Johana 1
1 Kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ Ũhoro aarĩ o kuo, nake Ũhoro aatũũrĩte na Ngai, na Ũhoro aarĩ Ngai.
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.
2 We aatũũrĩte na Ngai kuuma o kĩambĩrĩria.
He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
3 Indo ciothe ciombirwo na ũndũ wake; gũtirĩ kĩndũ kĩa iria ciombirwo kĩagĩire atarĩ ho.
He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
4 Thĩinĩ wake kwarĩ muoyo, naguo muoyo ũcio nĩguo warĩ ũtheri wa andũ.
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].
5 Ũtheri ũcio nĩũtheraga nduma-inĩ, nayo nduma ndĩigana kũũhoota.
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.)
6 Nĩguokire mũndũ watũmĩtwo nĩ Ngai; eetagwo Johana.
A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
7 We okire arĩ mũira oimbũre ũhoro ũkoniĩ ũtheri ũcio, nĩgeetha andũ othe metĩkie nĩ ũndũ wake.
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].
8 We mwene tiwe warĩ ũtheri ũcio, no okire arĩ o ta mũira tu nĩgeetha oimbũre ũhoro wa ũtheri ũcio.
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.
9 Ũtheri ũcio wa ma, ũrĩa ũtheragĩra o mũndũ o wothe, nĩwokaga thĩ.
[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].
10 We Ũhoro aarĩ gũkũ thĩ, no o na gũtuĩka thĩ yombirwo na ũndũ wake-rĩ, andũ a thĩ matiigana kũmũmenya.
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.)
11 Okire gwake mwene, no andũ ake mwene matiigana kũmwĩtĩkĩra.
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).
12 No andũ arĩa othe maamwĩtĩkĩrire, o acio metĩkirie rĩĩtwa rĩake, nĩamahotithirie gũtuĩka ciana cia Ngai
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].
13 ciana itaciarĩtwo nĩ thakame, kana igaciarwo nĩ kwenda kwa mwĩrĩ kana kwenda kwa mũndũ, no iciarĩtwo nĩ kwenda kwa Ngai.
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.
14 We Kiugo agĩtuĩka mũndũ na agĩtũũrania na ithuĩ. Nĩtuonete riiri wake, riiri wa Mũrũ wake wa Mũmwe, ũrĩa woimire kũrĩ Ithe aiyũrĩtwo nĩ ũtugi na ũhoro wa ma.
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].
15 Johana nĩoimbũraga ũhoro wake. Aanagĩrĩra akoiga atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ nĩwe ũrĩa ndaaragia ũhoro wake ngiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ũrĩa ũgũũka thuutha wakwa nĩ mũnene kũngĩra, tondũ aarĩ mbere yakwa.’”
[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]!”
16 Na kuuma ũiyũrĩrĩru wa ũtugi wake-rĩ, ithuothe nĩtwamũkĩrĩte irathimo nyingĩ mũno.
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.
17 Tondũ watho wokire na Musa, no ũtugi na ũhoro ũrĩa wa ma ciokire na Jesũ Kristũ.
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].
18 Gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ ũrĩ ona Ngai, o tiga Mũrũ wake wa Mũmwe ũrĩa ũikarĩte hamwe na Ithe, na nĩwe ũtũmĩte amenyeke.
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.
19 Na rĩrĩ, ũyũ nĩguo ũira wa Johana hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Ayahudi a Jerusalemu maamũtũmĩire athĩnjĩri-Ngai na Alawii makamũũrie we aarĩ ũ.
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?”
20 We ndaagire kuumbũra, no oimbũrire atekũhitha, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ti niĩ Kristũ.”
So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
21 Nao makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee ũkĩrĩ ũ? Wee nĩwe Elija?” Nake akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Aca, ti niĩ.” Ningĩ makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩwe Mũnabii ũrĩa?” Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Aca.”
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.”
22 Mũthia-inĩ makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee ũkĩrĩ ũ? Tũhe macookio nĩguo tũcookerie arĩa matũtũmire. Ũkuuga atĩa ha ũhoro waku mwene?”
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?”
23 Johana akĩmacookeria na ciugo iria ciarĩtio nĩ mũnabii Isaia, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩ mũgambo wa mũndũ ũranĩrĩra werũ-inĩ akoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Rũngariai njĩra ya Mwathani.’”
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].
24 Na rĩrĩ, Afarisai amwe arĩa maatũmĩtwo
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}.
25 makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Angĩkorwo we tiwe Kristũ, na tiwe Elija, o na kana Mũnabii ũrĩa-rĩ, ũkĩbatithanagia nĩkĩ?”
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]?”
26 Nake Johana akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩmũbatithagia na maaĩ. No gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu nĩ harĩ na ũmwe mũtooĩ.
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.
27 Ũcio nĩwe ũgũũka thuutha wakwa, o we ũrĩa itaagĩrĩire kuohora ndigi cia iraatũ ciake.”
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.”
