UMathewu 3
1 Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhabhathizi, etshumayela enkangala yeJudiya,
About this time John the Baptist made his appearance, preaching in the Desert of Judaea.
2 esithi: Phendukani; ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.
"Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."
3 Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye nguIsaya umprofethi, esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"
4 Njalo uJohane lo wayelesembatho sakhe soboya bekamela, lozwezwe lwesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe; lokudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lweganga.
This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.
5 Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema leJudiya yonke lelizwe lonke elizingelezele iJordani;
Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley--
6 basebebhabhathizwa nguye eJordani bevuma izono zabo.
and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.
7 Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhabhathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka;
Therefore let your lives prove your change of heart;
9 njalo lingacabangi ukutsho phakathi kwenulithi: SiloAbrahama ongubaba; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kula amatshe.
and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
10 Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire.
11 Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi kube sekuphendukeni; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
12 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyelisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire."
13 Khona uJesu evela eGalili wafika eJordani kuJohane, ukuze abhabhathizwe nguye.
Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.
14 Kodwa uJohane wayemalela esithi: Mina ngiswela ukubhabhathizwa nguwe, kanti wena uza kimi?
John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15 Kodwa uJesu ephendula wathi kuye: Vuma khathesi; ngoba kusifanele ukuthi sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Wasemvumela.
"Let it be so on this occasion," Jesus replied; "for so we ought to fulfil every religious duty." Then he consented;
16 UJesu esebhabhathiziwe wahle wakhuphuka emanzini; njalo khangela, amazulu amvulekela, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba esiza phezu kwakhe.
and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,
17 Njalo khangela, ilizwi livela emazulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engithokoza ngayo.
while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."
