ULukha 23
1 Kwasekusukuma ixuku labo lonke, lamusa kuPilatu.
Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate.
2 Baqala ukummangalela, besithi: Simficile lo eduhisa isizwe, esalela ukuthela kuKesari, esithi nguye onguKristu iNkosi.
And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
3 UPilatu wasembuza, wathi: Wena uyiNkosi yamaJuda yini? Wasemphendula wathi: Uyatsho wena.
So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Wasesithi uPilatu kubapristi abakhulu lemaxukwini: Kangitholi cala kulumuntu.
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 Kodwa baqinisa, besithi: Udunga abantu, efundisa kuyo yonke iJudiya, eqala eGalili kuze kufike lapha.
But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
6 Lapho uPilatu esizwa kuthiwa iGalili wabuza ukuthi lumuntu ungumGalili yini.
When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
7 Kwathi esezwile ukuthi ungowombuso kaHerodi, wamthumela kuHerodi, owayekhona laye eJerusalema ngalezonsuku.
And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.
8 Kwathi uHerodi embona uJesu wathokoza kakhulu; ngoba wayekade ethanda ukumbona, ngoba wayezwile okunengi ngaye; wayethemba ukuthi uzabona isibonakaliso esithile sisenziwa nguye.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
9 Wambuza ngamazwi amanengi; kodwa yena kamphendulanga lutho.
Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.
10 Abapristi abakhulu lababhali babemi, bemmangalela ngamandla.
Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.
11 UHerodi lamabutho akhe bamyangisa, bamklolodela, basebemgqokisa isembatho esikhazimulayo, bambuyisela kuPilatu.
And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
12 Ngalolosuku uHerodi kanye loPilatu baba ngabangane omunye komunye; ngoba ngaphambi kwalokhu babelobutha phakathi kwabo.
That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.
13 UPilatu wasebizela ndawonye abapristi abakhulu lababusi labantu,
Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
14 wathi kubo: Limlethile kimi lumuntu, ngokungathi ungoduhisa abantu; njalo khangelani, mina ngimhlolile phambi kwenu, kangitholanga cala kulumuntu ngalezozinto elimmangalela ngazo;
and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.
15 hatshi ngitsho loHerodi; ngoba ngilithumeze kuye, njalo khangelani, kakulalutho olufanele ukufa olwenziwe nguye.
Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.
16 Ngakho ngizamtshaya ngimkhulule.
Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
17 Kwakufanele ukuthi abakhululele abe munye ngomkhosi.
18 Bamemeza bonke kanyekanye besithi: Msuse lo, usikhululele uBarabasi
But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
19 (owayephoselwe entolongweni ngenxa yomvukela othile owenzeka phakathi komuzi langenxa yokubulala).
(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Ngakho uPilatu wabuya wakhuluma labo, efuna ukumkhulula uJesu.
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
21 Kodwa bamemeza, besithi: Bethela, mbethele!
but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
22 Wasesithi kubo ngokwesithathu: Ngoba lo enze bubi bani? Kangitholanga kuye icala afanele ukufa ngalo; ngakho ngizamtshaya ngimkhulule.
A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
23 Kodwa baqinisa ngamazwi amakhulu, befuna ukuthi abethelwe; lamazwi abo lawabapristi abakhulu aphumelela.
But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed.
24 UPilatu wasequma ukuthi kwenziwe isicelo sabo.
So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.
25 Wasebakhululela lowo ababemcelile owayephoselwe entolongweni ngenxa yomvukela lokubulala; kodwa uJesu wamnikela entandweni yabo.
As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.
26 Kwathi sebemqhuba, babamba uSimoni othile umKurene owayevela emaphandleni, bamethesa isiphambano, ukuthi asithwale ngemva kukaJesu.
As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
27 Laselimlandela ixuku elikhulu labantu, labesifazana labo ababekhala bemlilela.
A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.
28 Kodwa uJesu ephendukela kubo wathi: Madodakazi eJerusalema, lingangikhaleli mina, kodwa zikhaleleni lina labantwana benu,
But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29 ngoba khangelani, ziyeza insuku abazakutsho ngazo ukuthi: Zibusisiwe inyumba, lezizalo ezingazalanga, lamabele angamunyisanga.
