< Yohana 3 >
1 Basi kwajhele ni Farisayo ambajhe lihina lya muene Nikodemo, mmonga wa bhajumbe wa baraza lya bhayahudi.
There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
2 Munu ojho andotili Bwana Yesu pakilu ni kun'jobhela, “Rabi, tumanyili kujha bhebhe mwalimu kuh'omela kwa K'yara, kwa maana ajhelepi munu jha ibhwesya kubhomba ishara ese syoha sya K'yara isipokujha pamonga ni bhebhe.”
He went to see Jesus at night, [to talk to him about God’s kingdom]. He said to Jesus, “Teacher, [we believe that] you are a teacher who has come from God. [We believe this because] we know that someone could perform the miracles you are doing only if God were helping him.”
3 Yesu ajibili, “Aminiayi, aminiayi, munu ibhwesyalepi kujhingila mu bhufalme bhwa k'yara kama ahogiliki lepi mara jha pili.”
Jesus replied to him, “Listen to this carefully: Unless people are born again and [have a new life from God], they cannot even see the place where God rules [MET]!”
4 Nikodemo akajobha,” Munu ibhwesya bhuli kuh'ogoleka akajhelayi nseya? Ibhwesya lepi kujhingila mu lileme mwa nyinamunu mara ya pili ni kuhogoleka, je ibhwesya?”
Then Nicodemus said to him, “(No one can be born when he is old!/How can anyone be born when he is old?) [RHQ] (There is no way he can enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time!/How can he enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time?) [RHQ]”
5 Yesu ajibili, “Aminiayi, aminiayi munu kama ahogoliki lepi kwa masi ni kwa Roho, ibhwesya lepi kujhingila mu bhufalme bhwa K'yara.
Jesus answered, “Note this: Being born naturally is not [enough]; people need to also be born [spiritually] by God’s Spirit. If that does not happen, they cannot experience God ruling [MET] [their lives].
6 Kyakihogoliki ni mb'ele ni mb'ele, na kyakihogoliki kwa Roho ni roho.
Humans give birth to humans. But those who are born [again] as a result of what [God’s] Spirit [does receive a new] spiritual [nature from God].
7 Usishangali kwa ndabha nakujobhili, 'ni lazima kuh'ogoleka mara jha pili.'
Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
8 Mp'ongo ghwibhuma popoha pa wilonda ni sauti jhiake mukajhipeleka, lakini mumanyilepi kwa wihoma wala kwa wilota. Ndivyo kyajhijhele hali jha kila jhaahogoliki ni roho.
[Let me illustrate]: The wind blows wherever it wants to blow. You hear its sound, but you do not know where the wind comes from or where it is going. Similarly, those [who do not know God cannot understand/control/predict] how people are born again as a result of what God’s spirit [does].”
9 Nikodemo ajibili, kwa kujobha, “Mambo agha ghibhwessekana bhuli?”
Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
10 Yesu akan'jibu, “Bhebhe ghwa mwalimu wa Israeli, hata ughamanyi lepi mambo agha?
Jesus replied to him, “You [(sg)] are a [well-known] teacher among [us] Israelite people, so (I am surprised that you do not understand these things!/how is it that you do not understand these things?) [RHQ]
11 Aminiayi, aminiayi, nikujobhela khela kyatukimanyili tukakishuhudila kwa khela kya tukibhuene. Lakini mwipokela lepi bhushuda bhwa tete.
Listen to this carefully: (My disciples and I/I) tell you [(pl)] about the things that my disciples and I have seen and know [are true], but you [(pl)] do not admit that what my disciples and I are saying [is true].
12 Kama nibhajobhili mambo agha apa pa duniani na mwiamini lepi, mubetakuamini bhuli nikabhajobhilayi mambo gha kumbinguni?
