Matayo 3
1 Mu nnaku ezo Yokaana Omubatiza n’ajja ng’abuulira mu ddungu ly’e Buyudaaya ng’agamba nti,
About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea:
2 “Mwenenye, kubanga obwakabaka obw’omu ggulu bunaatera okutuuka.”
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
3 Oyo nnabbi Isaaya gwe yayogerako ng’agamba nti, “Mpulira eddoboozi ly’oyo ayogerera waggulu mu ddungu ng’agamba nti, ‘Mulongoose oluguudo lwa Mukama, muluŋŋamye amakubo ge!’”
John was the one who was spoken of in the prophet Isaiah, where he says – ‘The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: “Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”’
4 Ebyambalo bya Yokaana byakolebwa mu bwoya bwa ŋŋamira, era nga yeesibya lukoba lwa ddiba. N’emmere ye yali nzige na mubisi gwa njuki.
John’s clothes were made of camels’ hair, with a leather strap around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Abantu bangi ne bava mu Yerusaalemi ne mu Buyudaaya mwonna ne mu bifo ebiriraanye Yoludaani ne bajja mu ddungu okuwulira by’abuulira.
At that time Jerusalem, and all Judea, as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went out to him
6 N’ababatiza mu mugga Yoludaani, nga baatula ebibi byabwe.
and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
7 Naye bwe yalaba Abafalisaayo bangi n’Abasaddukaayo nga bajja okubatizibwa n’abagamba nti, “Mmwe, abaana b’essalambwa, ani yabalabula okudduka obusungu bwa Katonda obugenda okujja?
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them, “You children of snakes! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?
8 Kale mubale ebibala ebiraga nti Mwenenyeza.
Let your life, then, prove your repentance;
9 Temulowooza mu mitima gyammwe nti, ‘Tuli bulungi kubanga tuli Bayudaaya, abaana ba Ibulayimu, tetufaayo, tetulina kye twetaaga.’ Ekyo tekibasigula. Mbategeeza nti, Katonda ayinza okufuula amayinja gano abaana ba Ibulayimu!
and do not think that you can say among yourselves ‘Abraham is our ancestor,’ for I tell you that out of these stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!
10 Kaakano embazzi ya Katonda eteekeddwa ku buli kikolo kya muti, omuti ogutabala bibala birungi, gutemebwa gusuulibwe mu muliro.
Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “Nze mbabatiza na mazzi okutuuka ku kwenenya, naye waliwo omulala ajja, oyo ye ansinga amaanyi era sisaanira na kukwata ngatto ze, oyo alibabatiza ne Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’omuliro.
I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but he who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12 Ekikuŋŋunta kiri mu mukono gwe, alirongoosa egguuliro lye. Eŋŋaano aligitereka mu tterekero lye, naye ebisusunku alibyokya mu muliro ogutazikira.”
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out.”
13 Awo Yesu n’ava e Ggaliraaya n’ajja ku mugga Yoludaani, abatizibwe Yokaana.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
14 Naye Yokaana n’ayagala okugaana, n’agamba nti, “Nze neetaaga ggwe okumbatiza, naye ate gw’ojja gye ndi?”
But John tried to prevent him. “I need to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why have you come to me?”
15 Yesu n’amuddamu nti, “Kkiriza ombatize, kubanga kitugwanidde okutuukiriza obutuukirivu bwonna.” Awo Yokaana n’amukkiriza.
“This is the way it should be for now,” Jesus answered, “because we should do everything that God requires.” So John agreed.
16 Awo amangwago Yesu nga yakamala okubatizibwa nga yaakava mu mazzi, eggulu ne libikkuka n’alaba Omwoyo wa Katonda ng’amukkako mu kifaananyi ky’ejjiba.
After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him,
17 Eddoboozi ne liva mu ggulu ne ligamba nti, “Ono ye Mwana wange omwagalwa gwe nsanyukira ennyo.”
and from the heavens there came a voice which said, “This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy.”