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
30 Khona bezaqalisa ukuthi ezintabeni: Welani phezu kwethu; lemaqaqeni: Sisibekeleni.
At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
31 Ngoba uba besenza lezizinto esihlahleni esimanzi, kuzakwenzakalani kwesomileyo?
For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Kwaqhutshwa labanye abenzi bobubi ababili, ukuthi babulawe kanye laye.
Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
33 Sebefikile endaweni ethiwa luKhakhayi, bambethela khona, labenzi bobubi, omunye ngakwesokunene, lomunye ngakwesokhohlo.
When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.
34 UJesu wasesithi: Baba, bathethelele; ngoba kabakwazi abakwenzayo. Njalo babelana izembatho zakhe, benza inkatho yokuphosa.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
35 Labantu bema babukela. Lababusi kanye labo bamklolodela, besithi: Wasindisa abanye, kazisindise yena, uba yena enguKristu, okhethiweyo kaNkulunkulu.
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
36 Labebutho bamklolodela, beza kuye bamnika iviniga,
The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.
37 besithi: Uba wena uyiNkosi yamaJuda, zisindise wena.
“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
38 Kwakukhona lombhalo ngaphezu kwakhe kulotshiwe ngamabala esiGriki langesiRoma langesiHebheru othi: LO UYINKOSI YAMAJUDA.
Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 Lomunye wabenzi bobubi ababelengisiwe wamthuka, esithi: Uba wena unguKristu, zisindise wena lathi.
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”
40 Kodwa omunye waphendula emkhuza, esithi: Wena kawumesabi yini uNkulunkulu, lokhu lawe ukulokhukulahlwa?
But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?
41 Thina kambe kusilungele, ngoba semukela okulingene ukwenza kwethu; kodwa lo kenzanga lutho olungafanelanga.
We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Wasesithi kuJesu: Ungikhumbule, Nkosi, lapha ufika embusweni wakho.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
43 UJesu wasesithi kuye: Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Lamuhla uzakuba lami eParadise.
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
44 Kwakungaba lihola lesithupha, kwaba khona ubumnyama phezu komhlaba wonke kwaze kwaba lihola lesificamunwemunye,
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
45 futhi ilanga lalifiphaziwe, leveyili lethempeli ladatshulwa phakathi.
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
46 UJesu wasememeza ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: Baba, ezandleni zakho ngibeka umoya wami; esetshilo lokhu waphefumula okokucina.
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
47 Kwathi induna yekhulu isibonile okwenzekileyo, yamdumisa uNkulunkulu, isithi: Isibili lumuntu ubelungile.
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
48 Lamaxuku wonke ayebuthene ukubukela lokho, sebebonile izinto ezenzekileyo, babuyela betshaya izifuba zabo.
And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.
49 Bonke abazana laye, labesifazana ababemlandela bevela eGalili, bema khatshana, bebona lezizinto.
But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
50 Njalo khangela, indoda ethiwa nguJosefa, ilunga lomphakathi, indoda elungileyo eqotho;
Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man,
51 yena wayengavumelananga lecebo lesenzo sabo; wayevela eArimathiya umuzi wamaJuda, laye ngokwakhe wayelindele umbuso kaNkulunkulu;
who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and was waiting for the kingdom of God.
52 lowo waya kuPilatu wacela isidumbu sikaJesu.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
53 Wasesethula wasigoqela ngelembu elicolekileyo, wasibeka engcwabeni elaligujwe edwaleni, lapho okwakungazanga kubekwe khona umuntu.
Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.
54 Kwakulusuku lwamalungiselelo, lesabatha laselisondela.
It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
55 Labesifazana, ababeze laye bevela eGalili, balandela, balibona ingcwaba, lokuthi isidumbu sibekwe njani.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.
56 Basebebuyela emuva balungisa amakha lamagcobo. Ngesabatha basebephumula njengokomlayo.
Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.
