UJohane 12
1 Kwasekusele insuku eziyisithupha ukuthi kufike iPhasika, uJesu waya eBhethani, lapho okwakuhlala khona uLazaro owayevuswe kwabafileyo nguJesu.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, was living.
2 Kwaphekwa ukudla kwakusihlwa kuhlonitshwa yena uJesu. UMatha nguye owayedidizela, uLazaro ehlezi labanye etafuleni loJesu.
There a supper was given in his honour at which Martha waited, while Lazarus was one of those present at the table.
3 UMariya wasethatha amafutha enadi acengekileyo njalo adulayo kakhulu, ayengaba yingxenye yelitha, wawathela ezinyaweni zikaJesu wasezesula ngenwele zakhe. Indlu yagcwala ngephunga elimnandi lamakha lawo.
So Mary took a pound of choice spikenard perfume of great value, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and then wiped them with her hair. The whole house was filled with the scent of the perfume.
4 Kodwa omunye wabafundi bakhe, uJudasi Iskariyothi owayezamnikela wasola wathi,
One of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray Jesus, asked,
5 “Kungani amakha la engathengiswanga imali yaphiwa abampofu? Intengo yawo ibinganela umholo womnyaka wonke.”
‘Why was not this perfume sold for a year’s wages, and the money given to poor people?’
6 Kakutshongo lokhu ngoba ebanakekela abampofu, kodwa ngoba elisela; njengomgcinisikhwama wayandise ukuzisiza ngalokho okwakufakwa phakathi kwaso.
He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and, being in charge of the purse, used to take what was put in it.
7 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Myekele. Kwakuqondwe ukuthi amakha la awabekele usuku lokungcwatshwa kwami.
‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus, ‘so that she may keep it until the day when my body is being prepared for burial.
8 Lizahlala lilabo abampofu phakathi kwenu kodwa mina kaliyikuhlala lilami.”
The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me.’
9 Ngalesosikhathi ixuku elikhulu lamaJuda lezwa ukuthi uJesu wayelapho, leza lingalandanga yena kuphela kodwa lokuthi libone uLazaro ayemvuse kwabafileyo.
Now great numbers of people found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 Ngakho abaphristi abakhulu benza amacebo okuba bambulale laye uLazaro,
The chief priests, however, plotted to put Lazarus, as well as Jesus, to death,
11 ngoba ngenxa yakhe amaJuda amanengi ayesiya kuJesu ebeka ukholo lwawo kuye.
because it was owing to him that many of the people had left them, and were becoming believers in Jesus.
12 Ngosuku olulandelayo ixuku elikhulu elalize emkhosini lezwa ukuthi uJesu wayesendleleni esiza eJerusalema.
On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm branches,
13 Lathatha amagatsha elala laphuma ukuyamhlangabeza, limemeza lisithi, “Hosana!” “Ubusisiwe lowo obuya ngebizo likaThixo!” “Ubusisiwe oyiNkosi ka-Israyeli!”
and went out to meet him, shouting as they went, ‘God save him! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord – the king of Israel!’
14 UJesu wathola inkonyane kababhemi wayigada njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
Having found a young donkey, Jesus seated himself on it, in accordance with the passage of scripture –
15 “Ungesabi, Oh Ndodakazi yeZiyoni; khangela, inkosi yakho iyeza, ihlezi phezu kwenkonyane kababhemi.”
“Fear not, people of Zion. Your king is coming to you, sitting on the foal of a donkey.”
16 Kuqala abafundi bakhe kabakuzwisisanga konke lokhu. Kwaze kwaba ngemva kokuba uJesu esekhazimulisiwe lapho abananzelela khona ukuba izinto lezi zazilotshwe ngaye lokuthi babezenzile kuye lezozinto.
His disciples did not understand all this at first; but, when Jesus had been exalted, then they remembered that these things had been said of him in scripture, and that they had done these things for him.
17 Ngalesosikhathi ixuku elalilaye mhla ebiza uLazaro ethuneni wabuye wamvusa ekufeni laqhubeka lilifakaza ilizwi.
Meanwhile the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, were telling what they had seen.
