuso we renza wina ha fuhi.”
3 John was the person who [fulfilled] what was said by Isaiah the prophet {what Isaiah the prophet [predicted] when he said}, long ago: In a desolate area ([people will hear someone/someone will be heard]) shouting [to the people who pass by], Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes! [Make yourselves ready so that you will be prepared when he comes] [MET, DOU], just like people [improve and] straighten out the road [for an important official!]
Ka kuli linzwi ni lya wambwa ngi mupolofita Isaya, halili, “Linzwi yo zumwi li huweleza mwi halaupa, 'mulukise enzila ye renza, mupange enzila zi wotolokete.'”
4 John wore [coarse] clothing made from camel’s hair. And [as the prophet Elijah did long ago], he wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was [only] grasshoppers and honey [that he found] in that desolate area.
Yahanu Joani u zabala cizabalo zo boza bwe ka mele ni lutunga lwe ndalo mwi muunda. Zilyo za kwe baili epasu ni buchi bo mwi munkanda.
5 [People who lived in] Jerusalem [city] [MTY], many [HYP] [people who lived in other places in] Judea [district] [MTY], and many [HYP] [people who lived in] the area around the Jordan [River] [MTY] came to John [to hear him preach].
Cwale Jelusalema, Judeya yose ni nkanda yose bo mumukulela wa lwizwi lwa Joludani ci bayenda kwali
6 After [they heard him tell them to turn away from their sinful behavior], they [openly] confessed their sins, and as a result they were baptized by John {John baptized them} in the Jordan River.
Cibeza ku kolobezwa kwali mu lwizwi lwa Jolundani, a bo ni baliwaba zibi za boo.
7 After John noted that many men of the Pharisee [religious group] and of the Sadducee [religious group] were coming [to him] to be baptized {in order that he would baptize them}, he said to them, “You people are [evil like poisonous] snakes [MET]! I warn you that God will some day punish [MTY] everyone who sins. (And do not think that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]!/Did someone tell you that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]?) [RHQ]
Kono ha bona bungi bwa bafalisi ni masaduki ba keza kwali kwi i nkolobezo, ca ba wambila, “Enwe bana be nzoka zina cifanu, aba mulwili kutiya bukali bwe renza bu keza njeni?
8 Do what is appropriate [IDM] for people who have truly turned away from their sinful behavior [before you come to me in order to be baptized] {[that I baptize you]}.
Cwale mubike zihantu zi bonisa kubaka.
9 [God promised to give Abraham many descendants. In order to fulfill that promise], God [does not need you! I] tell you that he can change these stones to make them descendants of Abraham. So do not start to say to yourselves, ‘Since we are descendants of [our ancestor] Abraham, [God will not punish us even though we have sinned].’
Cwale musiye kuzeza kuli wanbila mukati kenu,'Twina Abulahama ishetu.' Cwale ni milwila kuti irenza uo wola kukatwila Abrahama bahwile ha aa mabwe.
10 [God is] ready [to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, just like] a man who lays his axe at the roots of a [fruit] tree [in order to] chop it down and throw it into the fire if it does not produce good fruit [MET].”
Hanu imbezo izimene ku mihisi ya masamu. Cikuni conse ci sabiki zihantu zilotu mu citemwene hansi ni ku sohelwa mu mulilo.
11 “As for me, I [am not very important, because] I baptize you [only] with water. I [baptize you] because of your feeling sorry that you have sinned. But someone else will come soon who is very great; [he will do powerful deeds] (OR, [act powerfully]). [Because he is] superior to me, I am not worthy [even to do a menial task for him, such as] to carry his sandals. He will put [his] Holy Spirit [within] you [to truly change] the way you live [MET], and [he will judge others of you and punish you in] the fire [in hell]. (questioned)
Ni mi mikolobeza ni mezi kubonisa kubaka. Kono iye u kezite mu masule angu mukando kwa ngu, ka ni swaneli nanga ku nyemuna insangu zakwe. Mwa mi kolozebe ni luhuho lu jolola ni mulilo.
12 [He is like a farmer who wants to clear away the grain that is on the ground where it has been threshed] {[they have threshed it]}. [That farmer uses a] huge fork to throw the grain into the air [to separate the wheat from the chaff] [MET], and then he cleans up the threshing area. [Similarly], God will [separate righteous people from the evil people like a farmer who] gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then [God] will burn the [people who are like] chaff with a fire that will never be put out [MET].”
Itundu lyakwe lina mwi yanza lya kwe; mwa fiyele cihoto cakwe, a ku kunganye mahila akwe mu cishete cakwe. Luungu ulo, a luhise mu mulilo u sa zimi.
13 During that time, Jesus went from Galilee [District] to the Jordan [River], where John was. [He did that] in order to be baptized by John {in order to ask that John would baptize him}.
Cwale Jesu ha zwa mwa Galilela ku ya ku lwizi mwa joludani ku ku kolobezwa kwa Joani.
14 [When Jesus asked John to baptize him], John objected, saying, “I need to be baptized by you {you to baptize me} [because you are superior to me. Since you are not a sinner], ([you(sg)] should not come to me [to be baptized by me] {[to ask that I baptize you(sg)]}!/why do you come to me [to be baptized by me] {[ask that I baptize you(sg)]} [RHQ]?)”
Kono Joani ca tundamena kumu kanina, nati, “Njeme ni swanela ku kolobezwa kwa ko, ukeza kwa ngu?”
15 But Jesus said to him, “Baptize me at this time, because in this way we [two] will do [everything that God] requires.” Then John consented to baptize him.
Jesu ca mwi taba, “Uni zuminine hanu ci lukite kwetu kwizuziliza ku luka konse.” Cwale Joani ca mizuminina.
16 After he was baptized {John baptized Jesus}, Jesus immediately came up out of the water. Just then, [it was as though] the sky was opened {split apart}. Then [Jesus] saw God’s Spirit coming down upon him. He came in the form of a dove.
Ha mana ku kolobezwa, Jesu ca zwa haho mumenzi, haho i wulu cilye yalukila ha kwe. Ca bona luhuho lwe renza lu keza hansi luswana sina inkwilimba ni kwi za ku munikila hewulu lwakwe.
17 Then [God] [SYN] spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son. I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
Haho, liinzwi cilya zwa muwulu li ta kuti, “Uzo nji Mwanangu yo sakiwa, u ni katwa.”