28 Maũndũ maya mothe mekĩkire itũũra-inĩ rĩa Bethania, mũrĩmo wa Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani, kũrĩa Johana aabatithanagĩria.
Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
29 Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ, Johana akĩona Jesũ agĩũka na kũrĩ we, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Onei! Gatũrũme ka Ngai karĩa keheragia mehia ma kĩrĩndĩ!
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.
30 Ũyũ nĩwe ndaaragia ũhoro wake rĩrĩa ndoigire atĩrĩ, ‘Mũndũ ũrĩa ũgũũka thuutha wakwa nĩ mũnene kũrĩ niĩ tondũ we aarĩ kuo mbere yakwa.’
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.’
31 Niĩ mwene ndiamũũĩ, no ndokire ngĩbatithanagia na maaĩ nĩgeetha aguũrĩrio andũ a Isiraeli.”
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.”
32 Ningĩ Johana akĩheana ũira ũyũ: “Nĩndonire Roho agĩikũrũka kuuma igũrũ atariĩ ta ndutura, agĩikara igũrũ rĩake.
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.
33 Niĩ ndingĩamũmenyire, tiga ũrĩa wandũmire mbatithanagie na maaĩ aanjĩĩrire atĩrĩ, ‘Mũndũ ũrĩa ũkoona Roho agĩikũrũkĩra na aikare igũrũ rĩake-rĩ, ũcio nĩwe ũkaabatithanagia na Roho Mũtheru.’
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].’
34 Niĩ nĩnyonete ũguo na ngoimbũra atĩ ũyũ nĩwe Mũrũ wa Ngai.”
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).”
35 Ningĩ mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ, Johana agĩkorwo arĩ kũu o rĩngĩ marĩ na arutwo ake eerĩ.
The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
36 Na rĩrĩa onire Jesũ akĩhĩtũka, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Onei Gatũrũme ka Ngai!”
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!]”
37 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa arutwo acio eerĩ maiguire oiga ũguo, makĩrũmĩrĩra Jesũ.
(When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
38 Jesũ ehũgũra akĩmoona mamumĩte thuutha, akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ atĩa mũrenda?” Nao makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Rabii” (ũguo nĩ kuuga Mũrutani), “ũikaraga kũ?”
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].”
39 Nake akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Ũkai na nĩmũkuona.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthiĩ makĩona kũrĩa aikaraga, na magĩikara nake mũthenya ũcio. Na kwarĩ ta thaa ikũmi.
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).
40 Na rĩrĩ, ũmwe wa arutwo acio eerĩ arĩa maiguĩte ũrĩa Johana oigĩte na makĩrũmĩrĩra Jesũ aarĩ Anderea, mũrũ wa nyina na Simoni Petero.
(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.
41 Ũndũ wa mbere ũrĩa Anderea eekire nĩgũcaria mũrũ wa nyina Simoni, na kũmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩtuonete Mesia” (nĩwe Kristũ).
[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!”
42 Nake akĩmũtwara kũrĩ Jesũ. Nake Jesũ akĩmũrora, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee nĩwe Simoni mũrũ wa Johana. Ũgũcooka gwĩtwo Kefa” (na rĩo rĩgĩtaũrwo nĩ kuuga Petero).
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.
43 Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ Jesũ agĩtua itua rĩa gũthiĩ Galili. Agĩkora Filipu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nũmĩrĩra.”
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!”
44 Filipu, o ta Petero na Anderea, aarĩ wa itũũra rĩa Bethisaida.
Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
45 Filipu agĩkora Nathanieli, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩtuonete mũndũ ũrĩa Musa aandĩkire ũhoro wake Ibuku-inĩ rĩa Watho, na nowe anabii maandĩkire ũhoro wake, nake nĩwe Jesũ wa Nazarethi, mũrũ wa Jusufu.”
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.”
46 Nake Nathanieli akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Kũrĩ kĩndũ kĩega kĩngiuma Nazarethi?” Nake Filipu akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ũka ũkoone.”
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!”
47 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Jesũ onire Nathanieli agĩũka kũrĩ we, akĩaria ũhoro wake, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Onei Mũisiraeli kũna ũtarĩ ũhinga.”
When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
48 Nake Nathanieli akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ũnjũũĩ atĩa?” Jesũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũkuonete o na rĩrĩa uuma rungu rwa mũkũyũ, Filipu atanagwĩta.”
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.”
49 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Nathanieli akiuga atĩrĩ, “Rabii, wee nĩwe Mũrũ wa Ngai; wee nĩwe Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.”
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]!”
50 Nake Jesũ akiuga atĩrĩ, “Wetĩkia tondũ nĩndakwĩra atĩ nĩnguonire ũrĩ rungu rwa mũkũyũ. Nĩũkuona maũndũ manene kũrĩ macio.”
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!”
51 Ningĩ akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ na ma, nĩmũkona igũrũ rĩhingũkĩte na araika a Ngai makĩambata na magĩikũrũka, harĩ Mũrũ wa Mũndũ.”
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.”
