ULukha 23
1 Kwasekusukuma ixuku labo lonke, lamusa kuPilatu.
Then they all rose in a body and led Jesus before Pilate.
2 Baqala ukummangalela, besithi: Simficile lo eduhisa isizwe, esalela ukuthela kuKesari, esithi nguye onguKristu iNkosi.
And they began to accuse him, ‘This is a man whom we found misleading our people, preventing them from paying taxes to the Emperor, and giving out that he himself is “Christ, a king.”’
3 UPilatu wasembuza, wathi: Wena uyiNkosi yamaJuda yini? Wasemphendula wathi: Uyatsho wena.
‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked him. ‘It is true,’ replied Jesus.
4 Wasesithi uPilatu kubapristi abakhulu lemaxukwini: Kangitholi cala kulumuntu.
But Pilate, turning to the chief priests and the people, said, ‘I do not see anything to find fault with in this man.’
5 Kodwa baqinisa, besithi: Udunga abantu, efundisa kuyo yonke iJudiya, eqala eGalili kuze kufike lapha.
But they insisted, ‘He is stirring up the people by his teaching all through Judea; he began with Galilee and has now come here.’
6 Lapho uPilatu esizwa kuthiwa iGalili wabuza ukuthi lumuntu ungumGalili yini.
Hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
7 Kwathi esezwile ukuthi ungowombuso kaHerodi, wamthumela kuHerodi, owayekhona laye eJerusalema ngalezonsuku.
and, having satisfied himself that Jesus came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who also was at Jerusalem at the 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 exceedingly pleased, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, having heard a great deal about him; and he was hoping to see some sign given by him.
9 Wambuza ngamazwi amanengi; kodwa yena kamphendulanga lutho.
So he questioned him at some length, but Jesus made no reply.
10 Abapristi abakhulu lababhali babemi, bemmangalela ngamandla.
Meanwhile the chief priests and the teachers of the Law stood by and vehemently accused him.
11 UHerodi lamabutho akhe bamyangisa, bamklolodela, basebemgqokisa isembatho esikhazimulayo, bambuyisela kuPilatu.
And Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with scorn; he mocked him by throwing a gorgeous robe round him, and then sent him back to Pilate.
12 Ngalolosuku uHerodi kanye loPilatu baba ngabangane omunye komunye; ngoba ngaphambi kwalokhu babelobutha phakathi kwabo.
And Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, for before that there had been ill-will between them.
13 UPilatu wasebizela ndawonye abapristi abakhulu lababusi labantu,
So Pilate summoned the chief priests, and the leading men, 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 this man before me charged with misleading the people; and yet, for my part, though I examined him before you, I did not find this man to blame for any of the things of which you accuse him;
15 hatshi ngitsho loHerodi; ngoba ngilithumeze kuye, njalo khangelani, kakulalutho olufanele ukufa olwenziwe nguye.
nor did Herod either; for he has sent him back to us. And, as a fact, he has not done anything deserving death;
16 Ngakho ngizamtshaya ngimkhulule.
so I will have him scourged, and then release him.’
17 Kwakufanele ukuthi abakhululele abe munye ngomkhosi.
18 Bamemeza bonke kanyekanye besithi: Msuse lo, usikhululele uBarabasi
But they began to shout as one man, ‘Kill this fellow, but release Barabbas for us.’
19 (owayephoselwe entolongweni ngenxa yomvukela othile owenzeka phakathi komuzi langenxa yokubulala).
(Barabbas was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city and for murder.)
20 Ngakho uPilatu wabuya wakhuluma labo, efuna ukumkhulula uJesu.
Pilate, however, wanting to release Jesus, called to them again;
21 Kodwa bamemeza, besithi: Bethela, mbethele!
but they kept calling out, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’
22 Wasesithi kubo ngokwesithathu: Ngoba lo enze bubi bani? Kangitholanga kuye icala afanele ukufa ngalo; ngakho ngizamtshaya ngimkhulule.
‘Why, what harm has this man done?’ Pilate said to them for the third time. ‘I have found nothing in him for which he could be condemned to death. So I will have him scourged, and then release him.’
23 Kodwa baqinisa ngamazwi amakhulu, befuna ukuthi abethelwe; lamazwi abo lawabapristi abakhulu aphumelela.
But they persisted in loudly demanding his crucifixion; and their clamour gained the day.
24 UPilatu wasequma ukuthi kwenziwe isicelo sabo.
Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.
25 Wasebakhululela lowo ababemcelile owayephoselwe entolongweni ngenxa yomvukela lokubulala; kodwa uJesu wamnikela entandweni yabo.
He released the man who had been put in prison for riot and murder, as they demanded, and gave Jesus up to be dealt with as they pleased.
26 Kwathi sebemqhuba, babamba uSimoni othile umKurene owayevela emaphandleni, bamethesa isiphambano, ukuthi asithwale ngemva kukaJesu.
And, as they were leading Jesus away, they laid hold of Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on his shoulders, for him to carry it behind Jesus.
27 Laselimlandela ixuku elikhulu labantu, labesifazana labo ababekhala bemlilela.
There was a great crowd of people following him, many being women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
28 Kodwa uJesu ephendukela kubo wathi: Madodakazi eJerusalema, lingangikhaleli mina, kodwa zikhaleleni lina labantwana benu,
So Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Women 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.