18 Abantu abanengi bahamba ukuyamhlangabeza ngoba basebezwile ukuthi wayewenzile umangaliso lo.
This, indeed, was why the crowd met him – because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission.
19 AbaFarisi bakhulumisana besithi, “Liyabona, into le izasitshiya esikhaleni. Khangelani ukuthi umhlaba wonke usuthe zalezale kuye!”
So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, all the world has run after him!’
20 Kwakukhona amaGrikhi phakathi kwalabo abayakhonza emkhosini.
Among those who were going up to worship at the Festival were some Greeks,
21 Beza kuFiliphu owayevela eBhethisayida eGalile lesicelo esithi, “Nkosi, sifuna ukubona uJesu.”
who went to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee, and said, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’
22 UFiliphu wayatshela u-Andreya; u-Andreya loFiliphu basebemtshela uJesu.
Philip went and told Andrew, and then together they went and told Jesus.
23 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Sesifikile isikhathi sokuba iNdodana yoMuntu ikhazimuliswe.
This was his reply – ‘The time has come for the Son of Man to be exalted.
24 Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi ngaphandle kokuthi uhlamvu lwengqoloyi luwele emhlabathini lufe, lusala lulokhu luluhlamvu olulodwa. Kodwa lungaze lufe luthela inhlamvu ezinengi.
In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful.
25 Umuntu othanda impilo yakhe izamlahlekela ikanti umuntu ozonda impilo yakhe kulo umhlaba uzayilondolozela ingunaphakade. (aiōnios g166)
A person who loves their life loses it; while someone who hates their life in the present world will preserve it for eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
26 Lowo ongikhonzayo kumele angilandele, lalapho engikhona lesikhonzi sami sikhona. UBaba uzamdumisa lowo ongikhonzayo.
If someone is ready to serve me, let them follow me; and where I am, there my servant will be also. If a person is ready to serve me, my Father will honour them.
27 Khathesi inhliziyo yami ikhathazekile. Kambe ngingatsho na ngithi, ‘Baba, ngihlenga singafiki lesosikhathi’? Hatshi, kwakungenxa yalesisizatho ukuze ngingene kulesisikhathi.
Now I am distressed at heart and what can I say? Father, bring me safe through this hour – yet it was for this reason that I came to this hour –
28 Baba, khazimulisa ibizo lakho!” Kwasekufika ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi, “Sengilikhazimulisile, ngizaphinda ngilikhazimulise.”
Father, honour your own name.’ At this there came a voice from heaven, which said, ‘I have already honoured it, and I will honour it again.’
29 Ixuku labantu elalilapho elalizwayo ilizwi lathi kube lomdumo wezulu; abanye bathi ingilosi yayikhulume laye.
The crowd of bystanders, who heard the sound, said that it was thundering. Others said, ‘An angel has been speaking to him.’
30 UJesu wathi, “Ilizwi leli belingelokusiza lina, hayi mina.
‘It was not for my sake that the voice came,’ said Jesus, ‘but for yours.
31 Manje sekuyisikhathi sokwahlulela kulo umhlaba; manje inkosi yalo umhlaba isizaxotshwa.
Now this world is on its trial. Now the Spirit that is ruling this world will be driven out;
32 Kodwa mina nxa sengiphakanyisiwe ngisuswa emhlabeni, ngizabadonsela kimi bonke abantu.”
and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’
33 Wakutsho lokhu eveza ukuthi wayezakufa ukufa okunjani.
By these words he indicated what death he was destined to die.
34 Ixuku labhoboka lathi, “Sezwa eMthethweni ukuthi uKhristu uzahlala kokuphela, pho ukutsho kanjani ukuthi, ‘INdodana yoMuntu imele iphakanyiswe na’? Ingubani yona ‘iNdodana yoMuntu’ le?” (aiōn g165)
‘We,’ replied the people, ‘have learned from the Law that the Christ is to remain for ever; how is it, then, that you say that the Son of Man must be “lifted up” Who is this “Son of Man”?’ (aiōn g165)
35 UJesu wabatshela wathi, “Lizakuba lakho ukukhanya okwesikhatshana esithile. Hambani liseselakho ukukhanya, ubumnyama bungakaligubuzeli. Umuntu ophumputha emnyameni kakwazi lapho aya khona.
