< UMathewu 3 >
1 Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhabhathizi, etshumayela enkangala yeJudiya,
2 esithi: Phendukani; ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.
3 Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye nguIsaya umprofethi, esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
4 Njalo uJohane lo wayelesembatho sakhe soboya bekamela, lozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe; lokudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lweganga.
5 Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema leJudiya yonke lelizwe lonke elizingelezele iJordani;
6 basebebhabhathizwa nguye eJordani bevuma izono zabo.
7 Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhabhathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka;
9 njalo lingacabangi ukutsho phakathi kwenulithi: SiloAbrahama ongubaba; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kula amatshe.
10 Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
11 Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi kube sekuphendukeni; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
12 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyelisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
13 Khona uJesu evela eGalili wafika eJordani kuJohane, ukuze abhabhathizwe nguye.
14 Kodwa uJohane wayemalela esithi: Mina ngiswela ukubhabhathizwa nguwe, kanti wena uza kimi?
15 Kodwa uJesu ephendula wathi kuye: Vuma khathesi; ngoba kusifanele ukuthi sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Wasemvumela.
16 UJesu esebhabhathiziwe wahle wakhuphuka emanzini; njalo khangela, amazulu amvulekela, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba esiza phezu kwakhe.
17 Njalo khangela, ilizwi livela emazulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engithokoza ngayo.