I have told you about the things [that happen here] on earth that are true, but you [(pl)] do not believe me. So if I tell you [(sg)] about things [that happen] in heaven, (you certainly will not believe me!/how will you believe me?) [RHQ]
13 Maana ajhelepi jha akwelili kunani kuhomela kumbinguni isipokujha muene jhaaselili, Mwana ghwa Adamu.
I am the only one who has gone up to heaven; no one else has gone up there. I am also the one who came down from heaven. [So I know what happens there].
14 Kama vile Musa kya ajhinuili liyoka jangwani, mebhu ni Mwana ghwa Adamu lazima ajhinulibhwayi,
[Long ago when the Israelite people rebelled against God] in the desolate area, [God sent poisonous snakes to bite them]. But when Moses lifted up [on a pole] the [model of a] poisonous snake, [everyone who looked at that model was healed from their snake bites]. Similarly, [even though I] am the one who came from heaven, [some day people] will lift me up [on a cross to kill me].
15 ili kwamba bhoha bhabhibetakumwamini bhakabhayi uzima bhwa milele. (aiōnios )
As a result, everyone who believes/trusts in me will have eternal life.” (aiōnios )
16 Kwa maana jinsi ejhe K'yara abhuganili bhulimwengu, kwamba akambosya mwanamunu ghwa pekee, ili kwamba munu yeyioha jhaakamwamini asijhangamili bali ajhelayi ni uzima bhwa milele. (aiōnios )
God loved us people [MTY] in the world so much that he gave his only Son [as a sacrifice for us], in order that everyone who believes in him would not be separated from God forever. Instead, they would have eternal life. (aiōnios )
17 Kwa ndabha K'yara antumilepi mwanamunu pa dunia ili kubhuhukumu ulimwengu, bali ulimwengu uokolibhwayi kup'etela muene.
When God sent his Son into the world, his purpose was not to punish the [people in] [MTY] the world for their sins. Instead, he sent him in order that they might be saved by him {he might save them} [from being] ([guilty/punished]) [for their sins].
18 Jhaibetakumwamini muene ibetalepi kuhukumulibhwa. Bhebhe jhaiamini lepi tayari amalikuhukumulibhwa kwa ndabha abelikuliamini lihina lya Mwana pekee ghwa K'yara.
Everyone who trusts in his Son, [God says that they] will not be punished {that he will not punish them}. But God has already [said that] everyone who does not trust in his Son will be punished {that he will punish everyone who does not trust in his Son}, because they have not trusted in what his only Son [has done for them].
19 Ejhe ndo sababu jha hukumu, jha kujha nuru ihidili ulimwengu, lakini bhanadamu bhaganili ngisi zaidi jha nuru kwandabha matendo gha bhene ghajhe maovu.
The [one who was like a] light [MET] [to reveal God’s truth to us] came into the world. But people loved doing what was [evil, like] darkness [MET] [is evil], instead of loving the [one who was like a] light. That is the reason [God will] judge people [and condemn them].
20 kila munu jhaibhomba mabhibhi akayidadila nuru wala ihidalepi mu nuru ili matendo gha muene ghasihidi kubhakibhwa wazi.
Everyone who does what is evil hates the [one who is like a] light, and they will not come to the [one who is like a] light, because it would be shown {[the one who is like a light] would show} that their deeds [are evil, and he would rebuke them].
21 Lakini, muene jha ibhomba kweli ihida mu nuru ili matendo gha muene ghabhonekanayi kujha ghabhombibhu kwa utiifu bhwa K'yara.
But those who live according to [God’s] truth come to the [one who is like a] light, in order that it may be seen clearly {that people may see clearly} that the things they have done, they did them because [they have depended] on God.
22 Baada jha agha, Yesu pamonga ni bhanafunzi bha muene bhakalota mpaka nchi ya Yudea. Okhu atumili muda pamonga nabhu na abatisieghe.
Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
23 Henu Yohana pia ajhele ibatisya okhu Ainea karibu ni Salim maana kwajhele ni masi mingi pala. Bhanu bhakajha bhihida kwa muene ni kubatisibhwa,
John [the Baptizer] was also baptizing people. He was doing that at Aenon [village] near Salim [town in Samaria district], because there were many springs in that area. [Many] people kept coming [to John] and were being baptized {he was baptizing them}.
24 kwa kujha Yohana ajheasopibhulepi mu ligereza.
That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
25 Kisha ghatokili mabishano kati jha bhanafunzi bha Yohana ni Myahudi kuhusu sikukuu sya utakaso.
Then some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew started arguing about the Jewish rituals of washing things [to make them acceptable to God].
26 Bhakalota kwa Yohana bhakan'jobhela, “Rabi, muene jhaukajhenaku kwiselya ya kiholo Yorodani, muene ghwashuhudili habari sya muene, langayi, ibatisya ni bhoha bhilota bhakan'kesya.”
Then those disciples went to John and said to him, “Teacher, [do you remember] the man who was with you when you were baptizing people on the other side of the Jordan River? He is the one you were telling us about. Well, now he is baptizing people, and many people are going to him [instead of coming to us]!”
27 Yohana ajibili munu ibhwesyalepi kupokela khenu kyokyoha isipokujha kama apelibhu kuh'omela kumbinguni.
John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
28 Mwejhomu mwishuhudila kujha najobhili kujha, 'nene na Kristu lepi', badala jhiake najobhili, 'nitumibhu mbele jha muene.'
You yourselves can verify what I said. I told you that I am not (the Messiah/God’s promised king). Instead, I [told you that] I was sent {that [God] sent me} to prepare the way for him.
29 Muene jha ajhe ni bibi arusi ndo bwana arusi. Henu rafiki wa bwana arusi, jhaijhema ni kup'elekesya ifurahibhwa sana kwa ndabha jha sauti jha bwana arusi. Ejhe henu ndo furaha jha nene jha jhitimiliki.
[Let me illustrate] [MET]: [He is like a] ([bridegroom/man who is being married]), [and I am like his friend]. The friend of the bridegroom stands there and waits [for him to come]. That friend is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice [when he arrives]. Similarly, I am very happy [about what you have told me].
30 Ilondeka kuzidi, nani nilondeka kup'ongola.
It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
31 Muene jha ihoma kunani, ajhele panani pa fyoha. Muene jha ajhele ghwa ulimwengu ihomela kuulimwengu na ilongela mambo gha kiulimwengu. Muene jha ihomela kumbinguni ajhele panani pa ghoha.
[Jesus] came from heaven. He is more important than anyone else. Those who are born from [parents here] on earth [MTY] are just humans, and they speak about things [that happen here] on the earth. But since Jesus came from heaven, his [words are] more important than anyone else’s.
32 Muene ishuhudila ghala ghaaghabhwene ni kughap'eleka, lakini ajhelepi jhaipokela ushuhuda bhwa mwene.
He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
33 Muene jha apokili ushuhuda bhwa muene ahakikishi kujha K'yara ndo mkweli.
Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
34 Kwa ndabha muene jhaatumibhu ni K'yara ilongela malobhi gha K'yara. kwa kujha akampela lepi Roho kwa kip'emu.
[We know it is true] because [Jesus], the one God sent, speaks the message of God. [That is also true] because God causes his Spirit to live [in Jesus] to completely [direct everything he says and does].
35 Baba akan'gana Mwana na ampelili fenu fyoha mu mabhoko gha muene.
God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
36 Muene jha akamwamini Mwana ajhenabhu uzima bhwa milele, lakini kwa muene jha abelikun'tii ibetalepi kubhubhona bhuzima, bali ghadhabu jha K'yara jhikamulana panani pa muene. (aiōnios )
Those who trust in [God’s] Son have eternal life. But those who reject God’s Son will never have [eternal] life. Instead, God is angry with them [and he will surely punish them]. (aiōnios )