NgokukaLuka 3:1-38
3 Ngonyaka ka-15 wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Khesari, lapho uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uHerode *+ engumbusi wesifunda waseGalile, uFiliphu umfowabo engumbusi wesifunda wezwe lase-Itureya nelaseTrakhoniti, uLisaniya engumbusi wesifunda wase-Abhilene,
2 ezinsukwini zompristi omkhulu u-Anase nezikaKayafase, + kwafika isimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu kuJohane + indodana kaZakariya ehlane. +
3 Ngakho waya kulo lonke izwe elizungeze iJordani, eshumayela ngokuthi ukubhapathizwa kuwuphawu lokuphenduka ukuze kuthethelelwe izono, +
4 njengoba nje kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umprofethi: “Kukhona omemeza ehlane ethi, ‘Lungisani indlela kaJehova!* Yenzani izindlela zakhe ziqonde. +
5 Zonke izigodi kumelwe zigcwaliswe, kuhlelenjwe zonke izintaba namagquma; izindlela ezigwegwile kumelwe ziqonde nezindlela ezimagebhugebhu zihlelenjwe;
6 bonke abantu bayobona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ” *+
7 Ngakho wathi ezixukwini ezaziphuma zizobhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onixwayise ukuba nibalekele ulaka oluzayo? +
8 Ngakho-ke, thelani izithelo ezibonisa ukuphenduka. Ningalinge nizitshele ukuthi, ‘Ubaba wethu ngu-Abrahama.’ Ngoba ngithi kini uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuvezela u-Abrahama abantwana kula matshe.
9 Ngempela, imbazo isibekiwe empandeni yezihlahla. Ngakho zonke izihlahla ezingatheli izithelo ezinhle zizogawulwa ziphonswe emlilweni.” +
10 Izixuku zazimbuza zithi: “Yini-ke okufanele siyenze?”
11 Waphendula wathi kuzo: “Umuntu onezingubo ezimbili* makabelane nomuntu ongenayo neyodwa, nalowo onokudliwayo makenze okufanayo.” +
12 Ngisho nabaqoqi bentela beza bezobhapathizwa, + bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, kufanele senzeni?”
13 Wathi kubo: “Ningafuni* lutho ngaphezu kwentela enqunyiwe.” +
14 Amasosha nawo ambuza: “Kufanele senzeni?” Wathi kuwo: “Ningahluphi* muntu noma nibeke umuntu icala lamanga, + kodwa yaneliswani ngenikulungiselelwe.”*
15 Abantu babelindele futhi bonke bezindla ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane bethi, “Kungenzeka yini ukuthi unguKristu?” +
16 UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: “Mina nginibhapathiza ngamanzi, kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami, engingakufanelekeli ukuqaqa amabhande ezimbadada zakhe. + Uzonibhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele nangomlilo. +
17 Uphethe ifosholo lakhe lokuhlunga, ukuze asihlanze sonke isibuya sakhe, abuthele ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe, kodwa amakhoba uyowashisa ngomlilo ongacimeki.”
18 Wabanikeza nezinye izeluleko eziningi, waqhubeka ememezela izindaba ezinhle kubantu.
19 Kodwa uHerode umbusi wesifunda, ngenxa yokuthi uJohane wamsola ngokuphathelene noHerodiya umkamfowabo nangokuphathelene nazo zonke izenzo ezimbi uHerode ayezenzile,
20 wanezela nalokhu kuzo zonke lezo zenzo: Wavalela uJohane ejele. +
21 Lapho bonke abantu sebebhapathiziwe, uJesu naye wabhapathizwa. + Njengoba ayethandaza, izulu lavuleka, +
22 nomoya ongcwele usesimweni sejuba, wehlela phezu kwakhe, kwavela izwi ezulwini lithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; ngikwamukele.” +
23 Lapho uJesu + eqala umsebenzi wakhe, wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-30 ubudala, + kucatshangwa ukuthi uyindodanakaJosefa, +indodana kaHeli,
24 indodana kaMathati,indodana kaLevi,indodana kaMeliki,indodana kaJanayi,indodana kaJosefa,
25 indodana kaMatathiya,indodana ka-Amose,indodana kaNahume,indodana ka-Eseli,indodana kaNagayi,
26 indodana kaMahati,indodana kaMatathiya,indodana kaSemeyini,indodana kaJoseki,indodana kaJoda,
27 indodana kaJowanani,indodana kaResa,indodana kaZerubhabhele, +indodana kaSheyalitiyeli, +indodana kaNerayi,
28 indodana kaMeliki,indodana ka-Adi,indodana kaKosamu,indodana ka-Elimadamu,indodana ka-Eri,
29 indodana kaJesu,indodana ka-Eliyezeri,indodana kaJorimi,indodana kaMathati,indodana kaLevi,
30 indodana kaSimeyoni,indodana kaJuda,indodana kaJosefa,indodana kaJonamu,indodana ka-Eliyakimi,
31 indodana kaMeleya,indodana kaMena,indodana kaMathata,indodana kaNathani, +indodana kaDavide, +
32 indodana kaJese, +indodana ka-Obede, +indodana kaBhowazi, +indodana kaSalimoni, +indodana kaNaheshoni, +
33 indodana ka-Aminadaba,indodana ka-Arani,indodana kaHezironi,indodana kaPherezi, +indodana kaJuda, +
34 indodana kaJakobe, +indodana ka-Isaka, +indodana ka-Abrahama, +indodana kaThera, +indodana kaNahori, +
35 indodana kaSerugi, +indodana kaRehu, +indodana kaPhelege, +indodana ka-Ebhere, +indodana kaShela, +
36 indodana kaKayinani,indodana ka-Arpakishade, +indodana kaShemi, +indodana kaNowa, +indodana kaLameka, +
37 indodana kaMethusela, +indodana ka-Enoke,indodana kaJarede, +indodana kaMahalaliyele, +indodana kaKayinani +
38 indodana ka-Enoshe, +indodana kaSeti, +indodana ka-Adamu, +indodana kaNkulunkulu.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Okuwukuthi, uHerode Antipase. Bheka uHlu Lwezincazelo Zamagama.
^ Bheka iSithasiselo A5.
^ Noma, “indlela kaNkulunkulu yokusindisa.”
^ Noma, “onenye ingubo.”
^ Noma, “Ningaqoqi.”
^ Noma, “Ningaphambi.”
^ Noma, “umholo wenu.”