A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said – “Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!”
30 Khona bezaqalisa ukuthi ezintabeni: Welani phezu kwethu; lemaqaqeni: Sisibekeleni.
At that time people will begin to say to the mountains “Fall on us,” and to the hills “Cover us.”
31 Ngoba uba besenza lezizinto esihlahleni esimanzi, kuzakwenzakalani kwesomileyo?
If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
32 Kwaqhutshwa labanye abenzi bobubi ababili, ukuthi babulawe kanye laye.
There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus.
33 Sebefikile endaweni ethiwa luKhakhayi, bambethela khona, labenzi bobubi, omunye ngakwesokunene, lomunye ngakwesokhohlo.
When they had reached the place called “The Skull,” there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left.
34 UJesu wasesithi: Baba, bathethelele; ngoba kabakwazi abakwenzayo. Njalo babelana izembatho zakhe, benza inkatho yokuphosa.
Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.
35 Labantu bema babukela. Lababusi kanye labo bamklolodela, besithi: Wasindisa abanye, kazisindise yena, uba yena enguKristu, okhethiweyo kaNkulunkulu.
Meanwhile the people stood looking on. Even the leading men said with a sneer, ‘He saved others, let him save himself, if he is God’s Christ, his chosen one.’
36 Labebutho bamklolodela, beza kuye bamnika iviniga,
The soldiers, too, came up in mockery, bringing him common wine,
37 besithi: Uba wena uyiNkosi yamaJuda, zisindise wena.
and saying as they did so, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’
38 Kwakukhona lombhalo ngaphezu kwakhe kulotshiwe ngamabala esiGriki langesiRoma langesiHebheru othi: LO UYINKOSI YAMAJUDA.
Above him were the words – “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 were hanging beside Jesus railed at him. ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us,’ he said.
40 Kodwa omunye waphendula emkhuza, esithi: Wena kawumesabi yini uNkulunkulu, lokhu lawe ukulokhukulahlwa?
But the other rebuked him. ‘Haven’t you,’ he said, ‘any fear of God, now that you are under the same sentence?
41 Thina kambe kusilungele, ngoba semukela okulingene ukwenza kwethu; kodwa lo kenzanga lutho olungafanelanga.
And we justly so, for we are only reaping our deserts, but this man has not done anything wrong.
42 Wasesithi kuJesu: Ungikhumbule, Nkosi, lapha ufika embusweni wakho.
Jesus,’ he went on, ‘do not forget me when you have come to your kingdom.’
43 UJesu wasesithi kuye: Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Lamuhla uzakuba lami eParadise.
And Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, this very day you will be with me in Paradise.’
44 Kwakungaba lihola lesithupha, kwaba khona ubumnyama phezu komhlaba wonke kwaze kwaba lihola lesificamunwemunye,
It was nearly midday, when a darkness came over the whole country, lasting until three in the afternoon,
45 futhi ilanga lalifiphaziwe, leveyili lethempeli ladatshulwa phakathi.
the sun being eclipsed; and the Temple curtain was torn down the middle.
46 UJesu wasememeza ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: Baba, ezandleni zakho ngibeka umoya wami; esetshilo lokhu waphefumula okokucina.
Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ And with these words he expired.
47 Kwathi induna yekhulu isibonile okwenzekileyo, yamdumisa uNkulunkulu, isithi: Isibili lumuntu ubelungile.
The Roman centurion, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming, ‘This must have been a good man!’
48 Lamaxuku wonke ayebuthene ukubukela lokho, sebebonile izinto ezenzekileyo, babuyela betshaya izifuba zabo.
All the people who had collected to see the sight watched what occurred, and then went home beating their breasts.
49 Bonke abazana laye, labesifazana ababemlandela bevela eGalili, bema khatshana, bebona lezizinto.
All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.
50 Njalo khangela, indoda ethiwa nguJosefa, ilunga lomphakathi, indoda elungileyo eqotho;
Now there was a man of the name of Joseph, who was a member of the Council, and who bore a good and upright character.
51 yena wayengavumelananga lecebo lesenzo sabo; wayevela eArimathiya umuzi wamaJuda, laye ngokwakhe wayelindele umbuso kaNkulunkulu;
(This man had not assented to the decision and action of the Council.) He belonged to Arimathea, a town in Judea, and lived in expectation of the kingdom of God.
52 lowo waya kuPilatu wacela isidumbu sikaJesu.
He now went to see Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus;
53 Wasesethula wasigoqela ngelembu elicolekileyo, wasibeka engcwabeni elaligujwe edwaleni, lapho okwakungazanga kubekwe khona umuntu.
and, when he had taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen sheet, and laid him in a tomb cut out of stone, in which no one had yet been buried.
54 Kwakulusuku lwamalungiselelo, lesabatha laselisondela.
It was the Preparation day, and just before the Sabbath began.
55 Labesifazana, ababeze laye bevela eGalili, balandela, balibona ingcwaba, lokuthi isidumbu sibekwe njani.
The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how the body of Jesus was laid,
56 Basebebuyela emuva balungisa amakha lamagcobo. Ngesabatha basebephumula njengokomlayo.
and then went home, and prepared spices and perfumes. During the Sabbath they rested, as directed by the commandment.
