Matiu 3
1 Nʼoge ahụ, Jọn omee baptizim bịara na-ezisa ozi nʼọzara Judịa. Isi okwu ya bụ,
In those days, John the Baptiser came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2 “Chegharịanụ, nʼihi na alaeze eluigwe dị nso.”
“Repent, 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 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 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 wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. 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 people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6 Mgbe ha na-ekwupụta mmehie ha, o mere ha baptizim nʼosimiri Jọdan.
They were baptised 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 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 Mịanụ mkpụrụ na-egosipụta nchegharị unu.
Therefore produce 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.
Don’t 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 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 lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut 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 baptise 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 baptise you in 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 cleanse his threshing floor. He will 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 baptised 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 would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptised by you, and you 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, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he allowed 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.
Jesus, when he was baptised, 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 Otu olu sitere nʼeluigwe kwuo okwu sị, “Onye a bụ Ọkpara m, onye m hụrụ nʼanya. Ihe ya dị m ezi mma.”
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
