< UMathewu 3 >
1 Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhabhathizi, etshumayela enkangala yeJudiya,
Mumazubayo Joni mubbabbatizyi wakasika kakambawuka munkanda yaku Judiya kawamba kuti,
2 esithi: Phendukani; ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.
“Amusanduke, nkambo Bwami bwakujulu bwaba afwifwi.”
3 Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye nguIsaya umprofethi, esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
Nkambo oyu ngonguwe iwakambwa amusinsimi Isaya kuti, “Ijwi lyayooyo uwompoolola mulusaka munkanda, Ámululamike inzila ya Mwami, muchite kuti nzila zyakwe zilulame.”
4 Njalo uJohane lo wayelesembatho sakhe soboya bekamela, lozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe; lokudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lweganga.
Lino Joni wakalikusama boya bwa nkamela abbanti lyachikumba muchibuno chakwe. Kulya kwakwe zyakali nsozi abuchi bwamulusaka.
5 Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema leJudiya yonke lelizwe lonke elizingelezele iJordani;
Mpawo Jelusalema, Judiya yonse, azilikiti zyoonse zizyungulukide mulonga wa Jolodani zyakayinka kulinguwe.
6 basebebhabhathizwa nguye eJordani bevuma izono zabo.
Bakabbabbatizigwa anguwe mumulonga wa Jolodani, kabalyamba izibi zyabo.
7 Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhabhathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
Pesi nakabona kuti ba Falisi bayingi abasimulawu kabeza kulinguwe kuti ababbabbatizye, wakabambila kuti, “Inywe nizyalani lyabachipile, ngwani wakamuchenjezya kuchija bukali buza.
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka;
Amuzyale michelo yelela kusanduka.
9 njalo lingacabangi ukutsho phakathi kwenulithi: SiloAbrahama ongubaba; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kula amatshe.
Mutayeyi kamwamba kuti akati kanu, 'Tula Abbulahamu wamataatesu. Nkambo ndamwambila kuti Leza ulakonzya kubusya bana ba Abbulahamu nikuba kuzwa kumabwe.
10 Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
Kabikwa kale kaleba kumiyanda yaminsamu itazyali michelo mibotu ulagonkwa akuwalilwa mumulilo.
11 Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi kube sekuphendukeni; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
Ndamubbabbatizya amanzi kuti musanduke. Pesi oyo uuza musule lyangu ulenguzu kwiinda ndime, alimwi tandelede nikuba kunyampula manyatela akwe. Uyomubbabbatizya a Muuya Uusalala amulilo.
12 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyelisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
Ipanga lyakwe lilimumanza akwe kuti akukule lubuwa lwakwe akubungania witi mungánda yachiyobwedo. Pesi uyowumpa buungu amulilo kuti obo butakonzeki kubikwa anze.”
13 Khona uJesu evela eGalili wafika eJordani kuJohane, ukuze abhabhathizwe nguye.
Mpawo Jesu wakasika kuzwa ku Galili akuya kumulonga wa Jolodani kuti akabbabbatizigwe a Joni.
14 Kodwa uJohane wayemalela esithi: Mina ngiswela ukubhabhathizwa nguwe, kanti wena uza kimi?
Pesi Joni wakasyezye kumukasya, kaamba kuti, “Ndiyanda kubbabbatizigwa anduwe, ani wasika kulindime biyeni?”
15 Kodwa uJesu ephendula wathi kuye: Vuma khathesi; ngoba kusifanele ukuthi sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Wasemvumela.
Jesu wakamuvwiila wati, “chizuminine lino, nkambo kulelede kuti swebo tuzuzikizye bululamiboonse. Mpawo Joni wakamuzumizya.
16 UJesu esebhabhathiziwe wahle wakhuphuka emanzini; njalo khangela, amazulu amvulekela, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba esiza phezu kwakhe.
Nakamana kubbabbatizigwa Jesu wakazwa mpawawo mumeenda, amulange, majulu akajulilwa nguwe. Wakabona Muuya wa Leza kuuseluka ansi mbuli inziba akukkala alinguwe.
17 Njalo khangela, ilizwi livela emazulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engithokoza ngayo.
Amulange, ijwi lyakazwa kuzwa kumajulu kalyamba kuti, “Oyu ngu Mwana wangu ngundiyandisya. Ndilabotelwa anguwe.