< Mathayo 3 >

1 Matukũ-inĩ macio Johana ũrĩa Mũbatithania nĩokire, akĩhunjagia kũu Werũ-inĩ wa Judea,
In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2 akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Mwĩrirei, nĩgũkorwo ũthamaki wa igũrũ nĩũkuhĩrĩirie.”
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3 Ũyũ nĩwe ũrĩa ũhoro wake waarĩtio nĩ mũnabii Isaia rĩrĩa oigire atĩrĩ: “Kũrĩ na mũgambo wa mũndũ ũkwanĩrĩra werũ-inĩ, akoiga atĩrĩ: ‘Haarĩriai njĩra ya Mwathani, rũngariai njĩra ciake.’”
For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
4 Johana eekagĩra Nguo ya guoya wa ngamĩĩra, na nĩeyohaga mũcibi wa rũũa njohero. Irio ciake ciarĩ ngigĩ na ũũkĩ wa gĩthaka.
Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Nao andũ nĩmathiiaga kũrĩ we moimĩte Jerusalemu, na mĩena yothe ya Judea, na bũrũri wothe ũrĩa wariganĩtie na Jorodani.
Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6 Moimbũraga mehia mao, nake akamabatithĩria Rũũĩ-inĩ rwa Jorodani.
They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 Na rĩrĩa oonire Afarisai na Asadukai aingĩ magĩũka hau nĩgeetha amabatithie, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Inyuĩ rũciaro rũrũ rwa nduĩra! Nũũ ũmũheete ũhoro atĩ mũũrĩre marakara marĩa makiriĩ gũũka?
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Ciarai maciaro maringaine na kwĩrira.
Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9 Na mũtikeĩĩre na ngoro cianyu atĩrĩ, ‘Ithe witũ nĩ Iburahĩmu.’ Ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ, Ngai no atũme mahiga maya matuĩke ciana cia Iburahĩmu.
Do not think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 Ithanwa nĩrĩige itina-inĩ cia mĩtĩ, na mũtĩ o wothe ũtaciaraga maciaro mega nĩũgatemwo, ũikio mwaki-inĩ.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11 “Niĩ ndĩmũbatithagia na maaĩ mwerira. No thuutha wakwa nĩgũgũũka mũndũ ũngĩ ũrĩ na hinya kũrĩ niĩ, na ndiagĩrĩire o na kũmũkuuĩra iraatũ ciake. We akaamũbatithagia na Roho Mũtheru na mwaki.
“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
12 Gĩtarũrũ gĩake akĩnyiitĩte na guoko, na nĩagatheria kĩhuhĩro gĩake, na acookanĩrĩrie ngano yake ikũmbĩ, acooke acine mahuti na mwaki ũtangĩhoreka.”
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
13 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Jesũ akiuma Galili agĩthiĩ Rũũĩ-inĩ rwa Jorodani akabatithio nĩ Johana.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14 Nowe Johana akĩgeria kũmũgiria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Niĩ njagĩrĩirwo nĩkũbatithio nĩwe, nawe wagĩũka kũrĩ niĩ atĩa?”
But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15 Nake Jesũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Reke gũtuĩke ũguo rĩu; tondũ nĩtwagĩrĩirwo twĩke ũndũ ũyũ nĩguo tũhingie maũndũ mothe ma ũthingu.” Hĩndĩ ĩyo Johana agĩĩtĩkĩra.
But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
16 Jesũ aarĩkia kũbatithio o ũguo-rĩ, akiumĩra maaĩ-inĩ. Kahinda o kau igũrũ rĩkĩhingũka, nake akĩona Roho wa Ngai agĩikũrũka ta ndutura, akĩũmba igũrũ rĩake.
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
17 Naguo mũgambo ũkiuma igũrũ, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ nĩwe Mũrũ wakwa, ũrĩa nyendete; na nĩngenaga mũno nĩ we.”
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

< Mathayo 3 >