< Mathayo 3 >
1 Matukũ-inĩ macio Johana ũrĩa Mũbatithania nĩokire, akĩhunjagia kũu Werũ-inĩ wa Judea,
Some time later John the Baptist appeared on the scene, proclaiming in the Judean desert,
2 akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Mwĩrirei, nĩgũkorwo ũthamaki wa igũrũ nĩũkuhĩrĩirie.”
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!”
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.’”
He was the one Isaiah spoke about when he said, “A voice is heard crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the paths straight for him.’”
4 Johana eekagĩra Nguo ya guoya wa ngamĩĩra, na nĩeyohaga mũcibi wa rũũa njohero. Irio ciake ciarĩ ngigĩ na ũũkĩ wa gĩthaka.
John had clothes made of camel 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.
People came to him from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the entire Jordan region,
6 Moimbũraga mehia mao, nake akamabatithĩria Rũũĩ-inĩ rwa Jorodani.
and were baptized in the Jordan River, publicly admitting 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 John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You vipers' brood! Who warned you to run away from the coming judgment?
8 Ciarai maciaro maringaine na kwĩrira.
Show by what you do that you have truly repented,
9 Na mũtikeĩĩre na ngoro cianyu atĩrĩ, ‘Ithe witũ nĩ Iburahĩmu.’ Ngũmwĩra atĩrĩ, Ngai no atũme mahiga maya matuĩke ciana cia Iburahĩmu.
and don't presume to say proudly to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children of Abraham from these stones.
10 Ithanwa nĩrĩige itina-inĩ cia mĩtĩ, na mũtĩ o wothe ũtaciaraga maciaro mega nĩũgatemwo, ũikio mwaki-inĩ.
In fact the ax is ready to chop down the trees. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown 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.
Yes, I baptize you in water to show repentance, but after me is coming one who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy even to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12 Gĩtarũrũ gĩake akĩnyiitĩte na guoko, na nĩagatheria kĩhuhĩro gĩake, na acookanĩrĩrie ngano yake ikũmbĩ, acooke acine mahuti na mwaki ũtangĩhoreka.”
He has his winnowing tool ready in his hand. He will clean up the threshing floor and gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn the chaff with fire that can't be put out.”
13 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Jesũ akiuma Galili agĩthiĩ Rũũĩ-inĩ rwa Jorodani akabatithio nĩ Johana.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
14 Nowe Johana akĩgeria kũmũgiria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Niĩ njagĩrĩirwo nĩkũbatithio nĩwe, nawe wagĩũka kũrĩ niĩ atĩa?”
But John tried to change his mind. He told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me to baptize you?”
15 Nake Jesũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Reke gũtuĩke ũguo rĩu; tondũ nĩtwagĩrĩirwo twĩke ũndũ ũyũ nĩguo tũhingie maũndũ mothe ma ũthingu.” Hĩndĩ ĩyo Johana agĩĩtĩkĩra.
“Please do so, because it's good for us to do what God says is right,” Jesus told him. So John agreed to do it.
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.
Immediately after he was baptized, Jesus came out of the water. The heavens were opened, and he saw God's Spirit like a dove descending, landing on him.
17 Naguo mũgambo ũkiuma igũrũ, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ nĩwe Mũrũ wakwa, ũrĩa nyendete; na nĩngenaga mũno nĩ we.”
A voice from heaven said, “This is my son whom I love, who pleases me.”