‘Only a little while longer,’ answered Jesus, ‘will you have the light among you. Travel on while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you; he who travels in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36 Bekani ithemba lenu ekukhanyeni liseselakho ukuze libe ngamadodana okukhanya.” Wathi eseqedile ukukhuluma uJesu wasuka kubo wayazifihla.
While you still have the light, believe in the light, so that you may be children of light.’ After he had said this, Jesus went away, and hid himself from them.
37 Lanxa uJesu wayeseyenze yonke imimangaliso le emehlweni abo babelokhu bengakholwa kuye.
But, though Jesus had given so many signs of his mission before their eyes, they still did not believe in him,
38 Lokhu kwakugcwalisa ilizwi lika-Isaya umphrofethi elithi: “Nkosi, ngubani olikholiweyo ilizwi lethu na, njalo amandla eNkosi ambulelwe ubani na?”
in fulfilment of the words of the prophet Isaiah, where he says – “Lord, who has believed our teaching? And to whom has the might of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Ngalesisizatho babengeke bakholwa ngoba u-Isaya uyatsho komunye umbhalo ukuthi:
The reason why they were unable to believe is given by Isaiah elsewhere, in these words –
40 “Uwafiphazile amehlo abo wathundubeza inhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaboni ngamehlo abo njalo bangezwisisi ngenhliziyo zabo, loba baphenduke, ukuze ngibasilise.”
“He has blinded their eyes, and blunted their mind, so that they should not see with their eyes, and perceive with their mind, and turn – And I should heal them.”
41 U-Isaya wakutsho lokhu ngoba wayibona inkazimulo kaJesu njalo wayekhuluma ngaye.
Isaiah said this, because he saw Christ’s glory; and it was of him that he spoke.
42 Kodwa loba kunjalo, abanengi labanye abakhokheli bakholwa kuye. Kodwa ngenxa yabaFarisi kabalufakazanga ukholo lwabo besesaba ukuthi bazaxotshwa esinagogweni;
Yet for all this, even among the leading men there were many who came to believe in Jesus; but, because of the Pharisees, they did not acknowledge it, because they were afraid that they should be expelled from their synagogues;
43 ngoba babethanda ukubukwa ngabantu okwedlula ukubukwa okuvela kuNkulunkulu.
for they valued honour from people more than honour from God.
44 UJesu wasememeza wathi, “Nxa umuntu ekholwa kimi, kakholwa kimi kuphela kodwa kuye lowo ongithumileyo.
But Jesus had proclaimed, ‘He who believes in me believes, not in me, but in him who sent me;
45 Nxa ekhangela mina ubona yena lowo ongithumileyo.
and he who sees me sees him who sent me.
46 Ngibuye emhlabeni ngiyikukhanya ukuze angabikhona okholwa kimi ozahlala ebumnyameni.
I have come as a light into the world, so that no one who believes in me should remain in the darkness.
47 Nxa umuntu ewezwa amazwi ami kodwa angawagcini, angimahluleli mina. Phela kangilandanga ukuzowahlulela umhlaba kodwa ukuzowusindisa.
When anyone hears my teaching and pays no heed to it, I am not his judge; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 Ukhona umahluleli walowo ongalayo, ongawemukeliyo amazwi ami; lawomazwi engawakhulumayo uqobo azamlahla ngosuku lokucina.
He who rejects me, and disregards my teaching, has a judge already – the message which I have delivered will itself be his judge at the Last day.
49 Ngoba kangizikhulumelanga ngokwentando yami kodwa uBaba owangithumayo wangilaya ukuthi ngithini lokuthi ngikutsho kanjani.
For I have not delivered it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent me, has himself given me his command as to what I should say, and what message I should deliver.
50 Ngiyazi ukuthi umlayo wakhe uholela ekuphileni kwaphakade. Ngakho loba kuyini engikutshoyo yikho lokho uBaba angitshele khona ukuthi ngikutsho.” (aiōnios g166)
And I know that eternal life lies in keeping his command. Therefore, whatever I say, I say only what the Father has taught me.’ (aiōnios g166)
