< Matiu 3 >

1 Nʼoge ahụ, Jọn omee baptizim bịara na-ezisa ozi nʼọzara Judịa. Isi okwu ya bụ,
And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 “Chegharịanụ, nʼihi na alaeze eluigwe dị nso.”
saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 Nʼihi na nwoke a bụ onye e kwuru okwu banyere ya site nʼọnụ onye amụma Aịzaya sị, “Otu onye na-eti mkpu nʼọzara, na-asị, ‘Dozienụ ụzọ maka Onyenwe anyị, meenụ ka okporoụzọ ya guzozie.’”
For this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
4 Jọn yi uwe e ji ajị ịnyịnya kamel mee. O kekwara ihe okike ukwu nke akpụkpọ anụ nʼukwu ya. Nri ya bụ igurube na mmanụ aṅụ.
Now John himself had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Nʼoge ahụ, ndị mmadụ sitere Jerusalem, na Judịa niile, nʼala niile dị Jọdan gburugburu, na-apụkwuru ya.
Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan;
6 Mgbe ha na-ekwupụta mmehie ha, o mere ha baptizim nʼosimiri Jọdan.
and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 Ma mgbe ọhụrụ ọtụtụ ndị Farisii na ndị Sadusii ka ha na-abịa ka e mee ha baptizim, ọ sịrị ha, “Unu ụmụ ajụala, onye dọrọ unu aka na ntị sị unu gbanarị ọnụma nke na-abịa?
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Mịanụ mkpụrụ na-egosipụta nchegharị unu.
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:
9 Unu echekwala na unu pụrụ ị sị nʼime onwe unu, ‘Anyị nwere Ebraham dịka nna,’ nʼihi na Chineke pụrụ isite na nkume ndị a mepụtara Ebraham ụmụ.
and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 Ma ugbu a atụkwasịla anyụike na mgbọrọgwụ osisi niile. Osisi ọbụla nke na-adịghị amị ezi mkpụrụ ka a ga-egbutu, tụba ya nʼime ọkụ.
And even now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 “Mụ onwe m ji mmiri eme unu baptizim nʼihi nchegharị, ma onye dị ike karịa m na-abịa. Onye m na-erughị ịchịta akpụkpọụkwụ ya. Ọ ga-eji Mmụọ Nsọ na ọkụ were mee unu baptizim.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and [with] fire:
12 Ihe ịfụcha ọka ya dị ya nʼaka, ọ ga-azacha ebe ịzọcha ọka ya nke ọma, chịkọta mkpụrụ ọka wiiti tinye ha nʼọba, ma jiri ọkụ a na-apụghị imenyụ emenyụ rechapụ igbugbo ọka.”
whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
13 Mgbe ahụ, Jisọs sitere na Galili bịa nʼosimiri Jọdan ka Jọn mee ya baptizim.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 Ma Jọn chọrọ igbochi ya, sị, “Ọ bụ m kwesiri ịbịakwute gị ka ị mee m baptizim. Gịnị mere i ji abịakwute m?”
But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 Ma Jisọs zara ya sị, “Kwere ka ọ dịrị otu a ugbu a, o kwesiri ka anyị mezuo ezi omume niile.” Mgbe ahụ Jọn kwenyere.
But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffereth him.
16 Ngwangwa e mechara Jisọs baptizim, o sitere na mmiri ahụ rịpụta. Nʼotu oge ahụ, eluigwe meghere, Jọn hụrụ Mmụọ nke Chineke ka o si nʼelu fedata dị ka nduru na-ebekwasị Jisọs nʼisi.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;
17 Otu olu sitere nʼeluigwe kwuo okwu sị, “Onye a bụ Ọkpara m, onye m hụrụ nʼanya. Ihe ya dị m ezi mma.”
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

< Matiu 3 >