Matiu 3
1 Nʼoge ahụ, Jọn omee baptizim bịara na-ezisa ozi nʼọzara Judịa. Isi okwu ya bụ,
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2 “Chegharịanụ, nʼihi na alaeze eluigwe dị nso.”
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”
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.’”
This is the one who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, who said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare 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 wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, 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 Jerusalem was going out to him, and so were all Judea and all the region around the Jordan.
6 Mgbe ha na-ekwupụta mmehie ha, o mere ha baptizim nʼosimiri Jọdan.
They were being baptized by him in the 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 John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8 Mịanụ mkpụrụ na-egosipụta nchegharị unu.
Produce fruit consistent with 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 do not think that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for 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.
Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown 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 baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
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.”
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, 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 Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by 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 tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by yoʋ, and do yoʋ come 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 answered him, “Permit it for now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted 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.
After being baptized, Jesus immediately went up from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on 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 behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
