ULukha 3
1 Kwathi ngomnyaka wetshumi lanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyosi uKesari, uPontiyusi Pilatu engumbusi weJudiya, loHerodi engumtetrarki weGalili, loFiliphu umfowabo engumtetrarki weIturiya lelizweni iTrakoniti, loLisaniya engumtetrarki weAbilene,
Now, in the fifteenth year of the supremacy of Tiberius Caesar, —Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and, Philip his brother, tetrarch of Ituraea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanius, tetrarch of Abylene, —
2 uAnasi loKayafasi bengabapristi abakhulu, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya enkangala.
in the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, came a word of God unto John the son, of Zechariah, in rue desert;
3 Wasesiza esigabeni sonke seJordani esizingelezeleyo, etshumayela ubhabhathizo lokuphenduka kube yikuthethelelwa kwezono;
and he came into all the country about the Jordan, proclaiming an immersion of repentance into remission of sins:
4 njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi, ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
as it is written in the book of the discourses of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one crying aloud! In the desert, prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight, be making his paths;
5 Sonke isigodi sizagqitshwa, layo yonke intaba loqaqa kuzakwehliswa; njalo kuzaqondiswa amazombazombe, lamaxhakaxhaka ezindlela azalungiswa;
Every chasm, shall be filled up, and, every mountain and hill, be made low; and the, crooked, places shall become, straight, and the, rugged, places, smooth ways; —
6 layo yonke inyama izabona usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Ngakho wathi emaxukwini aphumela ukubhabhathizwa nguye: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
He was saying, therefore, unto the multitudes who were going forth to be immersed by him—Broods of vipers! who suggested to you, to flee from the coming wrath?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka; njalo lingaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: SiloAbrahama ongubaba wethu; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.
Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to be saying within yourselves, As our father, we have, Abraham; for, I say unto you—God is able, out of these stones, to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 Lakhathesi lehloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
And, already, even the axe, unto the root of the trees is being laid; every tree, therefore, not bringing forth [good] fruit, is to be hewn down, and, into fire, to be cast.
10 Amaxuku asembuza, athi: Pho thina sizakwenzani?
And the multitude began to question him saying—What, then, shall we do?
11 Wasephendula wathi kubo: Olezembatho ezimbili, kamuphe ongelaso; lolokudla kenze njalo.
And, answering, he said unto them—He that hath two tunics, let him share with him that hath none, and, he that hath food, in like manner, let him be doing.
12 Kwasekufika labathelisi ukuze babhabhathizwe, basebesithi kuye: Mfundisi, sizakwenzani?
And there came, even tax-collectors, to be immersed; and they said unto him—Teacher! what, shall we, do?
13 Wasesithi kubo: Lingabizi okwedlula elikumiselweyo.
And, he, said unto them, Nothing more than what is appointed you, exact ye.
14 Lamabutho lawo ambuza, athi: Thina-ke sizakwenzani? Wasesithi kuwo: Lingenzi udlakela emuntwini, njalo lingacali ngamanga; njalo yeneliswani yimivuzo yenu.
Then were questioning him, soldiers also, saying—What shall, even we, do? And he said unto them—Molest ye, no one, neither accuse falsely; and be content with your supplies.
15 Kwathi abantu belindile, futhi bonke bezibuza enhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane, ukuthi kambe yena angaba enguKristu,
Now, as the people were in expectation, and all were deliberating in their hearts, concerning John, —whether by any means, he, might be, the Christ,
16 uJohane waphendula, esithi kubo bonke: Mina-ke ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi; kodwa uyeza olamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuthukulula umchilo wamanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
John answered, saying unto all—I, indeed, in water, am immersing you, but he that is mightier than I, cometh, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose, —he, will immerse you in Holy Spirit and fire:
17 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzahlambululisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
whose fan is in his hand, to clear out his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary; but, the chaff, will he burn up with fire unquenchable.
18 Langokulaya ngezinye izinto ezinengi, watshumayela ivangeli ebantwini.
So then indeed, as to many things and various, he exhorted, and continued telling his glad-message unto the people.
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, owayesolwe nguye ngoHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo, langakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerodi,
But, Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias, the wife of his brother, and concerning all the wicked things Herod had done,
20 wengezelela lalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
added this also unto all, —he locked up John in prison.
21 Kwasekusithi sebebhabhathiziwe bonke abantu, laye uJesu esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavulwa,
Now it came to pass, when one and all the people were immersed, Jesus also, having been immersed, and being at prayer, heaven was opened;
22 uMoya oyiNgcwele wasesehlela phezu kwakhe elesimo somzimba onjengowejuba, lelizwi lavela ezulwini, lisithi: Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, ngithokoza ngawe.
and the Holy Spirit descended, in bodily appearance, as a dove, upon him, —and, a voice out of heaven, came—Thou, art my Son, the Beloved, in thee, I delight.
23 Yena uJesu waseqala ukuba leminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu, yena (njengokwakunakanwa) eyindodana kaJosefa, kaEli,
And, Jesus himself, was, when he began, about thirty years of age, being the son, as was supposed—of Joseph, of Heli:
24 kaMathati, kaLevi, kaMeliki, kaJanayi, kaJosefa,
of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, —of Jannai, of Joseph:
25 kaMatathiya, kaAmosi, kaNahume, kaEseli, kaNagayi,
of Mattathias, of Amos, of Nahum, —of Esli, of Naggai:
26 kaMahati, kaMatathiya, kaSemeyi, kaJosefa, kaJuda,
of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semein, —of Josech, of Joda:
27 kaJohana, kaResa, kaZerubhabheli, kaSalatiyeli, kaNeri,
of Joanan, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, —of Salathiel, of Neri:
28 kaMeliki, kaAdi, kaKosamu, kaElimodamu, kaEri,
of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, —of Elmadam, of Er:
29 kaJose, kaEliyezeri, kaJorima, kaMathati, kaLevi,
of Jesus, of Eliezer, of Jorim, —of Matthat, of Levi:
30 kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonanu, kaEliyakhimi,
of Symeon, of Judas, of Joseph, —of Jonam, of Eliakim:
31 kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathata, kaNathani, kaDavida,
of Melea, of Menna, of Mattatha, —of Natham, of David:
32 kaJese, kaObedi, kaBowosi, kaSalimoni, kaNashoni,
of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, —of Salmon, of Nashon:
33 kaAminadaba, kaAramu, kaEsiromu, kaFaresi, kaJuda,
of Amminadab, of Arni, of Hezron, —of Perez, of Judah:
34 kaJakobe, kaIsaka, kaAbrahama, kaThara, kaNahori,
of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, —of Terah, of Nahor:
35 kaSarugi, kaRagawu, kaFaleki, kaEberi, kaSala,
of Serug, of Reu, of Peleg, —of Eber, of Shelah:
36 kaKayinani, kaArpakishadi, kaShemu, kaNowe, kaLameki,
of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Shem, —of Noah, of Lamech:
37 kaMethusala, kaEnoki, kaJaredi, kaMaleleyeli, kaKayinani,
of Methuselah, of Enoch, of Jared, —of Mahalaleel, of Cainan:
38 kaEnosi, kaSeti, kaAdamu, kaNkulunkulu.
of Enos, of Seth, —of Adam; of God.
