< UMathewu 14 >
1 Ngalesosikhathi uHerodi umtetrarki wezwa indumela kaJesu,
2 wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe: Lo nguJohane uMbhabhathizi; yena uvukile kwabafileyo, kungakho-ke imisebenzi yamandla isebenza kuye.
3 Ngoba uHerodi wayembambile uJohane wambopha wamfaka entolongweni, ngenxa kaHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo;
4 ngoba uJohane wayethe kuye: Kawuvunyelwa ukuba laye.
5 Njalo efuna ukumbulala, wesaba ixuku, ngoba lalimphatha njengomprofethi.
6 Kodwa kwathi kugcinwa usuku lokuzalwa kukaHerodi, indodakazi kaHerodiyasi yagida phakathi kwabo, yamthokozisa uHerodi.
7 Ngakho wathembisa ngesifungo ukuyinika loba yini ezayicela.
8 Kodwa yona, isilayiwe ngunina, yathi: Ngiphe lapha emganwini ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhathizi.
9 Inkosi yasisiba losizi, kodwa ngenxa yezifungo langalabo ababehlezi layo ekudleni yalaya ukuthi inikwe.
10 Yasithuma yamquma uJohane ikhanda entolongweni.
11 Ikhanda lakhe laselilethwa ngomganu, lanikwa intombi; njalo yona yalisa kunina.
12 Kwasekusiza abafundi bakhe bathatha isidumbu, basingcwaba; basebesuka bambikela uJesu.
13 UJesu esezwile wasuka lapho ngomkhumbi waya endaweni eyinkangala eyedwa; kodwa amaxuku ekuzwa amlandela ngenyawo evela emizini.
14 UJesu esephumile wabona ixuku elikhulu, waba lesihelo ngabo, wasilisa abagulayo babo.
15 Kwathi sekuhlwile abafundi bakhe beza kuye, bathi: Lindawo iyinkangala, lesikhathi sesihambile; liyekele ixuku lihambe, ukuze baye emizaneni bazithengele ukudla.
16 Kodwa uJesu wathi kubo: Kakuswelekanga ukuthi bahambe; banikeni lina ukuthi badle.
17 Kodwa bathi kuye: Kasila lapha ngaphandle kwezinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili.
18 Wasesithi: Ziletheni lapha kimi.
19 Waselaya amaxuku ukuthi ahlale phansi etshanini, wathatha izinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili, wakhangela phezulu ezulwini, wabusisa, esezihlephule wabanika abafundi izinkwa, labafundi bapha amaxuku.
20 Basebesidla bonke, basutha; badobha imvuthu ezazisele, izitsha ezigcweleyo ezilitshumi lambili.
21 Lalabo abasebedlile babengamadoda angaba zinkulungwane ezinhlanu, ngaphandle kwabesifazana labantwana.
22 Njalo uJesu wahle wacindezela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bangene emkhunjini, njalo bamqalele ukuya ngaphetsheya, esayekela amaxuku ahambe.
23 Kwathi eseyekele amaxuku ahamba, wenyukela entabeni eyedwa ukuze akhuleke; kwathi sekuhlwile, wayeyedwa lapho.
24 Kodwa umkhumbi wawusuphakathi kolwandle, utshukunyiswa ngamagagasi; ngoba umoya wawuphambene labo.
25 Kwathi ngesikhathi somlindo wesine wobusuku uJesu weza kubo, ehamba phezu kolwandle.
26 Kodwa kwathi abafundi bembona ehamba phezu kolwandle bethuka, bathi: Lithonga. Basebekhala ngokwesaba.
27 Kodwa uJesu wahle wakhuluma labo, wathi: Manini isibindi; yimi; lingesabi.
28 UPetro wasemphendula wathi: Nkosi, uba kunguwe, ngilaya ukuthi ngize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.
29 Wasesithi: Woza. UPetro wasesehla emkhunjini wahamba phezu kwamanzi, ukuze aye kuJesu.
30 Kodwa ebona umoya olamandla wesaba; wathi eseqala ukutshona wakhala, wathi: Nkosi, ngisindisa!
31 Njalo uJesu wahle welula isandla, wambamba, wathi kuye: Wena olokukholwa okuncinyane, uthandabuzelani?
32 Sebengenile emkhunjini, umoya wathula.
33 Abasemkhunjini basebesiza bamkhonza bathi: Ngeqiniso wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
34 Kwathi sebechaphile bafika elizweni leGenesaretha.
35 Esemazi amadoda akuleyondawo athumela ilizwi kuso sonke lesosigaba esizingelezeleyo, aletha kuye bonke abagulayo.
36 Basebemncenga, ukuthi bathinte nje umphetho wesembatho sakhe; njalo bonke abathintayo basiliswa.
